What access methods can my institution use for APA PsycNet? 

If your institution is trialing one or more database resources on APA PsycNet, this is a good time to ensure that all access options are set up and working as expected.  

VPN is NOT compatible with APA PsycNet access.  

For any access method, always use the most recent version of a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Safari). 

 

IPs 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address  

IP addresses identify the network path to a given internet user.  APA PsycNet is most commonly accessed through an IP address, or a group of IP addresses called an IP range.  

What to do:

  • Send us your full list of IP addresses & ranges. Your network must use static IP addresses to access APA PsycNet; a dynamic IP range will not work for access.  
  • Be sure to include IP address(es) associated with any remote access methods, such as EZproxy or OpenAthens.
  • Please use IPv4 formatting. APA PsycNet can’t authenticate IP ranges in CIDR notation or in IPv6.  

IP access works for computers that are directly connected to your institution’s network. If your institution’s users need to connect to APA PsycNet from off-campus or from other remote work locations, there are additional access options below to consider.  

 

EZproxy  

https://help.oclc.org/Library_Management/EZproxy/Get_started/About_EZproxy 

EZproxy uses an IP server, URL rewriting, and stanzas as an intermediary between your users and the databases you wish to access.  Like many other research databases, APA PsycNet is compatible with EZproxy. 

What to do: 

 

OpenAthens 

https://www.openathens.net/librarians/ 

OpenAthens establishes log-in credentials through federated access management and can integrate easily with IP authentication. APA PsycNet has a dedicated list of institutions using OpenAthens on the login page, for the convenience of users.  

What to do: 

  • Send us the following setup information, as provided by OpenAthens: 
    • OpenAthens Identity (Entity ID)
    • Federation scope
  • Once your OpenAthens set up is complete, you can log into APA PsycNet by selecting your institution’s name from the drop-down menu.  

 

Shibboleth

https://www.shibboleth.net/about-us/the-shibboleth-project/ 

Shibboleth, like OpenAthens, establishes log-in credentials through federated access management. APA PsycNet supports Shibboleth access, using the same setup method as OpenAthens. 

What to do:

  • Send us the following setup information, as provided by Shibboleth: 
    • Shibboleth ID
    • Scope  
  • Once your Shibboleth set up is complete, you can log into APA PsycNet by selecting your institution’s name from the OpenAthens drop-down menu. (This list of schools is labeled OpenAthens, but also includes all Shibboleth access.)  

Discover the newest titles available in APA PsycBooks – Winter/Spring 2024 Update

New scholarly and professional titles on the most current topics in psychology are now available in APA PsycBooks®. Additions include an all-new APA Handbook, DRM-free ebooks on behavioral health, decolonial psychology, substance use disorders, and much more.

Read on to learn more and preview the newest releases:

Continue reading

New Thesaurus Terms for Searching APA PsycInfo (Winter 2024)

In February, APA added 70 new terms to its Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms® to provide more effective searching on current topics, including military psychology; population health; and racial, ethnic and cultural groups and issues. This Thesaurus update also includes 55 new cross-referenced terms, and 75 revised scope notes.

New terms from this winter update will initially be applied to current content only; following the Fall 2024 release, the majority of 2024’s new postable terms will be back-mapped to older records.

a list of new thesaurus terms
 
screenreaders can view the PDF version of this list 
https://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/training/thesaurus-update-winter-2024.pdf

Using the controlled vocabulary of the Thesaurus means a database search will quickly and accurately retrieve all publications related to a specific concept, regardless of the keywords the authors may have used.

The Thesaurus tool is found on all platforms as part of APA PsycInfo® and redirects synonyms to the preferred “Use” term to include in your search. Each Thesaurus record includes links to broader terms, narrower terms, and related terms, the year the term was introduced, an historical note if applicable, and a scope note providing definition and application.

You can see the full list of Thesaurus changes on our website 

Related Resource: 
YouTube playlist – Using the APA Thesaurus to Find Relevant Articles on a Topic 

APA PsycInfo Webinars: Spring 2024

Interested in strengthening your APA database skills? Join an APA trainer for the next round of APA PsycInfo® webinars designed for students, faculty, and anyone else who wants to learn more about how to search APA PsycInfo more effectively!

Techniques covered can also be used with APA PsycArticles® and APA PsycBooks®.

Details and registration links are below; all times shown are U.S. Eastern.

APA PsycInfo: Beginner Search

This 45-minute session will help anyone who is new to searching the behavioral sciences literature using APA PsycInfo.

We’ll demonstrate simple yet powerful techniques that can increase your proficiency in short order, including how to quickly identify the best search terms; apply filters to narrow the range of results; and pinpoint empirical studies.

Highlights include the use of APA Thesaurus terms and other database fields to target your search, Boolean operators to accurately include or exclude concepts, and cited references to find related research.

APA PsycInfo: Advanced Search

This 60-minute session highlights some of APA PsycInfo’s advanced functionality that’s designed to increase your efficiency by retrieving better search results faster.

After an overview of the three main vocabularies [keywords, Thesaurus subjects, and Classifications] you can use to search APA PsycInfo, we’ll share some easy ways to quickly expand or narrow your list of search results.

You’ll also learn about syntax for proximity search and truncation; using citations to explore related research; applying search limits and results filters; using the Author Affiliation field to discover where research of interest is happening; searching the Test and Measures field for information about tests used in the scholarly literature; and using the Grant/Sponsorship field to discover potential funding sources.

Can’t attend a scheduled session?

Redefined: The APA Dictionary of Psychology

We’re excited to announce a recent major update to the APA Dictionary of Psychology! Notable as the first content update since the final publication of the print version in 2015, this release features a number of benefits, including

  • revisions of 1,500+ terms related to gender and sexuality; race, ethnicity, and culture; aging and older adulthood; and disabilities and disorders
  • alignment with the APA Inclusive Language Guide and additional APA resources, including removal of binary wording to promote gender inclusivity
  • updated DSM-5-TR diagnostic terminology, and
  • date information for each entry’s most recent update.

With more than 25,000 authoritative entries spanning 90 psychology subfields, this web-based tool is freely available at https://dictionary.apa.org.

Users who access APA PsycArticles on APA PsycNet have integrated access to the dictionary when viewing the HTML version of full-text APA journal articles. Look for the dotted blue underline that links to the dictionary entry.

Definitions are also accessible and highlighted in search engine results. Quickly look up a term from anywhere by typing the word/phrase you want to look up into your browser’s search bar and look for the APA Dictionary in the results.

Screenshot of APA Dictionary of Psychology entry gate-control theory

TIP: Typing dictionary.apa.org or APA Dictionary followed by your desired term into your browser’s search bar may return the APA Dictionary entry as one of the top search results, depending on your search engine (e.g., Googling dictionary.apa.org gate control hypothesis or searching DuckDuckGo for APA dictionary gate control hypothesis returns the APA Dictionary entry for gate-control theory).


The APA Dictionary in Psychology is a landmark reference for terminology in psychology and the behavioral sciences, beginning with its print publication in 2007 and transitioning into an online resource in 2018. To learn more, check out the companion blog post Look up Psychology Terms in the APA Dictionary of Psychology or visit the APA Dictionary to explore on your own!