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Psychology resources and support

Your Subject Librarian

Your Subject Librarian

Sue Chubb

Other Arts and Social Sciences Library staff can answer your more general library queries.

Recommend other items

Psychology resources are available in these branch libraries

Psychology resources can be found in the following branches:

The Arts and Social Sciences Library holds the majority of resources for both clinical and experimental psychology. Much of the core material is located at classmark/shelf location BF.

However many books and serials are scattered throughout the classification sequence. For example, clinical psychology is at RC466.8 - RC467.95 and social psychology is in the HM section, so it is essential to consult the Library catalogue to find the material you require.

Other branches which have psychology material include:

  • Educational psychology and child development - in the Education Library
  • Psychology and zoology, animal behaviour - in the Biological Sciences Library
  • Human factors - in the Queens Library
  • Mental health and neuroscience - in the Medical Library

Course based materials

Materials to support Psychology courses are available in the Arts and Social Sciences Library:

  • Recommended textbooks (books in high demand for essays or assignments) - a copy is often held in the Short Loan Collection (SLC) in addition to the copies on longer loan, on the open shelves (details are on the catalogue).
  • Examination papers: sets of past examination papers (bound in years) can be found on the first floor of the Arts and Social Sciences Library, on the shelves next to the pamphlet collection. The psychology papers are included in the volumes for social sciences.

Thesis collection

University of Bristol Psychology PhD theses are held in the Arts and Social Sciences Library Thesis collection, kept in a locked room on the first floor. They may be consulted within the library, and you will need to complete a slip for each one. Please ask at the library issue desk.

How to find books, journals, and more

Inter-Library Loans and ILL vouchers

The Inter-Library Loans (ILL) service can be used to obtain Items not held in print in the University's branch libraries or available online. There is a charge for this service, though it may be possible to obtain an Inter-library loan voucher to pay for this:

  • Experimental Psychology academic staff should be able to obtain an Inter-library loan voucher from the School.
  • Experimental Psychology research postgraduates may be able to obtain an Inter-library loan voucher - ask your tutor or staff in the main Psychology Reception Office. It is best to do this before you put in any request/s for ILL items.
  • Experimental Psychology undergraduates and taught postgraduates may be able to obtain an Inter-library loan voucher. It is best to speak to your tutor first, about the availability of Inter-library loan vouchers for students, before you make any Inter-library loan request/s.

Information for academic staff and researchers

  • Our Research support pages cover finding information, managing information, and exploiting your research, together with sources of further help and advice.
  • Each academic school or department in the university has its own library representative, whose duties are detailed in these guidelines. The Library Representative for Experimental Psychology is Professor Jeff Bowers.
  • Book purchase recommendations can be made to the Subject Librarian or to the departmental Library Representative for Experimental Psychology.
  • New journal / database subscription requests can be made to the departmental Library Representative for Experimental Psychology. Requests may also be addressed to the Subject Librarian for Psychology although you will need to suggest how we might fund a new subscription.
  • If you are a new member of staff, please do contact your Subject Librarian to discuss how the library can best support you, your research and your students.

Databases

MetaLib: your resource gateway provides access to a vast range of online resources, including databases, search engines, subject gateways, and selected Internet resources.

Internet links

Using the Internet

  • Internet for Psychology - a 'teach yourself' tutorial on Internet information skills for psychologists.The tutorial contains links to many evaluated, good quality psychology sites on the Internet
  • Internet Detective - a 'teach yourself' tutorial from Intute designed to help you develop the critical thinking required for finding and evaluating information resources on the Internet.

Gateways giving access to psychology resources

  • Intute: Psychology - Although no longer being updated, since Intute closed in July 2011, this gateway still offers access to quality Internet resources of psychology information, each resource having been selected and described by academic librarians and subject specialists.
  • AllPsyc Online - The Virtual Psychology Classroom - One of the largest psychology resources sites on the Internet, it gives access to psychology texts, information on research methods, biographies on individual psychologists, psychology careers and education, information about various psychiatric disorders, psychology news and the option to self test your academic knowledge.
  • Yahoo Directory for Psychology - a selection of Internet resources on psychology from Yahoo. There are also links to mental health and psychiatry websites, amongst many others. A keyword search of the directory for matching resources is also possible.

