Citation Search
A citation search is a method of navigating the research literature by locating the database record for a classic, foundational article on a topic, and then linking to a list of newer works that have cited it. This technique is effective because subsequent researchers investigating the same topic are highly likely to reference the original classic article in their own publications.
0
1
Tags
Library Science
KPU
Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
Related
Footnote Chasing Search Strategy
Journal Run Search Strategy
Area Scanning Search Strategy
Subject Search Strategy
Author Search Strategy
Citation Search
Academic Database
Reference List Search
Google Scholar
Citation Search
Expert Consultation Search Strategy
Goals of a Literature Search
Reviewing the Research Literature
Non-Scholarly Sources
Consulting Faculty for Research Literature
Professional Journals
Scholarly Books
Purpose of the Literature Review
PsycINFO
Which of the following sources is typically included as part of the research literature in psychology?
Match each type of information source with the description that correctly identifies its role and classification within the psychological research literature.
A student researching memory disorders finds a summary of a new experiment on a popular science news website and a full report of the same experiment in a peer-reviewed professional journal. True or False: In the field of psychology, both of these publications are classified as research literature.
A student is filtering search results to build a foundation for a new study. Based on the criteria for inclusion in the psychology research literature, arrange these sources from the most central and rigorously vetted (1) to those most explicitly excluded from the field's professional literature (4).
In a scientific field, sources intended for the general public, such as self-help books and websites, are classified as part of the professional research literature.
Why are sources like self-help books, dictionary entries, and public websites excluded from the formal 'research literature' of psychology, even if they describe actual psychological findings?
A researcher is vetting sources for a professional meta-analysis and decides to reject a factually accurate summary from a reputable news organization. To justify this evaluation, the researcher must identify that the source lacks _____, which is the defining requirement for inclusion in the formal research literature.
An undergraduate student is compiling sources for a literature review on cognitive development. Match each potential source with the correct classification decision based on the definition of research literature.
A research assistant analyzes why a chapter in a handbook of personality psychology is included in their literature database while a personality definition in an online dictionary is excluded. They conclude that the key analytical distinction is that the dictionary entry is intended for the general public and lacks the _____ required of formal scholarly sources.
A student is evaluating sources to build the scientific foundation for their research proposal. Order these potential sources from the highest evaluative suitability (the most central and vetted form of research literature) to the lowest (excluded from the formal research literature due to lack of peer review).
Academic Database Record
PsycARTICLES
Examples of Academic Databases
Citation Search
PsycINFO
In psychological research, what is the primary purpose of an academic database?
A psychology student needs to find published research on the effects of sleep deprivation on memory. She opens an electronic database designed for searching the scientific literature and types in relevant search terms. The results she receives will primarily consist of articles from professional journals and scholarly books rather than content from popular websites and social media posts.
A psychology student is starting a literature review on 'prosocial behavior' using an academic database. Arrange the following steps in the correct order to show how they should apply this tool to locate relevant research.
To effectively utilize an academic database, a researcher must understand how its different components work together to facilitate a literature search. Match each component of the database system with the logical role it plays in organizing and retrieving scientific literature.
Which types of academic works are specifically identified as being part of the massive searchable collections provided by an academic database?
Which statement best explains how an academic database facilitates the process of searching scientific literature?
A first-year psychology student wants to find peer-reviewed articles for a paper on the bystander effect. She opens her university library's electronic database and types 'bystander effect' into the search interface. Based on how academic databases function, this approach will successfully return records of relevant academic publications on the topic.
A researcher is planning a literature review and must select the most appropriate academic database for each research focus. Match each research area to the database that best serves that discipline.
A psychology student is justifying her database selection to her research supervisor. She argues that, rather than using a general multidisciplinary database, she should use _____ because it is a discipline-specific academic database tailored to psychology and behavioral science literature, which will produce more targeted and credible results for her systematic review on cognitive biases.
A student evaluating various search strategies determines that a general web search is insufficient for finding credible psychology research. They conclude that an academic database is necessary for their project because it is the principal tool specifically designed to search the _____.
Define what an electronic academic database is and identify the two primary types of academic works explicitly mentioned as being contained within its collections according to the concept text.
Based on the concept description of academic databases, explain how the design of an academic database's interface and the structure of its collection will facilitate Dr. Miller's literature search process compared to manual searching.
Imagine you are beginning a multidisciplinary research project on how cognitive neuroscience intersects with educational methods. How would you apply the primary features of an academic database to locate relevant publications for your study?
Learn After
A psychology student finds a foundational, 'classic' study on social influence from 1963. Which of the following best explains why the student would then perform a citation search for this study?
A psychology student is researching 'Cognitive Dissonance' and wants to find the most recent studies on the topic using a citation search. They have already identified the foundational 1957 article by Leon Festinger as their starting point. Arrange the following steps in the correct order to complete the citation search process.
A psychology researcher is using a citation search to analyze the progression of a specific theory over time. Match each component of this search strategy with the analytical role it plays in understanding the structure of the research literature.
When evaluating the thoroughness of a literature review, a researcher can conclude that a citation search is an exhaustive strategy that will reliably uncover every modern article relevant to a foundational study's topic.
A psychology researcher is constructing a 'research lineage' to track how a controversial 1990 foundational study on 'subliminal priming' has been refined over the last three decades. They want to create a comprehensive bibliography that captures newer studies even if those authors have transitioned to using modern terminology like 'implicit cognition' or 'pre-attentive processing.' Which of the following search protocols should the researcher formulate to most effectively assemble this forward-looking collection?
A citation search is a literature search strategy where a researcher examines the reference list at the end of a newly published article to identify older, foundational studies on the same topic.
A psychology student is learning how to navigate academic databases to conduct a literature review. Match each component of a citation search with the statement that best explains its conceptual purpose or underlying logic.
A _____ search is a strategy for finding relevant research literature by first locating a classic or foundational article on a topic and then retrieving a list of newer publications that have referenced that original work.
The effectiveness of a citation search rests on a core analytical assumption: because researchers investigating the same topic are highly likely to _____ the original foundational article in their own publications, an academic database can link from that record to a traceable network of newer, related works.
A psychology researcher wants to evaluate whether a citation search is a suitable and sufficient strategy for their literature review on a given topic. Order the following evaluative steps from FIRST (most foundational to assess) to LAST (final judgment).
Define a citation search as a literature search strategy, and recall the primary reason why this specific strategy is effective for locating newer research on a topic.
Explain how Sarah's method illustrates the process of a citation search. Based on the logic of this search strategy, explain why the newer works she retrieves are highly likely to be relevant to her literature review on cognitive dissonance.
Imagine you are researching attachment theory and have identified a classic 1969 article as the foundational work. Apply the steps of a citation search to describe how you would use an academic database like PsycINFO to locate newer publications on attachment theory.