Psychology

PsychINFO is the most powerful database in the field. Find tips and tricks below to maximize your ability to find resources in it.

What are Subject Headings / Subject Terms / Index Terms? 

The APA labels each item in PsycINFO with a set of subject headings or index terms. Index terms are standardized words or phrases used to describe the idea. Searching with subject headings / index terms means you don't need to figure out all the ways different authors might refer to the same idea, like you need to with keyword searching. 

When you identify an article in PsycINFO that matches your interest, it's a good idea to look at the subject headings assigned to that item and revise your search using the most relevant ones. 

For example, the article "Children teach methods that they could not discover for themselves" has been assigned subject headings describing what the article is about, for example: 

• Child Attitudes (major);
• Childhood Development (major);
• Cognitive Ability (major)

If your interest centered on child attitudes and childhood development, you could use those subject headings to perform a revised search and retrieve similar, relevant results.

For more information about searching with subject headings / index terms, watch the following short tutorial.  

Copied from Portland State University Library's Psychology Guide

Use limits to filter results for specific aspects of the resource such as particular age groups, research methodology, or publication type. These selections help you quickly narrow down results to items most relevant for you (and your assignment!). 

Copied from Portland State University Library's Psychology Guide