Professional organisations and associations

  • The International Union of Psychological Science - is the main federation of national psychology associations throughout the world. The aims of the Union are to promote "the development, representation and advancement of psychology as a basic and applied science nationally, regionally and internationally". The site gives contact details of member organisations including national societies and associations in many countries. The site also gives national Overviews on the state of psychology in each country and links to many different psychology resources.
  • British Psychological Society - the BPS is the representative body for psychologists and psychology in the UK. The Society's site, gives details of BPS publications, meetings, accredited university courses, and access to a searchable directory of chartered psychologists. The Society has a number of specialist divisions, sections and groups; details of each can be found on the website.
  • American Psychological Association - home page, giving separate information sections for professional psychologists, students and the public. The site also includes information on forthcoming conferences and workshops, the latest psychology news and details of publications.
  • Experimental Psychology Society - The role of the Society is to facilitate research in experimental psychology, and scientific communication among experimental psychologists and those working in cognate fields.

Other Internet sources

A small selection of Internet sources. For others use the gateways above or a search engine

  • Psych web - an extremely useful site with numerous links to psychology related information resources, of interest to students, teachers of psychology and those interested in mental health. The site also has many links to other sites with large lists of psychology resource materials. The site is maintained by Russ Dewey.
  • Psychological Research on the Net - a current listing of known experiments on the Internet which are psychologically related. Experiments are organised by topic area and are international in coverage. Direct links are provided to the website giving further information on each experiment. The site is hosted by Hanover College, USA.
  • Athabasca University Psychology Resources (Canada) - this website contains links to a large number of academic resources, organised by 20 different broad subject fields within psychology, for example cognitive, behavioural, social, developmental and industrial psychology.
  • Test Reviews Online - from the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements - the Test collection database contains descriptions of almost 4,000 commercially available psychology tests. The database can be searched by test name, subject category and by keyword. Notes are available on the purpose of each test and the contact details for the publisher are given. A review of the test may also be purchased at the same time.
  • Classics in the History of Psychology - The resources on this site have been compiled by Christopher Green of York University, Toronto, Canada and contains links to classic books and articles on psychology. You can browse by author and by topic.  
  • PSYCLine Guide to Psychology and Social Science Journals on the web - a journal locator, titles can be searched by subject or keyword, alphabetically and for those available electronically on the web. There are links to the titles, information is given about the journal and in some cases tables of contents, abstracts and occasionally full text journal articles are available.
  • Health Guide: Psychiatry and Psychology - The site is part of Health Guide, a guide intended for health care professionals and to support students and staff with materials which are mainly UK focused. This section of the guide contains a selection of websites of interest to both psychologists and psychiatrists.
  • The Department of Health - this site provides useful information on the NHS. The search facility allows you to find government information on all aspects of health and social care, including mental health, drug addiction, dementia and clinical psychology.
  • Vision Science - a resource for research in human and animal vision.
  • The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network - the network exists to promote excellence in the learning, teaching and assessment of psychology in UK Higher Education.
  • Psych-postgrads discussion list - Useful mailing list supporting research postgraduates, available through JISCmail who host numerous academic emailing lists, including other psychology ones.
  • Psychology Departments in Britain and Ireland - listing courtesy of University of Wales, Bangor.
  • Psychology Institutions worldwide - link to this site, hosted by Hanover College Psychology Department for a geographical and alphabetical listing of psychology departments, international in scope and to see other psychology directories of information.
  • Psychology Career Center.org - a non commercial site providing information on psychology careers, including job search and employment help. It includes information on psychology courses and programmes in universities and schools in the Unites States, including psychology specialities and details of APA accredited doctoral and post-doctoral programmes.
  • The University of Bristol School of Experimental Psychology - home page.

