Database searching jan 2015
- 1. Database searching skills & strategies • Medicinal plants
- 2. Outcomes At the end of the workshop, you should be able to: • search more efficiently • get better results • know where to look • be less anxious about your research
- 3. “Finding information is hard….” •What information am I looking for? •Where will I find the information •How will I get there? •How good is the information? •How will I ethically use the information
- 4. What type of information do I need, & where do I find it? • Definition • Basic overview • Statistics etc. Information type • Book • Govt. publications • Wiki • youtube General source • Google • Library catalogue How to find it
- 5. When do I need to use a database? Bibliographic database (aka “Literature database”) indexed articles, subject specific e.g.: Pubmed, Ebsco, Proquest • Recent information • Research • Scholarly articles Information type • Academic literature • Journal articles • Theses, reports etc General source • Databases • Google Scholar How to find it
- 6. Ebsco GaleProquest Pubmed •Most comprehensive in content •Only Open Source full text •Paid content = more full text available •Not as broad coverage of journal articles •FREE •THINK Education subscription
- 7. Steps in finding information 1. Define your topic 2. Determine your search strategy 3. Find your citations 4. Get the full text article how?! Yes, but ……
- 8. Database Full Text? • Yes - YAY! • No (see below) Available at SSNT? • Check library catalogue • Ejournal? Print journal? Other database • Check Google Scholar Submit article request • Make sure you really need it • Usually free, but occasionally not • Can take up to 2 weeks so allow time Steps in finding full text article
- 9. Search strategy 1. Define the keywords you can use 2. Start broad, progressively narrow down 3. Use search building techniques - synonyms, limiters 4. Note ‘clues’ in your results -jargon, exclusion terms etc. 5. Understand what your results mean 6. Repeat your search – be persistent, think laterally
- 10. Define keywords • Topic analysis • Keywords • Synonyms, jargon, Latin form • Context Search building • Phrase searching • AND, OR, NOT • Similar and Citing articles Use Limiters • Time frame (recent? historical? trending?) • Type of literature (review article, clinical trials, news?) • Gender , age, population , language after…. before…. during…. So, in summary:
- 11. Review search results – again! Search is an exercise in persistance! If you don’t feel you’re getting results Change databases Change keywords Change tactics ASK YOUR LIBRARIAN FOR HELP – we’re experts!
- 12. Example search strategy Putting the theory to work.
- 13. “Analyse a case study on the use of black cohosh in menopause treatment” • Cimicifuga racemosa • bugwort • Phytomedicine • medicinal plants • menopause • Globally? • Australia? • Current? Historical? Trends? • “case study” • “black cohosh” • “Cimicifuga racemosa” • ”Medicinal plants” Phrases Context Synonyms
- 14. Boolean Truncation Phrase searching • AND • NOT • OR Using these in your search can force exclusions or inclusions e.g: tablet NOT computer Pathol* Searches for: • Pathology • Pathologist • Pathological Compare this google search: arm pressure points = 22,600,000 results “arm pressure points” = 15,100 results Simply phrasing your search can focus your results enormously. Some search techniques
- 15. Use Advanced Search Almost all databases and search engines have advanced search options Provides many more fields to help you refine your search
- 16. Use limits effectively Use the limits provided, when you can
- 18. Reading your results 1. Suggested subjects 2. Type of document 3. Abstract or Full text 4. Abstract text 5. Refining options
- 19. Reading your results Making use of the functions available, helps you keep organised while researching.