Welcome

Hi. I'm Toby, your embedded librarian. I've created this guide to help you with your research for PSY101 and PSY102.

Each section introduces the steps you should take when researching for an assessment. You'll find links to videos and resources that will give you the tools to find great information. Use the activities on the test your knowledge tab to see what you need to revise.

Whether you are taking PSY101 and PSY102 together, or one subject at a time, the skills we are helping you build through this RSG are relevant for both subjects. 

If you would like an introduction to our Library website and services check out:

Getting started with your assessment

The first thing is to make sure you clearly understand your task and what topic you are seeking information for.  This is called a topic analysis. Read your assessment task details closely in your Subject Outline.

With an understanding of your task you then need to plan how you will search for information. This starts with identifying and brainstorming keywords.

Below are examples of keywords and their synonyms and related terms:

Keywords Synonyms or related terms
Music effects The Mozart effect, Benefits of music, Music training, Music lessons
Cognitive performance

Spatial-temporal reasoning, Cognitive function, Educational implications, IQ, Intelligence

For guidance in topic analysis check out:

Choose the right place to search

Before you start searching, think about what types of information you need and where you can search to find those types of resources.

Primo Search

Primo Search is a good place to start as it allows you to use one search box to bring back results from most of our Library collection including books, eBooks, journal articles, newspaper articles and more. You may get a large number of results and some of these will be from outside your subject/discipline area. Check the content is relevant to your assessment task before you use it.

Library databases

Databases will help you find academic resources and are often subject specific. They are extremely valuable to students of psychology.  Database searching will produce fewer results than Primo, but those results will be more relevant to your subject/discipline. 

Look for HTML and PDF links to access the full text of an article. If the full text is not available when you are searching in databases, click on the Find it button to check if the article is available to you in a different database.

I recommend trying the following databases:

The Psychology databases list has more databases you can search.

Learn how to search efficiently in Primo and Library databases:

Create a search strategy

When you search using Primo Search or a library database use the keywords and limits you identified above to create your search. Combine the keywords with "search operators", rather than searching with a whole sentence or question. Search operators tell Primo or the database how to search with your keywords.

A potential search strings could include:

  • "mozart effect" AND cognitive (performance OR function)
  • "music training" AND intelligen*
  • spatial (task* OR reasoning) AND music effect*

Remember: you will need to try a range of searches. Don't stop after just one.

To understand how search operators work check out:

Evaluate

Your assessments require you to use credible information, but how can you tell whether the resources you've found are credible and suitable for your assessment?  Have you been asked to use peer reviewed, academic or refereed articles? Are you using authoritative websites?

The information below will help you evaluate the information you find, in books, journal articles, or online to make sure it’s reliable.

 

Find Peer Reviewed Articles

Articles published in peer reviewed or refereed journals have been through a formal approval process. This process is intended to ensure that the article is accurate, well-researched and contributes to the body of knowledge in the field.

To find peer reviewed articles:

  • In Primo Search: select to show only peer reviewed journals
  • In journal databases: limit to peer reviewed or scholarly journals

However, these options are just an indication of peer review status. The definitive way to find out if your article has been peer reviewed is to use Ulrichsweb Global Periodicals Directory.

Your prescribed texts

Good news!

Your prescribed texts are available online through the library. The best way to access them is through your 'Readings & Resources (Leganto)' list within your subject site.

However access to your textbook is limited. Follow the best practice in the video below to ensure you have access to what you need without disadvantaging other students in your subject.

Other ways to find information

In PSY102 you will have been given lists of required and recommended readings. You can use these readings to find additional resources on your topic by undertaking footnote chasing and citation searching.

Footnote chasing

Inspect the reference lists of articles you have already found to source related readings.  These readings will be older than the original article, so keep this in mind if your lecturer would like you to use recent material.

Citation searching

Some (but not all) databases have a feature that allows you to see who has cited the article you're looking at.  This will lead you to more recently published articles.

Reading, writing and referencing

The Academic Skills team can help you to build your writing, referencing and reading skills to be successful at Charles Sturt University.

Explore resources from the Academic Skills team in the Learning Skills section of the Student Portal.

Here are some pages to get you started:

Using AI

Have you been asked to use Generative AI Tools (GAITs) in your assessment? Or are you thinking of using GAITs for research and study? 

Make sure you are aware of the risks associated with using GAITs:

  • Academic integrity
  • Plagiarism
  • Inaccurate content
  • Intellectual property
  • Privacy concerns.

For more information see:

Microsoft Copilot

You have access to Microsoft Copilot's secure enterprise version while studying at Charles Sturt. This means your data is protected when using the secure version of Copilot via a student account, hence your data isn't retained or used for training the genAI. To find out how to access, head over to Charles Sturt's Microsoft Copilot page. 

Keen for more?

If you're interested in finding out more, check out the following: