Nursing

Search Methodology or Search Methods- as it is more commonly called, is the way of efficiently and effectively finding information. Search Methods utilize search strings (key word phrases) and special algorithms to communicate with different databases what you are looking for. Simply put, it is the way that information seekers talk to computers to find relevant information. Each database "talk" in their own language and have their own unique algorithms to help the user retrieve information. 

Databases retrieve results based on what you enter within the search box. The more precise your keywords are to the information you are trying to find, the more precise your search results will be. Therefore it is important to choose relevant keywords or terms based on your topic so that the databases will retrieve a have a high level of relevant information for you from your initial search.

Keywords are search terms that are entered into the search field of databases.
Keywords represent the main topic or idea of your research-they are the everyday words used to describe and/or define your research.

For example, if your research topic is: Sertraline for Postpartum Depression, your Keywords could be: Sertraline, Postpartum, Postpartum Depression, Depression.

Such Keywords will give you an expansive level of results to review; as you narrow down your research topic, however, you may choose to use narrower search terms such as:

Zoloft, Selective Serontonin Reuptake Inhibitor, Post-natal Depression, Postpartum Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, Postpartum Care

that refine & contract your results.

Boolean Logic or Boolean Search Operators as they are sometimes called, are basic words used as conjunctions to combine terms or exclude keywords within a search, resulting in a more defined search result. This process helps save time and effort by "dropping" irrelevant hits. 

Boolean Operators:

AND (Narrows search results to only include relevant results with your required keywords)

OR (Expands search results to contain one or more of your required keywords)

NOT (Limits search results by excluding keywords and even phrases from your results)

Quotation Marks "" (Used around keywords and even phrases to returned in exact order)

Parenthesis ( )  (Used to give priority to keywords within the parenthesis over other terms outside of the parenthesis) 

Below are links to excellent in-depth tutorials from a few of our top nursing databases. The tutorials provide advance search techniques in addition to how to search for Evidence Based Practices and PICOT within Ovid (also known as LWW Nursing).

Databases often have a predetermined list of possible terms called "Subject Headings." When searching databases, subject headings are useful for finding related terms, subjects and hyperlinks to content-related articles.

At TSU Libraries, we use Library of Congress Subject Headings and so do many of our databases.

A few of our databases, however, use unique subject headings. For example PubMed uses MeSh (Medical Subject Headings) and CINAHL has  their own controlled vocabulary with MeSH integrated into the authority file. Subject headings are found in the database's thesaurus contains which will serve to point you to the most effective search terms in that particular database. 

Using exact phrase searching quickly narrows search results. To conduct an exact phrase search, you must use the boolean operator: Parenthesis (). When surrounding phrases with parenthesis you are telling databases to look for two or more words in the exact order your entered them. This guide contains other advanced searching methods that can be used in addition to exact phrase searching.

The information search process can range from simple to complex. At times, you may need to use advanced search techniques to find appropriate information for your research topics. These advanced techniques are less commonly used however very effective yielding results. Below are 3 advanced search techniques that are useful for research especially for graduate level students. 

Proximity- A way to search for two or more words that occur within a certain number of words from each other. The proximity operators are composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words)

Truncation- Also called "stemming" broadens your search by including various word endings and spellings. Truncation occurs when you type the root of a word followed by the truncation symbol i.e. lymph*= lymphoma, lymphedema, lymph nodes. (Common truncation symbols: *, #, ?, !).

Wildcard- Similarly to truncation, wildcard substitutes a symbol for a missing letter within a word i.e. wom?n= woman, women.

Managing Your References & Citations

EndNote

This is a citation tool for sciences and social science researchers. Create a free account and import your paper. Allows the selection of thousands of citation styes which will be created as you add content to the paper. References can be collected, organized, and shared. Contains the "Cite As You Write" plug-in. Provides access to 4606 citation styles.

ZoteroBib

Zotero [zoh-TAIR-oh] is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. It's on your web browser. Allows you to "drag and drop" citations to create your bibliography. Provides APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian or 9,000 CSL styles. As your write, it creates parenthetical citations or footnotes/endnotes.

Backward & Forward Citation Searches

Backward and Forward Citation Searching has many names as it is sometimes referred to as

• footnote chasing
• citation mining
• chain searching or
• pearl growing.

Backward Citation Search

1. Locate an article of Interest 
2. Examine articles in the Reference or Works Cited
3. Search for articles using TSU's Library Landing Page: www.tnstate.edu/library

Forward Citation Search/Footnote Chasing

1. Locate an Article of Interest
2. Use Web of Science to find articles that cite the initial article

• Will list brief record and times cited
• Will display list of articles that cite the initial article

Note: For articles that we currently do not subscribe to please use: Interlibrary Loan