Psychology

Your goal in identifying a research need is to find a gap in the literature, which means an area of study that needs further investigation. You can think of it in two parts, though they are often intertwined.

1. Brainstorming an idea
2. Conducting an initial background search of the literature

You may have an idea and then search only to find your idea has already been thoroughly researched and answered. Or you may search and find that no one has done any research of that sort, so you have no measures or research to base your study on. In those scenarios, you must go back to the drawing board and brainstorm again. 

 Make sure to plan enough time for this vital part of the process. An effective initial background search takes around 3-10 hours. 

There are many different ways to brainstorm an idea for Psychology research

1. You can observe the world around you and ask curious questions, such as why or how. 
2. You can put a broad keyword into a library database and skim the titles for interesting ideas. 
3. Use this Gemini chat prompt to brainstorm research directions with a generative AI. *Keep in mind that AI is most helpful in brainstorming or augmenting your learning, but you don't want to use it to do your work for you.  

No matter which way you choose to brainstorm, make sure to keep an open mind. Research should be an open question rather than an attempt to prove your opinion or hunch correct. 

1. The Initial Search: You want to keep your initial search broad and flexible. Start at PsycInfo and use only the peer-review limiter on your search. 
2. Try Different Keywords: You may not know the terminology scholars are using for your topic, so keep thinking of synonyms or other ways of expressing your topic and trying new searches until you discover the terminology. 
3. Refine the Search: Once you discover the terminology, change your search keywords to reflect it. 
4. Skim Relevant Articles: To save time, skim abstracts for initial relevance and interest. Then move onto the introduction and conclusions sections only if the article is relevant.
5. Keep Refining Your Search: As you get further into the research, start narrowing your search with more specific keywords, such as including your population.
6. Collect Your Research and Summarize What You've Learned: While it's fresh in your mind, write down what you've learned, including variables, keywords, etc. Try using this graphic organizer chart. 

Don't forget to save interesting or relevant articles as you go by emailing them to yourself or setting up an EBSCO account and clicking on the Add to Folder Icon 

If you need additional help with searching, check out the Search Strategies section of the guide or request a research consultation. 

By the end of your background search process, you should be able to answer the following questions:

Which directions has the research gone?

What terminology are the researchers using to describe the topic?

For example, one way researchers talk about trauma is the term adverse childhood event. 

What variables are researchers using to test this topic? 

Which of these variables best match my research interest? 

What areas of further research have scholars identified? 

You can often find these in the Limitations, Future Directions, or Conclusion sections of an article.