Searching PsycInfo

Searching can be challenging when multiple words or phrases describe the same concept. Fortunately, PsycInfo uses the APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, a standardized list of concepts and terminology (also called index terms). APA staff assign these terms to articles, making searches more precise.

With PsycInfo’s Thesaurus feature, you can:

• Search or browse for index terms.
• View related terms, including broader or narrower concepts.
• Use index terms to refine and focus your searches.

The video below provides a detailed explanation of index terms and how they are used, while the text tutorial walks you through applying them in UW-Green Bay Libraries’ PsycInfo search.

While the video below uses a different platform than UW-Green Bay’s, the concepts it explains are still the same. The strategies and tips shared can help you better understand how to use index terms effectively in PsycInfo.

To find and use index terms in PsycInfo:

1. Click on Subjects Authority on the left side of the page.
   
2. Below the advanced search box is a search box that says Search for terms in APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms. Type a word or short phrase into the search bar and hit enter. Review the list of results to find the most relevant index terms. You might get better results by choosing either the Term begins with or Relevancy Ranked search options.
   
3. Once you find a term that matches what you're looking for, click on it to view its definition, history, and any broader, narrower, or related terms. This can help you refine your search and discover additional relevant topics.
   
4. When you've found a term you'd like to use, check the box to the left of it and then click Add to search. If you want to include all narrower terms related to that concept in your search, you can choose to "Explode narrower terms." This helps broaden your search while still keeping it focused on a specific topic.
   
5. Once the terms are added, they’ll appear in your search bar. From here, you can add more index terms if needed or go ahead and run your search by clicking the blue Search button.

If you select multiple subject terms, you’ll need to choose how to combine them using OR, AND, or NOT:

• OR finds articles that include at least one of the terms (useful for related or interchangeable terms).
• AND finds articles that include all of the terms (helps narrow your search).
• NOT finds articles that include the first term but exclude any that contain the following term(s).

Choosing the right combination depends on how broad or specific you want your results to be.