Maric KramerLearning & Research Services Librarian

Wheelock College Library

Finding Primary Sources in Psychology

Primary Sources Report original research Report results that have never before been

published Have been reviewed by the author’s peers

(other researchers) before being accepted or rejected by a journal (peer-reviewed)

Secondary Sources

Interpret, analyze, evaluate, or synthesize primary sources

Provide commentary on and discussion of evidence, but do not furnish new evidence

Comparing Source Types

Primary Sources Empirical studies Literature reviews & meta-analyses

Can also be considered secondary sources

Theoretical articles Methodological articles

Secondary Sources A news report that summarizes the results of

a scientific study, or that highlights particular findings from several studies

An encyclopedia or scholarly handbook that synthesizes the research on a given topic

Your course textbook Can also be considered a “tertiary source”

Examples

Can be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods

Published articles typically consist of introduction method results discussion

Report results of original research, and undergo peer review before publication

How do I tell if something is an

empirical study?

Both primary and secondary sources

may be useful in your research!

Primary sources

Studies on attachment

Studies on temperament

Studies on bedtime

Theories

State of research

People to know

Secondary sources

This student used secondary sources for background information, and to

define her key concepts of “attachment” and “temperament”.

Then she searched PsycINFO for empirical studies that investigate her

key concepts.

• Handbook of Attachment • Cambridge Encyclopedia

of Child Development

Empirical studies investigating key concepts

Attachment

TemperamentBedtime

What to do when you have really

big key concepts(like “attachment” and

“temperament”)

1) Match your terms with the

terms in the database

(In this case, PsycINFO)

Attachment (DE “Attachment

Behavior”)

Temperament (DE

“Personality”)Bedtime

2) Connect your terms with AND

(DE “Attachment Behavior”)

16,372 results

(DE “Personality”)25,288 results

Bedtime

AND

309 results

3) Select an appropriate limit,

such as “age”(limits exclude all results

that don’t fit your criteria)

(DE “Attachment Behavior”)

(DE “Personality”)Bedtime

AND

101 results

Infancy (2-23 mo)

Adolescence Middle age School age

(DE “Attachment Behavior”)

(DE “Personality”)Bedtime

4) Follow your interests when

browsing results(In this case, the student added the

concept of “bedtime” to her search)

Infancy (2-23 mo)

Of course!!! Make an appointment with me by

signing up today Email me at

mkramer@wheelock.edu Use the library’s drop-in research

help 7 days/week, 12pm until the building closes

http://www.wheelock.edu/library/research-help

Can you help me to find primary

sources and focus my topic?

This is THE book for psychology

students!The Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.) contains much of the info summarized in these slides.

You’ll also find guidelines for:Writing

CitingDisplaying results

Formatting your manuscriptPublishing

Available in the library & writing center!

What does that little symbol on the bottom

of your slides mean?The creator of these slides (Maric) has

given them a creative commons license that allows anyone to share or adapt

them for any purpose, as long as they attribute them to her. Find out more

here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

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