Rehabilitation Service Line Resources: UNC Hospitals: Searching Databases
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
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Finding articles using databasesLibrary databases let you search for article citations across hundreds of journals at once and to use the Find @ UNC button to link to the articles themselves (i.e. full-text) when available online. Different databases focus on different disciplines, while many article citations appear in multiple databases. Search journal titles in UNC's library catalog.
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Database TipsLearn how to use library databases, with general tips and tips for specific databases. .
Getting Started: a few Key Databases
Discipline Specific Databases: see HSL's Online Resource Guides
Link to many additional databases for specific rehabilitation-related disciplines.
Multidisciplinary Resources focused on Evidence-Based Practice
Discipline-Specific Resources focused on Evidence-Based Practice
Occupational Therapy Resources
Evidence-based Physical Therapy
Recreational Therapy Resources
Speech-Language Pathology Resources
Allied Health Sciences Guide (general)
Citing & Writing Guides
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Citing & Writing GuidesStyle guides (e.g., APA, AMA), copyright and plagiarism, reference citation managers, how to cite data, writing guides.
See PICO tab on this guide for more PICO help
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Asking the Well-Built Clinical QuestionThis guide walks you through the steps of EBP from PICO development to appraisal. Developed by UNC and Duke.
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Asking Focused QuestionsPICO guide from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM Oxford U.)
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Formulating Answerable Clinical QuestionsPractice developing your PICO questions here.
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Forming Focused Questions with PICOA Guide from the UNC Chapel Hill Health Sciences Library
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PICO(T) Template & ExamplesTemplate and Example PICO(T) questions for different clinical situations, including
• Intervention
• Therapy
• Etiology
• Diagnostic
• Prevention
• Prognosis/Prediction
• Meaning
Aids for Organizing Your Search
Use this guide to help visualize and plan your search:
- From Purdue Libraries Creating a Search Strategy Guide: Constructing a Search Statement Worksheet (.pdf download).
Use this log to keep your search organized and to document your search strategy for reporting: