For this assignment, you will need to navigate library resources in order to locate peer-reviewed articles relating to group counseling for the literature review portion of your group proposal.

This guide will help you: 

• identify databases related to counseling
• select search terms related to the topic of group counseling
• conduct successful searches for literature on group counseling. 

You can find a selection of Counseling databases on the Walden Library website.

1. Start at the Walden Library Home Page  

2. Under Select a subject, choose: Counseling

There are a number of databases with full-text, peer-reviewed articles on group counseling. Below is a list of relevant databases to help get you started:

For this assignment, you will need to identify search terms relating to your group counseling proposal. One strategy would be to identify search terms relating to group counseling and also your counseling topic. Below are some examples to help get you started. 

Suggested search terms related to a counseling topic:

• depression
• anxiety
• family therapy
• substance abuse
• addiction
• grief and loss

Suggested search terms related to group counseling: 

• group counseling
• therapeutic communities
• evaluation
• model
• strategy
• approach
• practice
• outcome
• treatment outcomes
• best practices
• process

Now let's put it all together and try a sample search in our database called PsycINFO:

1. Start at the Walden Library Home Page.

2. Under Select a subject, choose: Counseling

Here you will find library resources related to your subject area, including other databases you may wish to include in your search.

3. Now let's choose the database PsycINFO:

Login with your myWalden email and password.

4. Now you are on a search screen with three Search boxes. We will break your topic down into just keywords and type one concept or keyword(s) per box.

In the first search box type:  group counseling

In the drop down box to the right of the search field, select: SU Subject

NOTE** Selecting SU subject will tell the database to only retrieve articles that have been classified as being on the subject of group counseling. Using Subject terms will increase the relevancy of your results. 

In the second search box type: strateg* OR approach OR process* OR model OR evaluat* OR practice OR outcomes OR best practices

NOTE** Using the Boolean operator OR will tell the database to retrieve articles that contain any of these search terms. 

NOTE** Using the truncation device (*) will tell the database to search for any search term with the same root. For example; strategy or strategies, evaluation or evaluate.

5. Under the search boxes, click inside the check mark boxes for "Full Text" and "Peer Reviewed".

6. Click Search.

Do you see some articles that will work for your assignment?

You can repeat these steps in some of the other databases listed on the Counseling page, or explore different keyword choices to further refine your search.

• For more information on creating a search strategy, selecting keywords, and using limiters to refine your search, please see our guide on Keyword Searching.
• Need help citing a source? Contact the Writing Center. They are the APA experts. The Writing Center has a lot of APA citation material on its website. APA Style section of Writing Center Website.
• You can also contact the Writing Center at writingsupport@mail.waldenu.edu.