Answered By: Kealin McCabe
Last Updated: May 02, 2023     Views: 43

PsycInfo has a thesaurus built right into it, so it is important to search only one term at a time. Doing this allows you to take advantage of the database's controlled vocabulary. 

Sample Topic: Depression and stigmatization

Begin by entering in your broadest keyword (Depression) Make sure you click "Suggest Subject Terms" to make use of the controlled vocabulary.

The thesaurus will then recommend which term it prefers, as seen here:

This is the database's way of telling you which words it prefers. Click on the term to read the definition to make sure that it matches your understanding. Click the term(s) and then click add and then search.

Search your next term (Stigma). The thesaurus and the scope notes (found when you click on the selected term) is telling us that the database recommends the term like "Mental Health Stigma" to retrieve results specifically relating to "The stigma associated with mental health problems and mental illness". Click the desired term(s), click add and then search.

 

On the results screen, join the searches together using the Boolean operator AND. Using AND makes the two concepts about each other, narrowing the results and increasing the relevancy. 

The results will contain articles specifically about depression and issues of stigmatization.

Here is a video to demonstrate the process.

 

 

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