Answers

Getting started with APA PsycBooks

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APA Psycbooks is a comprehensive digital library of psychology eBooks published by the American Psychological Association. It offers access to both classic works and the latest research on topics such as mental health, brain science, learning, and behaviour, ideal for coursework, research projects, or deep exploration of psychological concepts.

Why use APA Psycbooks? 

• Authoritative Content: Access peer-reviewed titles written by leading experts in psychology, ensuring credibility and academic rigor.
• Wide Coverage: Explore thousands of eBooks spanning diverse topics, from foundational theories to emerging trends in mental health and neuroscience.
• Convenient & Searchable: Enjoy easy online access with advanced search tools, making it simple to find exactly what you need for assignments or research.

How do I search APA Psycbooks

Begin by using the search bar. As you type, the system will automatically suggest keywords, titles, and authors to help you find what you need quickly.

Tips for Effective Searching

• Keywords: Keep them simple and specific (e.g., child development, anxiety, depression).
• Book Titles: Enter the full title or a partial title if you’re unsure.
• Author Names: Use the author’s full name or just their last name.
• Chapter Titles: If you’re looking for a specific section within a book, try searching by chapter title.
• Subject Terms: Select relevant subjects to refine your search and get precise results.

Refining your results

On the left-hand side of the results page, you’ll find the Filters panel, your toolkit for narrowing down results and zeroing in on exactly what you need. There are many options to explore, but start with these three essentials:

• Subject: Focus your results on a specific topic for more relevant resources.
• Author: Limit your search to works by a particular author.
• Publication Date: Set a custom date range to find the latest research or target a specific time period.

Saving and exporting your results

Once you've selected the results you want to save, you have a few different options: Click on the following links to view the guide for each option.

• My Research Account: Creating a free My Research account allows you to permanently save documents, searches, and alerts. Items saved here are stored in the "My Documents" area. 
• Download as PDF: For offline access, use the "Download PDF" button or "Save as PDF" (which converts full-text articles into a PDF file).
• Permanent Links: Use the "Copy URL" or "Permalink" tool to save a stable link to the article for future reference or sharing.
• Email & Print: You can email selected articles directly to yourself, including the full text and a formatted citation, or use the print function to generate hard copies

Try Advanced Search for More Control

If your basic search returns too many (or too few) results, switch to Advanced Search. You can find this by clicking the three horizontal lines (menu icon) on the left side of the page.

In this mode, you can use "Boolean Operators" to tell the database exactly how to combine your search terms:

• AND (Narrow your search): Use this to link different ideas. The database will only find articles that contain both terms (e.g., Anxiety AND Social Media).
• OR (Broaden your search): Use this to search for synonyms or related concepts. This is perfect if you aren’t sure which word an author might use. The database will find articles containing either term (e.g., Cats OR Felines).
• NOT (Exclude results): Use this to filter out irrelevant topics. The database will ignore any articles containing the second term (e.g., Depression NOT Postpartum).
• Specific Fields: Use the dropdown menus next to the search boxes to search specifically for an Author, Document Title, or Subject Heading for much more precise results.
• Limiters: filter for publication date, full text or record type only before you even hit search.

Want to explore more?

You can find several specialised search tools positioned above the main query box on the Basic Search page:

• Publications: Access a specific publication's homepage to search or browse its archives.
• Browse: Discover research by exploring predefined topics and curated content.
• Change Databases: Select or modify which ProQuest databases (such as APA PsycArticles) you are currently searching

To find these options on the Advanced Search page, click on the menu.

Check out the ProQuest help centre for guides, videos, tutorials  and more on:

• Basic Searching – Start your research with confidence
• Search Strategy Tips – Find exactly what you need, faster
• Viewing and Saving Articles – Keep your best finds handy
• ProQuest Basic Search Tutorial – Perfect for beginners
• ProQuest Advanced Search Tutorial – Take your searching to the next level

Need more help 

If you would like more help, email us at Library@arden.ac.uk or book a librarian appointment