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Psychology

This guide is your starting place for research in the field of psychology.

Grey Literature is information published outside the usual streams of academic publishing, but may still contain valuable, high quality information.

Examples include reports, research or working papers from:

  • professional associations
  • non-profit organizations
  • non-partisan private associations
  • regulatory agencies or governing bodies
  • academic or research institutions or repositories

In addition to traditional report/research articles, you can also find thesis and dissertations, audits, standards, regulations, professional guidelines and benchmarks, summaries of clinical trials or other research, surveys, policy & procedure documentation and conference proceedings.

Often the best approach to finding this grey literature is using Google's Advanced Search interface.

Think about who might be interested in gathering information on your particular topic, and what words may appear in their websites or documentation.

Some Advanced Google Search suggestions:

  • add the word "association" to your search terms to find professional or non-for-profit organizations involved in your area of interest
  • if you are looking for reports, try limiting your search to .pdf file format, which is the most common format used for uploading documents
  • limit your search to a particular url domain (eg. limiting to .gc.ca websites will limit search results to Canadian federal government websites; .edu will limit results to American university & college websites; .org will limit search results to non-profit organizations, etc.)

Accessing PsycSim

You can access the PsycSim modules on the Library computers through the Start button (the Window image in the bottom left corner).

NOTE: Do not use the email option at the end of your modules. Your instructor will either want you to fill in the worksheets on paper and hand them in (you can download them through the PsycSim Worksheets link below); or you will have a timed online quiz to complete which will be linked on your class Moodle site. If you are unsure, ask your instructor or contact one of the Kwantlen Psychology Labs (also linked below); let them know who your instructor is and they can tell you which method your instructor prefers.

Some association websites have documents, reports and articles on topics in the field.

And for those of you interested in pursuing a career in Psychology, many professional associations have student chapters or conferences and other events that provide volunteer (and networking) opportunities for students. 

Online Verification Skills

Here is the 1st of four short videos by Mike Caufield, that takes you through The Sift Method. Using this quick method will make you an expert online fact checker! These skills are essential not just for school research, but for life.

Need to make sure your source is scholarly or academic for your assignment?

Then make sure you include these questions in your assessment.

  1. Was it written by an expert/academic in the field? (Don't know? Do a search on the author(s).)
  2. Have they used good quality sources for their information? (Look at their references - no reference list is usually a bad sign)
  3. Have they cited their sources?

If the answer to these questions is "yes", you can consider it a scholarly source.

Mike Caufield at KPU

Below you will find 2 videos featuring the SIFT method creator, Mike Caufield. These videos were recorded at KPU during the NOWCAM 2023 Conference.

  • The first video is a SIFT Workshop
  • The second video is the conference keynote address: Interpretation & Context in "Stream-Based" Information Literacy

Not finding what you need?   

From our Ask Us page you can:

  • Visit the one of the Library's Research Help desks in person
  • Email a Librarian
  • Text a Librarian
  • Chat Live with a Librarian
  • Book a virtual or in-person appointment with a subject specialist librarian (like me! :-) 
  • Phone the Library

Library employees are monitoring the queues above and will respond to you as soon as possible.

Go to the Ask Us page