Psychology
This guide to Library and information resources for Psychology has been compiled by the Academic Support Librarian for the School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences.
Library News and Events
Information about Library news, training, events and service updates.
Psychology & Philosophy Library
Psychology & Philosophy Library
A dedicated library for the School of PPLS at 7 George Square.
- The Library is open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays only during semester.
- The Library is open to all when the library is staffed but open only to PPLS staff, postgraduates and years 3 and 4 undergraduates when it is not staffed via swipe access. Ask the PPLS Librarian on your first visit for further information.
- All University readers may borrow books.
- For readers who cannot attend the library in person the University Library offers a Scan and Deliver Service.
- Psychology & Philosophy Library - Online Orientation Guide (Sway).
Further details are available on the PPLS Librarian's web page OR students can email Karen Fleet (PPLS Librarian) direct at: K.Fleet@ed.ac.uk.
Resource Lists
- Resource Listsfor psychology courses.
Looking for images?
- Image databasesCheck out our collections of still and moving images.
Finding Library Resources - DiscoverEd
Use DiscoverEd to find books, ebooks, journals, ejournals and more. Sign into your Library account using your University Login to manage your loans and requests.
Databases for Psychology
- MIT CognetIncludes the full text of major reference works and over 250 cognitive science books, full text of journals in the field of cognitive and brain sciences, as well as a growing collection of other relevant books, journals and reference works from other participating publishers.
- PsycARTICLES (incorporated into Your Journals @Ovid)Full-text articles from 56 journals published by the American Psychological Association, the APA Educational Publishing Foundation, the Canadian Psychological Association, and Hogrefe & Huber.
Searchable full-text resources from Oxford University Press
- Oxford BibliographiesAuthoritative research guides, featuring the best available scholarship across a wide variety of subjects, including psychology.
- Oxford Handbooks Online: Scholarly Research ReviewsAn outstanding collection of the best Handbooks in fifteen subject areas, including psychology.
- Oxford Research Encyclopedias - PsychologyDigital encyclopedia including in-depth peer-reviewed articles covering a broad range of topics, with multi-media features embedded in articles, along with cross-referenced links to related content.
- Oxford Scholarship OnlineA vast and rapidly-expanding online library, providing easy access to thousands of books across the world-renowned scholarly list of Oxford University Press, including 650 titles for psychology.
Additional online resources
- CogprintsAn electronic archive for self-archive of papers in psychology, neuroscience, linguistics and many areas of computer science.
- Psychology.orgAn extensive encyclopaedia of people, publications and organizations at the forefront of psychotherapy, behavior analysis, research and education.
- Psychology DictionaryA comprehensive online psychology dictionary, with over 20,000 definitions written by a global team of academics and professionals.
Finding clinical trials
- Finding clinical trialsSome web resources and subscription databases to help you track down clinical trials.
Referencing
- Cite Them Right OnlineEverything you need to know about citing and referencing resources in a range of referencing styles (including APA & Harvard).
- Read. Write. CiteSome useful general guidance from the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA).
- ScribbrFree online Citation Tools (including Citation Generator), which can help automate the building of bibliographies in a range of referencing styles, such as APA & Harvard.
- APA Style BlogRegularly updated, this blog from the American Psychological Association (APA) provides advice on using the APA Style.
- Cite this for meA free online tool that helps automate the building of bibliographies using the Harvard, APA, MLA referencing formats.
Academic Support Librarian

Introduction to literature searching for your dissertation
The link below takes you to of a recording of a live session for students in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) which looks at developing a search strategy, resources available from the Library to help you search the literature and how to manage your search results. Delivered as part of the Library's Dissertation Festival (March, 2021).
Psychology Events
- What's on and whereCalendar of workshops, seminars, conferences and other events taking place in Psychology.
British Psychological Society
- British Psychological SocietyThe British Psychological Society (BPS) is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK.