Literature searching for Biomedical Sciences
BMS2113Oct 2013
Today we are going to cover...
• Refresher on the library resources available and how to access them
• Useful starting points:– MyUniHub– Library Subject Guide for Biomedical Sciences
• Using databases to find articles
Getting started...
• myUniHub > My Study > My Library
• Library Subject Guide for Biomedical Sciences:http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/biomedicalsciences
Finding a specific journal article• If you have a reference to a specific journal article,
find it by searching the Library Catalogue for the journal title.
• Use the A-Z search, Journal A-Z:
Google Scholar
• Freely available to search
• Tip: set the Library Links so you can access MDX full text (Settings > Library Links)
• What’s included? – There is no definitive list, so be aware you may
miss things.
Key Databases For BMS Literature
• Medline Database of international biomedical literature
• PubMed … + some full text
• Web of Science Leading science(Science Citation Index) & technical journals
• Science Direct Full-text science journals
Principles of literature searching
• Define your question – what do you want to know? What’s the topic?
• Identify significant keywords• Identify related terms• Identify broader and narrower concepts• Watch out for spelling & terminology,
e.g. UK/US, abbreviations
Search tips
• Narrow search e.g. tetanus AND vaccine• Widen search e.g. Vaccination OR immunization• Exclude words e.g. clostridium NOT difficile• Search for phrases e.g. “Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus” (remember abbreviations, e.g. MRSA)
• Broaden search e.g. Vaccin* (finds vaccine, vaccination, vaccinated etc)
• Find different spellings e.g. Immuni?ation (finds immunisation and immunization)
Searching the databases
Over to you...
• Medline• Science Direct• Web of Science (Science Citation Index)
Look for full text via the library catalogue if necessary
But it’s not in the library!
• Don’t panic. Have you checked the catalogue? (Search for journal title)
• Is there a similar alternative?
• Inter-Library Loan (via UniHub)
• SCONUL Access scheme
Referencing
• Vital!
• Follow the referencing guidelines provided by your tutor.
• This and further help in the Plagiarism & Referencing guide http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/plagiarismreferencing
Help also available from LDU
Need help?
• Librarians in the Specialist Zone (1st floor) 11-3 Monday - Friday
• Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/ • BMS Library Subject Guide
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/biomedicalsciences