Databases
You will want to search at least three databases for your systematic review. Three databases alone does not complete the search standards for systematic review requirements. You will also have to complete a search of the grey literature and complete additional hand searches. Which databases you should search is highly dependent on your systematic review topic, so it is recommended you meet with a librarian.
Commonly Used Health Sciences Databases
You will want to search at least three databases for your systematic review. Three databases alone does not complete the search standards for systematic review requirements as you will also have additional searches of the grey literature and hand searches to complete. Which databases you search is highly dependent on your systematic review topic, so it is recommended you meet with a librarian.
Cochrane, which is considered the gold standard for clinical systematic reviews, recommends searching the following three databases, at a minimum: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL).
- PubMed (NU customized) This link opens in a new windowA comprehensive source of journal literature in the life sciences and biomedicine from the National Library of Medicine. Includes selected full text from PubMed Central, and NCBI Bookshelf. PubMed is a free web resource, however this version contains links to Northeastern-subscribed journals that require a login.
- Embase (Elsevier) This link opens in a new windowAn up-to-date biomedical research database covering the most important international biomedical literature from 1947 to the present day. Structured and natural language searching.
- Cochrane Library This link opens in a new windowA full text database of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. Cochrane and other systematic reviews, clinical trials, and more.
- Web of Science, All Databases This link opens in a new windowUse this link for access to citation tracking and subject searching of scholarly literature. Data visualizations, alerts, and journal impact factors. Includes the Web of Science Core Collection. One of the largest curated databases of scholarly research, with citations in some subjects from 1900 to the present.
- PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowAmerican Psychological Associations flagship PsycINFO database includes citations and abstracts of peer reviewed articles, books, and dissertations. Coverage from 1888 to the present. Full text links for Northeastern-subscribed materials.
- CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowCitations and abstracts of scholarly, peer-reviewed articles and professional association news and information for thousands of publications. Covers nursing and 17 allied health disciplines, going as far back as 1937. Links to PDFs or full text for Northeastern-subscribed journals.
Commonly Used Social Sciences Databases
You will want to search at least three databases for your systematic review. Three databases alone does not complete the search standards for systematic review requirements as you will also have additional searches of the grey literature and hand searches to complete. Which databases you search is highly dependent on your systematic review topic, so it is recommended you meet with a librarian.
- Criminal Justice Abstracts (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowCitations and abstracts of scholarly, peer-reviewed articles and professional association news and information. Covers criminology; criminal justice; criminal law and procedure; corrections; police and policing; forensic sciences; history of crime; substance abuse; probation and parole. Links to full text.
- EconLit (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowThe American Economic Association's electronic database and the foremost source of references to economic literature. Includes citations, abstracts, and selected full text from scholarly and professional literature from 1969 to the present.
- Web of Science, All Databases This link opens in a new windowUse this link for access to citation tracking and subject searching of scholarly literature. Data visualizations, alerts, and journal impact factors. Includes the Web of Science Core Collection. One of the largest curated databases of scholarly research, with citations in some subjects from 1900 to the present.
- PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowAmerican Psychological Associations flagship PsycINFO database includes citations and abstracts of peer reviewed articles, books, and dissertations. Coverage from 1888 to the present. Full text links for Northeastern-subscribed materials.
- Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowA comprehensive database of books, articles, and dissertations in sociology and related disciplines, from 1952 to the present. International in scope, links to full text.
Does my database have a thesaurus?
Browsing EBSCOhost databases use a thesaurus, notably PsycINFO
The Sociological Abstracts Thesaurus is located on the Advanced Search screen:
Commonly Used Education Databases
You will want to search at least three databases for your systematic review. Three databases alone does not complete the search standards for systematic review requirements as you will also have additional searches of the grey literature and hand searches to complete. Which databases you search is highly dependent on your systematic review topic, so it is recommended you meet with a librarian.
- Education Research Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowPeer-reviewed journals in education, most with full text. Topics covered include all levels of education from early childhood to higher education, and all educational specialties, such as multilingual education, health education, and testing.
- ERIC (Education Resources Institute) This link opens in a new windowCitations to education information, including scholarly articles, professional literature, education dissertations, and books, plus grey literature such as curriculum guides, conference proceedings, government publications, and white papers.
Covers 1966 to the present. - Web of Science, All Databases This link opens in a new windowUse this link for access to citation tracking and subject searching of scholarly literature. Data visualizations, alerts, and journal impact factors. Includes the Web of Science Core Collection. One of the largest curated databases of scholarly research, with citations in some subjects from 1900 to the present.
Looking to Find Systematic Reviews?
There are a number of places to look for systematic reviews, including within the commonly used databases listed on this page. Some other resources to consider are:
- Systematic Review Repository - International Initiative for Impact EvaluationThe systematic review repository from International Initiative for Impact Evaluation is an essential resource for policymakers and researchers who are looking for synthesized evidence on the effects of social and economic interventions in low- and middle- income countries.
- EpistemonikosEpistemonikos is a collaborative, multilingual database of health evidence. It is the largest source of systematic reviews relevant for health-decision making, and a large source of other types of scientific evidence.
Please note: Epistemonikos is a systematic reviews focused database. It pulls in systematic reviews from a number of different international sources and pulls in the studies those reviews. While you will find randomized controlled trials and other primary studies in this database, they are only added in because of their association with a systematic review. Therefore, searching here for randomized controlled trials or other primary studies would NOT be considered a comprehensive search.