Key Resources for Research Articles
For improved results and to use advanced features, search a specific database. Some of the more frequently used databases are listed below. Additional databases can be found in individual subject pages.
- PubMed (NU customized) This link opens in a new windowPubMed is the National Library of Medicine's open-access database, encompassing Medline,a health information clearinghouse of articles from the National Library of Medicine, plus articles deposited by authors and publishers as part of National Institutes of Health funding requirements.
- Embase (Elsevier) This link opens in a new windowEmbase is a versatile and up-to-date biomedical research database covering the most important international biomedical literature from 1947 to the present day with more than 32+ million records from 8,200 journals and ‘grey literature’ from over 2.4 million conference abstracts. Embase includes unique non-English content and coverage of the most important types of evidence, such as randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses.
- Alt-HealthWatch (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowFull text articles for nearly 180 international, and often peer-reviewed journals and reports on omplementary, holistic and integrated approaches to health care and wellness.
- CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowIndexing and abstracts for 5,400 journals in nursing and 17 allied health disciplines, going as far back as 1937. In addition to complete coverage of English-language nursing journals, CINAHL Complete includes nursing dissertations, National League for Nursing and American Nurses' Association publications, selected conference proceedings, Evidence-based Care Sheets, and 250+ research instrument descriptions.
- International Pharmaceutical AbstractsComprehensive index to worldwide pharmaceutical literature. Covers biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics, new drug delivery systems, pharmacist liability, and legal, political, and ethical issues.
- ComDisDome This link opens in a new windowCovers the communications disorders literature, with focus on speech-language pathology and audiology
- SPORTDiscus with Full TextThe world's most comprehensive source of full text for sports & sports medicine journals.
- Cochrane LibraryContains high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. It includes reliable evidence from Cochrane and other systematic reviews, clinical trials, and more.
- PsycINFOThe American Psychological Association's flagship database of 2.4 million articles, books and other international documents in psychology going back over a century. 98% peer-reviewed!
Tutorials
Need a refresher on scholarly vs. non-scholarly sources, or primary vs. review articles, or the differences between qualitative and quantitative research? You can find PDF tutorials on these topics below.
Scholarly vs. Non-Scholarly Sources
Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Comparing Two Kinds of Research
Topic Generation
Having trouble coming up with a topic for your project? Try browsing:
Medpage Today, a source of clinical news coverage across many specialties, written for healthcare professionals in the US.
Global Issues in Context, a resource offering international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events.
The articles in a recent academic journal in your discipline. You can find academic journals in your disciplines by searching your on Scholar OneSearch. Use the advanced search options to search for journals.
Research Essentials
Looking for articles but not sure where to start? For articles describing primary research, written by experts in the field, try the nursing and medical databases listed below.
The brief videos below will help you develop your research question, choose keywords and offer tips for improving your search results!
- Search nursing and health-related databases to find peer reviewed or scholarly articles on your topic.
- Choose keywords for your topic.
- Learn the shortcuts: use advanced search techniques to search databases more effectively and find the full text.
- Review articles which cite a relevant article, as well as the article's references, to discover more relevant material.
- Interlibrary Loan: Use ILLIad, our interlibrary loan service to request articles not owned by Snell Library. HINT: click on the PDF link or the "Check NU LIbrary" in your database search results. If the article is not available, you will be prompted to link to ILLiad to submit your request.
- Organize your citations using citation management tools such as RefWorks, EndNote, Mendeley or Zotero. Import your citations from your database search, then autoformat them into your preferred citation style, and insert the reference list into your paper.
Online Encyclopedias
If you need an overview of a topic, try searching an encyclopedia.