Database Searching                                                                     

In this section, we will introduce databases accessible from the Bio-Medical Library at the University of Minnesota. After learning the basics about such databases as MEDLINE, ACP BEST EVIDENCE, CINAHL, and COCHRANE DATABASE, you may go to the Learning Modules for step-by-step demonstrations of strategies for database searching.

The Bio-Medical Library provides access to health sciences indexes and other resources. The library provides group and personal classes and hand-on exercises on browsing and searching these databases.

From the Bio-Medical Library Homepage (www.biomed.lib.umn.edu), you may click on the button  , then choose BioMedSearch Ovid Web...  After logging in with your user ID and password, you will find a list of databases, each of which is specialized in different aspect of health and medical sciences :

Click on the red information icon will tell you more information about a database. Here we will briefly introduce four databases:

MEDLINE:

- Most comprehensive and interdisciplinary database

- Over 11 million journal articles are covered

- Searches can be narrowed by selecting:

                - particular study methodologies

                - practice guidelines

                - particular categories such as diagnosis and/or treatment

Click here to learn more background on this database.

You may connect MEDLINE via BioMedSearch from the Bio-Medical Library. Learning Module 2 provides step-by-step demonstration of MEDLINE searching. MEDLINE searching is also available online via PubMed from the National Library Of Medicine. Advanced strategies for searching MEDLINE is available from Duke University Medical Center Library.  

CINAHL

- Most thorough coverage of nursing literature

- Searches can be narrowed by selecting:

                - research articles

                - critical paths

                - practice guidelines

Click here to learn more background on this database.

You may connect CINAHL via BioMedSearch from the Bio-Medical Library. Learning Module 3 demonstrates step-by-step searching of CINAHL. 

ACP BEST EVIDENCE

- Contains critiques of recent journal articles

- Focuses on clinically relevant topics

- Electronic version of the journal "ACP Journal Club"

Click here to learn more background on this database.

You may connect ACP BEST EVIDENCE via BioMedSearch from the Bio-Medical Library at U Minnesota. Learning Module 1 demonstrates step-by-step searching of ACP BEST EVIDENCE.

COCHRANE DATABASE OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

- Contains 700+ detailed reviews on specific clinical topics

- Reviews concentrate on randomized controlled trials 

- Abstracts provide excellent overviews of current evidence

Click here to learn more background on this database.

You may connect Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews via BioMedSearch from the Bio-Medical Library. Learning Module 4 demonstrates step-by-step searching of COCH.  Go to the Cochrane Library if you want to learn more about the Cochrane Collaboration. More training on Cochrane Library is available from Oxford University, UK. Abstract of Cochrane Reviews is a free online service to provide abstracts of Cochrane reviews and the titles of reviews in progress. 

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