LibGuides: Literature searching: Introduction

Literature searching - overview of library supports

Library services: literature searching

Extensive online resources on how to search the literature

Choosing a database
How to search:
- Medline (Ovid) - do this first - includes key techniques relevant to most databases
- Embase (Ovid)
- Emcare (Ovid)
- APA PsycInfo (Ovid)
- CINAHL (EBSCOhost)
- Cochrane Library (Wiley)
- Ovid Nursing
- Informit Health Collection (RMIT)
Text mining - researching search terms for difficult topics
Using 'limits' - and how to exclude animal studies
Translating search strategies to other databases - Polyglot Search Translator
Recording your search methodology
Finding full text PDFs using EndNote
Systematic reviews

Individual search tutorials for SVHM staff (login required):

1 hour tutorials face to face in the library or online via Teams
Learn to search Ovid Medline with a topic of your choice
Can include information on record keeping for systematic reviews
Contact us to book a tutorial or find out more.

Literature search service (SVHM staff only)

Request a standard literature search - results provided in Endnote library, not exhaustive
Request ongoing search alerts for automated topic updates
Request a clinical policy literature search (references for updating policies and guidelines)
Receiving your search results from a librarian - using EndNote and downloading full text PDFs
Note: This service is for hospital business only. Not suitable for most study or publication purposes, or systematic reviews.

Developing a search strategy in Ovid Medline

Download helpsheet: Searching Ovid Medline step by step
Step by step instructions on how to search the Ovid Medline database using a sample topic: "Aggression in Dementia". Includes use of MeSH Terms/subject headings, searching text in titles and/or abstract, combining terms using AND/OR, adding limits and exporting results.

Author: Helen Wilding, Senior Research Librarian.
Last update: 12 March 2020

Database quick links

Ovid MEDLINE ALL - US biomedical and clinical sciences database
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Key database of biomedical and clinical sciences literature.
Incorporates all sections of Medline including pre-print and non-indexed citations.
Ovid equivalent of Pubmed (no need to search both).
Years of coverage: Indexed (catalogued) retrospectively from 1946 to present. Early publications date back to the late 1700s while new records include pre-prints yet to be published. Both older and newer records continue to be added. The range of publication dates is fluid and does not indicate complete journal coverage.
Access provided by the Clinicians Health Channel.
More information: https://ospguides.ovid.com/OSPguides/medline.htm
Embase (Ovid) - European biomedical and pharmacological database
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European biomedical and pharmacological database.
Years of coverage: 1947 - present.
Access provided by Clinicians Health Channel.
More information: https://ospguides.ovid.com/OSPguides/embase.htm
APA PsycInfo (Ovid) - mental health and behavioral sciences
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Database of psychological, social, behavioral and health sciences literature.
Years of coverage: 1806 to present. Older and newer records continue to be added. The range of publication dates is fluid and does not indicate complete journal coverage.
Access provided by the Clinicians Health Channel.
More information: https://ospguides.ovid.com/OSPguides/psycdb.htm
CINAHL (EBSCOhost) - nursing and allied health
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Bibliographic database of nursing and allied health literature.
Years of coverage: Indexed from 1937 to present.
Access provided by St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Library Service.
Ovid Emcare - nursing and allied health
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Database of nursing and allied health literature.
Years of coverage: Indexed (catalogued) retrospectively from 1995 to present. Early records included from early 1900s with new records added.
Access provided by Clinicians Health Channel.
More information: http://ospguides.ovid.com/OSPguides/emcadb.htm
Ovid Nursing - nursing literature
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Small bibliographic database of nursing literature.
Years of coverage: 1946 to present.
Access provided by Clinicians Health Channel.
More information: http://ospguides.ovid.com/OSPguides/ovrndb.htm
Cochrane Library - systematic reviews and trials
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Includes Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Clinical Answers
Informit Health Collection
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Small database with health related content from Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and South East Asia.
Years of coverage: 1977 to present.
PEDro - physiotherapy
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PEDro database in our list of databases?

“PEDro has been informing physiotherapy practice for over 23 years. It is a free database of over 59,000 trials, reviews and guidelines evaluating physiotherapy interventions.
Pubmed with links to SVHM full text
Personal NCBI accounts: require setting up 3rd party login. If prompted, follow the Password Retirement Wizard pop-up.

Literature searching: Introduction

Literature searching - overview of library supports

Library services: literature searching

Developing a search strategy in Ovid Medline

Database quick links

Libguide Author

Helen Wilding, Senior Research Librarian