Background Information
Step 3: Find Background Information
Background information gives you an understanding of your main concepts (independent and dependent variables) so that you can do your journal research more effectively. Here's how...
- search each of your main concepts individually using reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.),
- search your main concepts on appropriate professional websites,
- and be sure to stay on the lookout for other useful keywords for searching!
Below left are links to psychology reference materials. Below right are links to research on professional psychological websites. Look below those for hints for how to find more keywords!
Psychology Reference Materials
- Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology
- CREDO Reference
- Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural Psychology
- Encyclopedia of Perception
- Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion
- Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Encyclopedia of the Mind
- Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health
- Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology
- International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
- International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences
- Oxford Encyclopedia of Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology
- Sage Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology
- Sage Encyclopedia of Criminal Psychology
- Sage Encyclopedia of Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Sage Encyclopedia of Lifespan Human Development
- Sage Encyclopedia of Psychology and Gender
Keywords from Reference Materials
Click around! Under "Information" I found lots of keywords...
Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts, Oh My!
From the American Psychological Association (APA):
- Topic Guides (scroll down to "All Psychology Topics")
- Particularly Exciting Experiments in Psychology (PEEPs)
From others:
- Association for Psychological Science
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Social Psychology Network
- Everyday Research Methods Blog
And in the news:
- Association for Psychological Science's Latest Research News. Scroll down and you can find articles about Psychological Science in published in newspapers and magazines that are easy to read.
- Podcasts like Two Guys on Your Head (my favorite, from NPR), The Hidden Brain (also good, from NPR), Under the Cortex and Current Directions in Psychological Science (from APS).
Keywords from Websites
Look and click! I was able to find this from the APA...