Finding a Research Topic

Question 1

Professional Journals

Answer 1

Professional journals are periodicals that publish original research articles.

Question 2

Scholarly books

Answer 2

Scholarly books are books written by researchers and practitioners mainly for use by other researchers and practitioners.

Question 3

Key Takeaways

The research literature in psychology is all the published research in psychology, consisting primarily of articles in professional journals and scholarly books.

Answer 3

Early in the research process, it is important to conduct a review of the research literature on your topic to refine your research question, identify appropriate research methods, place your question in the context of other research, and prepare to write an effective research report.

There are several strategies for finding previous research on your topic. Among the best is using PsycINFO, a computer database that catalogs millions of articles, books, and book chapters in psychology and related fields.