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APA PsycInfo Guide

Finding related literature

Finding good and relevant sources is the key to writing a successful literature review. Apart from going through various databases and search engines, and running keyword searches, there are various other tips and tricks you may use to find additional information. APA PsycInfo with its numerous special features may prove to be an invaluable assistant towards this direction.

Use the tabs below to discover some APA PsycInfo features that will help you reach more literature relevant to your topic.

What are "Cited References"?

The "Cited References" of a source is the complete listing of the items included in the source's bibliography. APA PsycInfo is one of the few databases that includes the full list of cited references for every publication. What's more, this is a list you can browse directly from your results page.

How does "Cited References" differ from "Times Cited in this Database"?

The items appearing in your results list after running a search in APA PsycInfo are usually accompanied by two hyperlinks: the "Cited References" and the "Times Cited in this Database" links. The first leads you to a screen that presents the list of records cited in the original article. The second leads you to another screen that presents a list of records that cite the original article.

Why are these two features useful?

"Cited References" allows you to discover older relevant literature taking you backward in the research timeline. "Times Cited in this Database" does the opposite: it allows you to discover newer relevant literature taking you forward in the research timeline. Both of them are useful as they help you track the evolution of an idea or of an author's work by examining who cited whom or who has been cited by whom and how often.

How can I search for cited references?

To search for cited references, just follow the steps below:

  • Click on "Cited References" from the command bar at the top of the page.
  • Enter the author, title, source, and/or date of the source you are interested in.
  • Click "Search".
  • Go through the list of results to find the one you are looking for.
  • Check the box in front of it and click "Find Citing Articles".

A list of APA PsycInfo articles that cite the article you originally searched for will be populated. This way, you may discover additional relevant and more recently published research.

What's a search alert?

A search alert is a content change detection and notification service available in most databases. Setting up a search alert allows you to define your preferred search parameters in your personal database account and receive email notifications each time a new item that matches those parameters is added to the database.

What types of search alerts can I set up in APA PsycInfo?

APA PsycInfo allows you to set up search alerts for specific topics, journals, or authors. It also allows you to create RSS feeds in case you prefer to view your alerts via an RSS reader.

How do I set up search alerts?

Setting up search alerts is very simple. Just sign in to your "My EBSCOhost" account and follow the steps below. If you don't know what a "My EBSCOhost" account is or how to create one, you may consult the respective tutorial available at EBSCO's support site.

Once you sign in to "My EBSCOhost", follow the steps below:

  • Run your search.
  • On the results page, click the "Share" button.
  • On the "Create an alert" section select either "Email Alert" or "RSS Feed".
  • Set up your preferences and click "Save Alert".

Notice the "Advanced Settings" option at the bottom, which allows you to see more available parameters.

What's a preprint article?

A preprint article, otherwise referred to as preprint publication, pre-publication, or prepub, is an article published online prior to its official publication in a journal issue. Such articles are listed in APA PsycInfo as "first posting" articles.

Why do publishers publish preprint articles?

Researchers usually need very recently published studies when they conduct their own research. Unfortunately, since the editorial and peer-review processes are very thorough, many months can go by from the time an article is submitted for publication until it is ready to be published in a journal.

To shorten the time between article submission and publication, what publishers usually do is publish the articles online until they are ready to be officially published in the print journals. Some publishers do this as soon as they receive the submitted articles, while others do it upon completion of the editorial process.

How can I search for preprint articles in APA PsycInfo?

Searching for preprint articles in APA PsycInfo is very simple:

  • Go to the "Advanced Search".
  • Enter your search terms in the search box(es).
  • Scroll down until you find the "Publication Status" filter.
  • Select "first posting" from the menu.
  • Click "Search".