Psychology News websites

A few sites giving current psychology news:

 

Quick reference tools

Dictionaries, handbooks and encyclopaedias

Psychology Dictionary - an online psychology dictionary from the ALLPSYCH Virtual Psychology Classroom

The Whole Brain Atlas - an online atlas allowing you to view different images of the normal brain and also the abnormal brain, including images of brain damage by stroke, tumours, infectious and degenerative diseases.

The following quick reference items can be found in the Arts and Social Sciences Library (unless otherwise stated):

Item Location/ reference number
Blackwell dictionary of neuropsychology QP360 BLA
The Dictionary of cognitive psychology BF311 STU
Dictionary of developmental psychology BF712.7 STU
The Dictionary of personality and social psychology HM251 DIC
The Dictionary of psychological testing, assessment and treatment BF176 STU
The Dictionary of psychology BF31 COR
The Oxford companion to animal behaviour in the Biological Sciences Library at 71 OXF
The Oxford companion to the mind BF31 OXF
The Oxford guide to the mind BF311 OXF
Penguin dictionary of psychology BF31 REB
A student's dictionary of psychology BF31 STR

Handbooks

The following quick reference items can be found in the Arts and Social Sciences Library (unless otherwise stated):

Item Location/ reference number
Cambridge handbook of psychology, health and medicine Oversize R726.55 CAM
Handbook of affective sciences Oversize BF511 HAN
Handbook of applied cognition BF311 HAN
Handbook of child psychology Oversize BF721 HAN
Handbook of educational psychology in the Education Library at BF637 HAN
Handbook of developmental psychology Oversize BF713 HAN
Handbook of human factors and ergonomics in the Queen's Library at TA166 HAN
Handbook of human intelligence BF431 HAN
Handbook of industrial and organisational psychology HF5548.8 HAN
Handbook of neuropsychology Oversize QP360 HAN
Handbook of organizational behavior Oversize HD58.7 HAN
Handbook of pediatric psychology RJ47.5 HAN
Handbook of perception and human performance Oversize BF311 HAN
The Handbook of psychological testing BF176 KLI
Handbook of psychobiology QP360 HAN
Handbook of social psychology HM251 HAN
Oxford handbook of memory BF371 OXF
Steven's handbook of experimental psychology volume 2 BF181 STE

Encyclopaedias

Item

Location/ reference

number
The Cambridge encyclopedia of child development Oversize HQ767.9 CAM
Encyclopedia of cognitive science BF311 ENC
Encyclopedia of stress Oversize BF575.S75 ENC
International encyclopedia of the social and behavioral sciences H41 INT
International encyclopedia of ergonomics and human factors Oversize TA166 INT
The Freud encyclopedia: theory, therapy and culture Oversize BF173.F85 FRE
Encylopedia of psychology BF31 ENC
The MIT encyclopedia of the cognitive sciences Oversize BF311 MIT
Companion encyclopedia of psychology BF31 COM
International encyclopedia of psychology Oversize BF31 INT
The Blackwell encylopedia of social psychology HM251 BLA

Reviews and bibliographies

Reading review articles can be a good way of familiarising yourself with a topic quickly and review articles can be published in both ordinary journals or in bibliography/review type journals, examples of which are given below:

  • Annual review of psychology - in the Arts and Social Sciences Library at Serial BF1.A6
  • Bibliography of linguistic literature - in the Arts and Social Sciences Library at Serial Z7003.B6

The following online journals can be found on the electronic journals web page:

  • Annual Review of Clinical Psychology

  • Annual Review of Psychology

  • Review of General Psychology

  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences

  • Trends in Neurosciences

Information skills training for undergraduates

  • All new psychology undergraduates have a session introducing the Library, it's services and facilities in induction week
  • Another session on psychology database searching is arranged later on in the academic year.
  • A number of general 'Self-learning resources' are available below, including video tutorials, downloadable library guides, and web resources.
  • Find out about referencing in your written work and EndNote referencing software in 'Referencing help'.

