Combine Search Terms
Article databases use more advanced search syntax than web search engines. Understanding how they are different can make it easier to manipulate your search results.
Use the Advanced Search option within the database for best results.
AND narrows down your results because it only finds items that include both search terms as a keyword.
Example: college students AND risky behavior
OR expands your results because it finds items that include either one or both search terms as a keyword.
Example: climate change OR climate variability OR environmental impact
NOT makes your results more specific by excluding words that aren't relevant to your search.
Example: renewable energy NOT Solar
Combine each to create a detailed search for very specific resources
What is a DOI?
"A digital object identifier (DOI) is a unique alphanumeric string assigned by a registration agency (the International DOI Foundation) to identify content and provide a persistent link to its location on the Internet." -American Psychological Association (APA)
Where can you find a DOI?
You can find the DOI in the search results list or the abstract page for a particular article.
Please Note: not all articles are assigned a DOI's (Digital Object Identifier), see flow chart below for info.
From the Purdue OWL, see how to cite the DOI.
Evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) is the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences.2 This definition of EBPP closely parallels the definition of evidence-based practice adopted by the Institute of Medicine (2001, p. 147) as adapted from Sackett and colleagues (2000): "Evidence-based practice is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values." The purpose of EBPP is to promote effective psychological practice and enhance public health by applying empirically supported principles of psychological assessment, case formulation, therapeutic relationship, and intervention.
Evidence based practice involves 5 steps:
1. Ask a focused question to satisfy the health needs of a specific patient
2. Find the best evidence by searching the literature
3. Critically appraise the literature: testing for validity, clinical relevance, and applicability
4. Apply the results in clinical practice
5. Evaluate the outcomes in your patient
Adapted from: the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and Sackett DL, Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. BMJ. 1996 Jan 13;312(7023):71-2.
Breaking up your question into these 4 elements (which you can easily remember with the mnemonic device PICO) will make your literature search process easier:
Use the links below to search using the PICO method.
What type of question are you asking and which would be best to support the evidence?
| Type of Question | Type of Study/Methodology to Look at |
|---|---|
| Therapy |
Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial; Systematic Review/Meta Analysis of RCT |
| Diagnosis | Controlled Trial; Systematic Review/Meta Analysis of Controlled Trial |
| Harm | Cohort studies |
| Prognosis | Cohort Studies; Case control, case studies |
| Etiology | Cohort studies |
| Prevention | Randomized Controlled Trial; Cohort studies |
| Quality Improvement | Randomized Controlled Trial |
| Quality of Life | Qualitative Study |
| Cost Effectiveness | Economic Evaluation |
| Clinical Exam | Prospective, blind comparison to gold standard |
The Evidence Pyramid is often used to illustrate the development of evidence. At the base of the pyramid is animal research and laboratory studies - this is where ideas are first developed. As you progress up the pyramid the amount of information available decreases in volume, but increases in relevance to the clinical setting.
| Type of Study | Where to Find it |
|---|---|
| Systematic Reviews or Meta-analysis | Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE |
| Critically-Appraised Topics | DynaMed, UpToDate |
| Critically-Appraised Articles | ACP Journal Club |
| Randomized Controlled Trials | Original articles (search MEDLINE, EMBASE) |
| Cohort Studies | Original articles (search MEDLINE, EMBASE) |
| Case-Controlled Studies etc. | Original articles (search MEDLINE, EMBASE) |
| Background Info/Expert Opinion | Books, editorials |
Adapted from Study Designs. In NICHSR Introduction to Health Services Research: a Self-Study Course. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/ihcm/06studies/studies03.html and Glossary of EBM Terms. http://www.cebm.utoronto.ca/glossary/index.htm#top
Evidence-Based Practice and Intellectual Disabilities by
Evidence-Based Practice and Intellectual Disabilities responds to the recent increased focus on, and need for, the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) in treating intellectual disabilities. The first book wholly dedicated to addressing EBP specifically in relation to intellectual disabilities Provides clinical guidelines based on the strength of evidence of treatments for a given problematic behavioral topography or disorder Highly relevant to a wide-ranging audience, including professionals working in community services, clinicians and parents and carers
Handbook of Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Psychology by
Handbook of Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Psychology, Volume 2 covers the evidence-based practices now identified for treating adults with a wide range of DSM disorders. Topics include fundamental issues, adult cognitive disorders, substance-related disorders, psychotic, mood, and anxiety disorders, and sexual disorders. Each chapter provides a comprehensive review of the evidence-based practice literature for each disorder and then covers several different treatment types for clinical implementation. Edited by the renowned Peter Sturmey and Michel Hersen and featuring contributions from experts in the field, this reference is ideal for academics, researchers, and libraries.
