If you are searching the APA PsycNet platform for the full text of articles, book chapters, book reviews, and other documents, there are several checkbox limits that can help you.
The “APA Full Text” limit narrows a search to just records that include either a PDF or a full-text HTML document.
The “Test Available” limit narrows a APA PsycTests search to just records that include a PDF version of the test.
The “Open Access” limit is for the databases that include journal articles, APA PsycInfo and APA PsycArticles, and it narrows the search to just records that are designated as Open Access. Most APA PsycInfo records describe research from other publishers, not APA, and so the full-text is not included in the record. However, if the record has the “Open Access” icon, then you can follow the link to the external publisher’s site or click the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) link in the citation to view the full-text.
In results for APA PsycArticles, APA PsycBooks, APA PsycExtra, and APA PsycTests, you will see options to view the full text. APA PsycArticles offers both HTML and PDF versions; APA PsycBooks, APA PsycExtra, and APA PsycTests are PDF-only.
This example results page shows a few of the full-text records available in APA PsycArticles. Links to the PDF and the Full-Text HTML also appear at the bottom of the record’s citation.
If your institution subscribes to the databases or if you have an individual subscription, these links will take you directly to the full text. If not, clicking these links will allow you to purchase an article in APA PsycArticles or a chapter in APA PsycBooks.
The full-text HTML view allows a researcher greater flexibility than does the PDF. You may jump to individual sections; download tables and figures as PowerPoint slides; create alerts for comments, replies, citations, or corrections; share the citation via Facebook and other social media sites; and more.