Information skills training for postgraduates

  • All new MSc and PhD psychology students have the opportunity to attend a library session, organised by the School on 'literature searching and online sources of psychology information', at the beginning of the academic year.
  • Further help with using online sources of psychology information and literature searching, or with any library resources may be obtained from Sue Chubb. Sue is based in the Subject Librarians' Office (on the 1st floor of the Arts and Social Sciences Library) on Fridays, please contact her if you wish to make an appointment.
  • A number of general 'Self-learning resources' are available below, including video tutorials, downloadable library guides, and web resources.
  • Find out about referencing in your written work and EndNote referencing software in 'Referencing help'.

Self-learning resources

  • Video tutorials - topics include the Library Catalogue, understanding references on reading lists, using the MetaLib resource gateway, off-campus access to eResources, etc.
  • Finding and using information pages - covering key aspects of information skills, including researching a topic, effective use of Google, evaluating your search results, avoiding plagiarism, etc. Also includes a Jargon-buster page.
  • Library guides - downloadable guides to each branch library, our main search tools, special library services, etc.
  • External resources for developing your information skills - including online tutorials and downloadable guides.
  • Find out about referencing in your written work and EndNote referencing software in 'Referencing help'.

Referencing guidance

Referencing

  • There is no single way of writing references. The two most common styles are the Harvard system and the Numeric system. You will need to use the style specified by your department or by the body or journal to which you are submitting your work. If there are no guidelines specified, you should make sure that you write your references in a consistent way.
  • It is important that any sources you use in preparing your written work are acknowledged and accurately cited. This allows anyone reading your work, to find the sources you have used for your ideas, arguments and findings and also to verify any quotations you have made. It is also important to use a clear and consistent style of citation.
  • Always check with your tutor or supervisor which style they wish to use before you start writing, this information may also be given in your programme or course handbook.
  • General referencing guidance
    includes Why reference? What is included in a reference? Referencing styles, How to reference, Links to useful sites on referencing, and brief details of EndNote and EndNote Web referencing software (see the EndNote referencing software section below for more details).
  • General advice on Journal title abbreviations

Journal title abbreviations

Literature references are often written with abbreviated terms. Probably the most troublesome are abbreviated journal titles which can make finding a journal difficult.

To find the full journal title when only an abbreviation is given, try looking at the following online resources:

Unofficial abbreviations

Sometimes very short unofficial abbreviations are employed in reference books or journals.

Please note: these should not be used in the references that you write, unless they are stipulated by the body or journal that you are submitting your work to.

Writing for the subject, and how to avoid plagiarism

  • Help with APA Style - gives access to help on writing using the APA's (American Psychological Association) style, including a free tutorial covering the basics
  • Referencing @ Portsmouth Guide - This useful guide authored by the University of Portsmouth Library, provides users with an interactive referencing guide which follows various styles, one of which you can select is Harvard APA style. This style is based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. This resource also provides guidance on referencing material which is not covered in the manual, but which is based on general APA principles. Users can select from the interactive guide the type of material they wish to reference, and then see an example/s of how that material should be cited.

The following items are available in the Arts and Social Sciences Library:

Item Location/ reference number
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th edition, recommended by the University of Bristol, School of Experimental Psychology PN147 PUB
Smyth, T.R. The principles of writing in psychology BF76.7 SMY
Heffernan, Thomas M. A student's guide to studying psychology BF77 HEF
Evans, J. How to do research: a psychologist's guide BF76.5 EVA
Forshaw, M. Your undergraduate psychology project BF77 FOR
Reed, Jeffrey G. Library use: handbook for psychology. 3rd edition BF76.8 REE
Sternberg, Robert J. The psychologist's companion: a guide to writing scientific papers for students and researchers. 5th edition BF76.8 STE
Cone, John D. and Foster, Sharon L. Dissertations and theses from start to finish: psychology and related fields. 2nd edition LB2369 CON

EndNote referencing software

EndNote is the University of Bristol's recommended bibliographical management software, which can be used to collect, store, organise and manage references, and to output them as reference lists or bibliographies. A particularly useful function is 'Cite While You Write', enabling you to format Word documents, producing bibliographies and adding references within the text.