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PSYC 200: Writing and Thinking in Psychology

Psychology @ Collins Library

This guide is intended as a starting point for students at Puget Sound who are interested in Psychology.  It provides general information as well as links to selected print and electronic resources.

The guide provides suggestions that will help you with the following:

  • Gaining background knowledge
  • Finding scholarly / empirically based articles
  • Identifying primary sources in Psychology
  • Finding tests and measurements
  • Finding scholarly books
  • Correctly citing the sources you use

Selected Online Encyclopedias

Recommended Starting Points: Subject Encyclopedias

Subject Encyclopedias are scholarly works written by experts on a variety of topics. The articles are typically longer and more detailed than general encyclopedias. The background information provides a good starting point as you begin the research process. Subject encyclopedias can help guide you with:

  • Understanding the scope of a topic
  • Suggesting ideas for narrowing a topic
  • Identifying key concepts, terms, dates and names
  • Listing subject areas related to a topic
  • Recommending sources for further exploration

 

Sage Knowledge

Sage provides online Encyclopedias, Handbooks and Dictionaries that cover topics in the Social Sciences.

Sage Knowledge Online

 

Research in Psychology

What's a tertiary source?

Tertiary sources are excellent starting points!  They consist of information synthesized from primary and secondary sources.  Examples include:

  • Almanacs
  • Chronologies
  • Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
  • Directories
  • Fact books
  • Guidebooks
  • Indexes, abstracts, bibliographies used to locate primary and secondary sources
  • Manuals
  • Textbooks

These resources give you succinct overviews of your topic, explain scholarly arguments, point out interesting questions, and refer you to especially key sources.