Programs and Interventions for Maltreated Children and Families at Risk by
Evidence-based interventions are increasingly being required by third-party payers and an evidence-based orientation has come to define ethical practice. This compendium of short, how-to chapters focuses on the programs and interventions to prevent child maltreatment that have the best scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness. Interventions and programs discussed include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Multisystemic Therapy, Coping Cat, and many more. Busy practitioners will appreciate this book's implementation of evidence-based practices by providing the practical and "what now" rather than using the typical academic approach.
Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Adults by
Praise for Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Adults "This outstanding book, written for clinicians, provides a fascinating examination of leading depression treatments supported by cutting-edge scientific evidence. The editors have assembled an impressive list of authors who expertly describe each intervention at a level of detail rarely seen in other books. Clinicians looking for guidance on how to implement evidence-based treatments for depression will find this book indispensable." -Aaron T. Beck, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania President Emeritus, Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research "This is a much-needed book that can increase accessibility of empirically based treatments to practicing clinicians. The chapters are informative, readable, and peppered with clinical examples that bring the treatments to life. This book is an essential bridge to enhance dissemination of some of our most potent treatments for depression to those on the front lines of treatment delivery." -Adele M. Hayes, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Delaware Evidence-based interventions for treating depression in adolescents and adults Part of the Clinician's Guide to Evidence-Based Practice Series, Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Adults provides busy mental health practitioners with detailed, step-by-step guidance for implementing clinical interventions that are supported by the latest scientific evidence. This thorough, yet practical volume draws on a roster of experts and researchers in the field who have assembled state-of-the-art knowledge into this well-rounded guide. Each chapter serves as a practitioner-focused how-to reference and covers interventions that have the best empirical support for the treatment of depression, including: Cognitive Behavior Therapy Behavioral Activation Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy for Chronic Depression Easy to use and accessible in tone, Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Adults is indispensable for practitioners who would like to implement evidence-based, culturally competent, effective interventions in their care of clients struggling with depression.
"An empirical article is a research article that reports the results of a study that uses data derived from actual observation or experimentation."
To identify an article based on empirical research, look for the following characteristics:
From the PsycARTICLES Database advanced search page:
From the PsycINFO Database advanced search page:
| Scholarly (Refereed, Peer-Reviewed) Journal Articles |
Non-Scholarly (Popular) Journal Articles |
|
|---|---|---|
| Definition |
Scholarly articles are "peer-reviewed" by other experts in the field. Are also sometimes called "refereed articles." |
Non-scholarly articles are meant to inform or entertain readers rather than provide in-depth analysis. |
| Content | Content of articles usually reports on original research or experimentation. | Content of articles often reports on other research or events rather than presenting original research. |
| Bibliography | Articles usually list references in footnotes or endnotes. | Articles are seldom footnoted and the source of information is seldom given. |
| Illustrations | Illustrations, if any, are usually graphs and charts that support the subject content. | Often are illustrated with glossy or color photographs. |
| Author(s) | Articles are written by experts in the field. | Authors are usually on the staff of the magazine or are freelance writers. Author's name is often not supplied |
| Length/Depth | Articles are generally long and contain in-depth coverage of the topic. | Articles are often short and intended to provide an overview of a topic rather than an in-depth analysis. |
| Advertising | Contain few if any advertisements. | Usually contain many advertisements. |
| Publisher | Frequently, articles are published by a scholarly professional organization (e.g. American Chemical Society, American Psychological Association). | Publishers are marketing to the general public and usually make their publications available in stores and newsstands. |
| Language | Authors write in the language of their discipline. Readers are assumed to have some knowledge of the field. | Articles are directed towards the general public and written in non-technical language. |
Access tools help locate primary and secondary sources. Some types of access tools are:
| Databases | Bibliographies |
| Subject Guides | Online Catalogs |
| Subject Directories | Search Engines |
There are three types of sources used in research: Primary, Secondary and Access Tools.
A primary source is a firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. Primary sources are written or created during the time period being studied, or by a person directly involved in the event. Primary sources offer an inside view of a particular event or time period. Some types of primary sources are:
| Original Documents | Creative Works | Artifacts |
|---|---|---|
| Diaries | Novels | Jewelry |
| Speeches | Music | Tools |
| Letters | Films | Pottery |
| Meeting Minutes | Visual Art | Clothing |
| Interviews | Poetry | Buildings |
| Research Data | Performing Arts | Furniture |
| Autobiographies | Film | Footage |
A Secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. Secondary sources are one step removed from the primary sources. Some types of secondary sources are:
| Textbooks | Journal Articles | Commentaries |
| Bibliographies | Criticism | Histories |
| Encyclopedias | Book Reviews |
