Introduction to literature searching

http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/study/library/

Housekeeping

• How’s it going?• Can you find the books

on your reading lists?• Can you renew and

reserve books?• Do you know who to

contact for help?• Library Subject Guides?

Today we are going to cover...

• Finding the evidence

• Searching effectively for journal articles

• Evaluating information

• Using information ethically (citing and referencing)

Evidence

Exercise 1 - Discuss in pairs

• What is evidence?

• How and why might evidence be useful in veterinary nursing practice?

What Is Evidence?

“Information or signs indicating whether something is true or valid” Compact Oxford Dictionary for Students (2006)

You will need to provide appropriate evidence to support any claims or arguments made in your assignments

Evidence-Based Practice“…involves the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care…”

Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: a guide to best practice (2005)

‘the use of current best evidence in making clinical decisions’.Cockroft and Holmes (2003) Handbook of evidence based veterinary medicine.

Where’s the evidence?

Where’s the evidence?• Clinical guidelines and other procedures and

protocols for practice are based on research evidence from specialist resources

• High quality, peer-reviewed research in journal articles

• Articles can be found using specialist subject databases

Starting your search

Summon

Searches journals, books and more

Good starting point for your research

Covers ALL subjects taught at the university

Today we’re going to search for literature on...

Preventing obesity in dogs

Exercise 3What are the important concepts in this topic? Are there other terms for the same ideas? Related ideas?

Keywords

1. Pick out your concepts and separate them –Obesity, dogs, prevention

2. Think of other words that are similar to your key words but represent the same concepts– e.g. Overweight, weight gain, weight

management etc

Canine obesity

Canines

• Dogs• Ages?• Breeds?

Obesity

• Overweight• Weight management• Healthy weight• Related conditions e.g.

diabetes

Prevention /management etc

• Diet• Nutrition• Food/feeding• Exercise• Attitudes (owners,

professionals)

Library Subject Guides

Finding the databases

• In myUniHub, go to My Study – Library Subject Guides.

• Select the Veterinary Nursing guide• Click on Resources• Then Finding Journal Articles Using

Databases• Choose a database (e.g. Science Direct)

Exercise 4

• Use Summon and/or Science Direct for articles on

“preventing obesity in dogs (and/or cats)”

• Remember to try other related keywords too

• Search for phrases (“”): eg. “animal welfare”

• Broaden your search (*): eg. prevent* (finds prevent, prevents, preventing, preventative etc)

A Few Search tips

• Widen your search eg. Obesity OR overweight OR weight management

• Narrow your search eg. obesity AND canine

A Few Search tips

But is it any good?

Is it what you need and is it trustworthy?

What criteria would you use to assess the relevance and quality of the information?

The C A R P test

C A R P• Currency - How old is the information? When

was it last updated?• Authority - Who is the author / creator? What is

their background? Is the article published in a scholarly/peer reviewed journal?

• Relevance - Is this what I need? Will it answer my question? Is it at an appropriate level?

• Purpose - What is the purpose of the information e.g. financial gain, propaganda, academic research, etc.

Exercise 5

• Work in groups• 4 resources and evaluation sheet

• For each resource, decide as a group if it meets the criteria.

• No need to read the whole thing!

Referencing

• Is very important• Acknowledges other people’s work (avoids

plagiarism)• Shows you’ve read around the subject• Supports your discussion and arguments• Gets you better marks!• Enables others to find your references

Referencing – style guide

On the front page of the VN guide...

Need help?

• Librarians in the Specialist Zone (1st floor) during core hours Monday – Friday

• Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/• Veterinary Nursing Library Subject Guidehttp://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/veterinarynursing