School Psychology  

This guide will show you resources available for research in School Psychology.

You will find information as follows:

• Background Information - not an expert in Psychology? Here are some books and electronic sources to help you get up to speed.
• Database Search Tips - tips and tricks to search databases more effectively and efficiently.
  
• Finding Books - step one in research is locating books. Here you will find links to searching for books in the OSU Library, as well as other sources for identifying books in libraries around the world.
• Dissertations - looking for Ph.D. dissertations in psychology done at OSU or elsewhere?
  
• Finding Articles - to locate research articles, here are some databases and tips
• Writing and Citing - now that you've collected your information, it's time to write the paper and cite your sources correctly.
• Tests and Measures - a guide to locating psychological tests and measures
• Top Journals - ever wonder what the top 50 impact journals are in psychology? Wonder no more.
• Videos - a listing of DVDs and VHS format materials in psychology and counseling
  

Before beginning the process of conducting research in psychology, you need to be aware that psychology is a social science. The social sciences are concerned with the study of human society and of individual relationships in and to society. The social sciences include (but are not limited to):

• sociology
• psychology
• anthropology
• economics
• political science
• history

The social sciences are inherently interdisciplinary, meaning they draw upon one another's research and use it as a part of their own.

• Psychologists will study a given topic from a psychological perspective - is there anything within the individual which is leading to the situation you are examining?
• Sociologists will study that same issue from a cultural or societal perspective - is there something in society or a culture which is leading to this situation?
• Educators will study just about any issue, as pertains to an educational or learning environment.
• Finally, psychology as a social science also branches out into the medical sciences as well

What does this mean for you as a psychology researcher? You need to look in many places for your research, beyond PsycINFO (our primary resource for research in psychology.) Remember: psychologists will research issues from one perspective, sociologists from another, educators from another, and so on.