Search Tips for Databases
In order to effectively search databases, it is important to be familiar with a few basic search tips to enhance research results. This section presents some advanced search techniques that can be utilized when searching databases.
Boolean Operators
Boolean operators are words used to connect search terms and refine search results in databases. When used, they can allow you to narrow or broaden search results depending on the Boolean operators used.
- AND - Can be used to NARROW search results and retrieve results containing all of the keywords specified.
- OR - Can be used to broaden the search and retrieve words containing any of the keywords specified.
- NOT - Can be used to exclude a particular keyword from the search results.
- Additional tip - Use parentheses () to group terms together.
Refine Your Keywords
Once you have conducted your initial search, review your results for new relevant terms. You can look at keywords used in relevant articles that came up to see what keywords may be commonly used in the field. Some databases will offer "Related searches" or "Suggested Topics" features, you can utilize this feature to explore other relevant searches.
Database Filters
Most databases will offer filters that can help narrow down larger search results. Filters such as publication date, peer-reviewed only, and available online are vital for producing results that are more current, peer-reviewed, and that you have direct access to online.
Recommended Databases
How to Find Subject-Specific Databases
There are a few different ways to find an article on the University at Albany Libraries Website.
To find a specific database, go to the University at Albany website, and under Tools, you can find the "Database Finder". You can enter the name of the specific database into the search bar.
To find a list of databases on a specific subject, go to the University at Albany website. Under Tools, you can find the 'Database Finder'. On the Database Finder page, you will see the option to Find By Subject, which will allow you to search subject-specific databases. There are two subjects that mental health counseling graduate students can filter with for relevant databases: Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Psychology.
In the sections below, you will find a few recommendations for databases available through UAlbany Libraries as well as public databases.
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PsycINFOPsycINFO is a comprehensive abstracting and indexing database from the American Psychological Association. It provides access to abstracts and indexes of articles, dissertations/theses, and book chapters focused on psychology and behavioral health.
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PsycARTICLESThis database provides access to full-text, peer-reviewed articles from journals published by the American Psychological Association and other affiliated organizations. The articles found in this database are high-quality, peer-reviewed research in psychology, behavioral science, and mental health.
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MEDLINE (PubMed)MEDLINE is an open-access database that includes article indexes and abstracts, as well as full-text articles related to life sciences. For mental health counseling, access is provided for finding evidence-based studies on mental health diagnosis, treatment, and counseling practices.
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Google ScholarGoogle Scholar is a free search engine that indexes scholarly literature. Users can find scholarly articles, theses, books, etc. It is also possible to link materials owned by UAlbany to filter results on Google Scholar to materials that students have access to. See additional tips below.
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PubMedPubMed is a free, publicly accessible database maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine that provides comprehensive access to biomedical and life sciences literature. It includes 38 million citations and abstracts, making it a key resource for researchers, healthcare professionals, and students.
