finding articles for your research
TRANSCRIPT
Choose the right database(s)
Identify search terms:
• To find/identify search terms:
– read background information about the topic.(ex) Look up your topic in a medical dictionary or use the Credo Reference database and its concept mapping feature to find search terms
Best Practices:• Use one word or concept for each search box.• If you must use a phrase, put them in
quotation marks or parentheses: "over the counter"
How are the results ranked/displayed?
• Use truncation (Example: therap* will look for keywords such as therapy AND therapies AND therapists)
• Don't use "effect of" or "cause of"- databases do not apply logic to your searches
• Look at the Subjects listed for each article as well as the article titles.
• Articles probably won’t "match" your search exactly.
5 Common researching mistakes
1. Looking for ARTICLE titles that exactly match your topic.
• You will miss important articles• Articles related to your topic will have data
you can use
2. Search terms are too narrow or too broad.
• If your result list is too small, try broadening your topic or any of your limiters geographic location, date range age of population. – (EX) change Invisalign to dental appliances OR – Fort Lauderdale to Florida or United States
• If your result list is over 1,000 articles - limit your search by date, subject or other factors
3. Missing citation pearls.
• If you find an excellent article, select the author or subject links to find more like it.
Use the ‘Find Similar’ or ‘Related citations’ option
4. Forgetting to save searches & search terms that produce great results in [Your Folder] for future reference.
• You can rerun your searches and uncover newer articles during your research time period
• You may change the direction of your search and need to remember how you found your original articles
5. Choosing a topic that is too specific
• If you narrow your topic before researching too much, you may have difficulty articles.
• It is often easier to pick your [talking/writing] points after seeing what information exists in the literature
Tips & Tricks
• Some journals print a theme-based issue once or twice per year-see the other articles in the same issue for more information on your topic.
• Some journals are perfect for researching your topic. Search within that journal to find more information. (ex) Journal of Telemedicine & Telecare
• Try researching using your author names. Often authors write more than one article about a specific topic.
• Go citation surfing! Look at the reference list for your article, you're bound to find one or two gems.