To find empirical articles in PsycINFO or PsycARTICLES:
Library resources don't work like Google.
You cannot type in a complete sentence and expect to get an answer. Instead, library resources require the use of keywords. Write out a question you want to ask, then pick out just the significant words - those are your keywords.
Example: "Should inmates have access to weight lifting equipment in prison?"
Keywords: inmate(s), weight lifting equipment, prison
Next, come up with MORE keywords.
Come up with synonyms for your original keywords. In our example, prisoners could be considered a synonym of inmates, while jail could be a synonym for prison. You should also think about what terms are associated with your topic. For example, we may want to search "bench press" or "inmate crime." Make sure your keywords are nouns whenever possible.
Combine these terms using AND, OR, or NOT.
These are Search Operators and will narrow or expand your search results. (Pro tip! Put quotation marks around a search phrase to search that exact phrase.