BASIC SEARCH EXAMPLE
Enter in your search terms. Use Boolean commands (AND, OR, NOT).
FILTERS Use Filters available beneath the search box to focus your results
Using the 'Subject' filter on the sidebar ensures that the resources displayed are officially categorized by an indexer under that subject.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Using Advanced Search makes it easier to expand your search and make use the Thesaurus.
Click the Advanced Search box below the search box to the right.
You can find more limiters on the Advanced Search page, including Document Type (as pictured) which leads to only empirical articles.
Click on Subjects on the Advanced Search page to find Subject Terms
Searching in PsycInfo is very similar to ERIC, except for some the options in the filters and limiters.
On the advanced search page, click on subjects to search/browse the thesauraus
On the advanced search page, scroll down to Methodology to limit to specific types of articles. For example, the screenshot below limits to empirical studies (using synonyms as well).
Click on the database name to be able to search more than one EBSCO databases
WILDCARD and TRUNCATION
create searches with unknown characters, multiple spellings or various endings.
The asterisk (*) truncates the word Example adolescen* will return articles with the words : adolescence or adolescent or adolescents
The hash sign (#) matches one optional character.
The question mark (?) matches exactly one character.
Proximity Operators help achieve better relevance in search results, particularly when searching full-text
books, long journal articles or newspaper articles.
Near Operator (N) finds results in which search terms are within a specified number of words of one another in any order. Example: tax N5 reform finds results that contain tax reform as well as reform of income tax.
Within Operator (W) finds results in which search terms are within a specified number of words of one another and in the order in which you entered them. Example: hiking W5 trails finds results that contain hiking trails and hiking of easy trails, but does not find results containing easy trails for hiking.