BC3148 & BC3139: Integrated Human Biology

Why can't I just Google to find research?  Being an efficient searcher means knowing when to use what tool.  You will find the most relevant scholarly journal articles (both primary and secondary) when you search in databases.

Watch this video, Library Databases versus Search Engines, to learn about how their differences affect your searches. (Created by the Wellington Medical and Health Sciences Library, 2010).

Searching the web can definitely be helpful when you're looking for:

1. professional organizations, expert websites  -  They often publish their own journal and some online access is often free.
2. little researched or cutting edge (very recent) topics
3. statistics or government info
4. PhD dissertations, Masters theses
5. unpublished or obscure information

The tradeoff: websites require critical thinking skills to determine whether or not they offer credible information:

Q:  Help! Evaluating every website sounds time consuming; are there any sources of pre-screened research?

A: Yes, library databases!

A database lets you collectively search thousands of journals that have been pre-screened for quality. (But individual studies will always require further quality assessment.) Databases provide search features that search engines and websites can't, such as assigned subject headings and an array of filters or limiters (for example, age, date, type of study).

How to choose appropriate database(s):

• Look at the library’s database list and think about your topic before choosing appropriate ones. Read the descriptions of the databases and explore the About/Help resources within them if you need more information.

• Databases often focus on specific subject areas, For example, PsycINFO is a good place to look for topics with a psychological component.