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Rehabilitation Service Line Resources: UNC Hospitals: Searching Databases

This guide focuses on a general set of library resources and services to meet the needs of Rehabilitation Line professionals at UNC Hospitals and points to discipline specific resources in addition.

Created by Health Science Librarians

What is a library database?

Library Database: a searchable collection of citations for articles and other materials (usually with abstracts and other information). 

  • Some library databases contain the actual articles ("full text").  CINAHL Plus with Full Text (UNC's CINAHL version) is a good example. 
    • Otherwise, you will use Find@UNC to link to the articles (full text) or to find other options for accessing them.
  • Database searches yield article citations from many journals simultaneously, saving you time.
  • Different databases have different focuses/cover different disciplines.
  • An article can be indexed in (its citation can be found in) many different databases.  
  • Some databases also index conference proceedings and other materials. 
  • Most UNC databases are paid for by the library to give you stable access to high quality scholarly information.  

As opposed to the filtered information in Evidence-Based Practice resources such as Cochrane and other systematic review databases (where experts have collected, analyzed, and reported the evidence for you), searchers of the databases below generally must analyze the quality and relevance of the studies themselves.  

You can also search for specific Publication Types or Article Types such as Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, Guideline, or Randomized Controlled Trial in Health Sciences Databases such as CINAHL, PubMed, or Embase.

Databases 101

Getting Started: a few Key Databases

Don't forget, Ask-a-Librarian when you have difficulty finding what you're looking for in a database or don't know which database(s) to use.
Always connect to databases from UNC-CH Library pages so you will see the Find @ UNC button.​

Learn More about Using Databases

Don't forget, Ask Us when you have difficulty finding what you're looking for in a database.

Don't forget, many databases have a link to help files as part of their search screens.

Full Text Articles via Find@UNC
Includes Find@UNC in PubMed and what to do when the article is not online via Find@UNC.

 

For help using the New PubMed platform (5/2020), see New PubMed Resource Box. 

PubMed resources below are being updated but still have useful information demonstrated using the original PubMed platform.  

See PICO tab on this guide for more PICO help

Aids for Organizing Your Search

Use this guide to help visualize and plan your search:

Use this log to keep your search organized and to document your search strategy for reporting:

  • Last Updated: Dec 12, 2022 11:45 AM
  • URL: https://guides.lib.unc.edu/rehabilitation-line