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NSBV 3398: Psychobiology of Sleep

STEM Librarian

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Erin Anthony
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Finding Articles

Articles, essays, book chapters, conference proceedings, etc., can be found in databases subscribed to by Columbia University Libraries (CUL).  Barnard affiliates can access all the CUL resources, which includes over 1600 databases. 

  • The best way to access a database is via CLIO.  Each database has a special URL assigned by CUL, and you need to access the database using that URL in order to be able to read the full text articles that CUL subscribes to. (For example, the URL to use for Proquest is http://www.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/cul/resolve?clio8557099, not proquest.com).
  • If you're searching for an article in a journal that CUL doesn't subscribe to, request the article via the Borrow Direct/Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.
  • For more tips, see the Database Searching Guide (from CUL)
  • Google Scholar can be a helpful resource and powerful tool in locating research papers. However, it should not be the only resource consulted. Google Scholar uses artificial intelligence and proprietary algorithms to search through vast amounts of text in nearly every subject discipline. Keep in mind that other resources, such as those found in Barnard Libguides, may be more targeted and curated for researching within a particular field.

Citation Databases

Use these tools to see who has cited a seminal paper on your topic.

You can trace a research path through time to see how it evolves.

  • Scopus
    Scholarly articles in all disciplines. This database offers many ways of analysing citation counts, trends in numbers of citations over time, most influential journals, etc.
  • Web of Science
    Scholarly articles in all disciplines. This database offers many ways of analysing citation counts, trends in numbers of citations over time, most influential journals, etc.

Use Thesauri with Subject-Specific Databases

1. Find specific terms for each aspect of your research 

2. Combine them for more precise results

3. Explore and use limits 

 

PsycINFO -- Use the "APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms"

Limits include (but are not limited to): 

  • Major Subject Headings
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Methodology (find review articles here!)
  • Tests & Measures
  • Population
  • And MORE!

 

MEDLINE -- Use "MeSH 2019" (MeSH stands for "Medical Subject Headings")

Limits include (but are not limited to): 

  • Source Type
  • Publication
  • Publication Date
  • Age
  • Gender 
  • Geography

Preprints

Preprints are a good way of finding very current research on a topic. Authors deposit them in preprint servers in order to share them with each other before a journal has published the content. 

Keep in mind that this material may not have completed the peer-review process. If you're unsure about how to evaluate these, consult your professor or librarian.

bioRxiv.org -- Neuroscience

PsyArXiv -- Neuroscience

Finding review articles

Review articles sum up the current state of research on a particular topic.