Skip to Main Content

Counseling

This guide provides research assistance and links to recommended resources in the field of counseling.

Strategies for Effective Exploration 

Offers techniques for conducting thorough research, including keyword development, strategy for filtering results, and evaluating sources.

Basic Search Tips

Keywords

Many databases and search engines use keywords to locate information. To effectively find resources, you will need to break down your topic or research question into the most important ideas or concepts.

Example: 

  • The role of social media on college students' procrastination habits. 

The specifics of the topic will help with selecting sources, but for searching, you only need the most essential components. 

Try a Search: Social Media AND College Students AND Procrastination

Looking for a particular term? 
Use a "PHRASE SEARCH" strategy to search for several words in a phrase, such as a proper name. 

  • Cloning AND "Genetic Engineering" 

This will bring back results that only use that exact phrase. 


Brainstorm 
Most words have synonyms that mean the same or very similar things. For each keyword in your topic, try to come up with at least one synonym. Not every term will have an accurate synonym; however, exploring similar concepts or topics can help to find related material. 

Examples: 

Keyword 

Synonym

Youth

  • Child

  • Adolescent

Social Media     

Alternate Names

  • Instagram 

  • Facebook

  • TikTok 

DSM-5

Alternate Spellings

  • DSM5

  • Diagnostic Statistic Manual 

  • The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

 

Keep an Eye Out: 

Oftentimes, you can see Subject Terms while searching for resources. These can help you get an idea of what the article is about and provide relevant terms to explore. 

Use Your Resources: 

Sometimes, scholars use terms that you might not be familiar with or that might mean something very specific within the discipline. While searching, look for unfamiliar terms or words that appear regularly or repeat concepts. Try searching for those terms and see if you find more relevant sources. 

Search Tools

Most library databases have search tools built in. Try some of these: 

  • Subject: Think of subjects as tags for a topic. Use them to find sources about the subject. 
  • Date Range: Limit your search to sources published between specific years.
  • Peer Reviewed: Limit your search to scholarly journal articles.
  • Full Text: Make sure all of the results are available to read in full.

Look on the left and right of your search results for an "advanced search" page to find these tools -- and more! 

Evaluating Resources
Evaluating your source is a great way to know how valuable it is for your research. You can evaluate any source using the 5 W's: 

  • Who... wrote it? Are they an expert? 
  • What... is the purpose of this resource? What does this resource say about the topic?
  • Where... was the information published? Where does the information come from? 
  • When... was this published or last updated? 
  • Why... is this resource useful? Why is this resource better than another?