Literature Searching in Health
Literature searching is an essential research skill
As a health professional, it's important that your actions are guided by the latest research and industry standards. That sounds obvious, but many practices can become outdated or unsound in a short timeframe as our understanding evolves. This is why evidence-based practice (a term you'll be hearing more about) is so important.
These modules focus on a particular skill set: searching. You will learn how to search in a comprehensive and critical way, to find high quality information.
What's in this course?
This is a four-module course which covers all stages of the literature searching process and will help you develop key skills.
Module 1 - Choosing Databases
- Selecting databases to search in according to your health topic or question.
- Identifying high quality evidence.
Module 2 - Developing a Search Plan
- Converting a topic or scenario into a searchable question.
- Developing a search strategy using synonyms and subject headings.
- Using Boolean operators to combine your terms.
Module 3 - Start Searching
- Using your search strategy in a health database.
- Reading a search and understanding the functions.
Module 4 - Evaluating your results
- Evaluating your results for relevance to your topic or question.
- Adjusting your search as necessary.
Each module takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. Use the side menu to navigate through the Modules.