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Nursing: Getting Started

Find information using one of these resources

Evaluating Information

Finding information for your Assignment

Consider the type of information required and your current knowledge of the topic.

Your Reading List is a great starting point.  The books will provide a broad overview, then use journal articles for current information.

Database Search Strategy Forms

These Database Search Strategy Forms help provide structure to finding information for your Assignments.  They will help you break your assignment topic into parts, and consider alternative terms or key words for each part.  They also provide guidance on how to best use smart searching techniques and search parameters, such as refining your search by date or information type. 

Smart Search Tips

 

1. Break your topic into concepts.
    e.g. The effect of diet on a person's
           health:
                  Concept = Diet
                  Concept = Health

2. Consider alternative keywords:
          diet, nutrition
          health, wellbeing

3.  Use truncation to search for variations of words:
           infan* (infants,infantile, infancy)
           child* (child, children,childhood) 

4.  Use AND to narrow the search:
          diet AND health
          nurs* AND best practice

5.  Use OR to broaden the search:
          diet OR nutrition
          child* OR infan* OR toddler

6.  Use inverted comas for phrases:
          " pulmonary embolism"
          " evidence based nursing"

7.  Beware of differences between
     English and American spelling 
     and terminology:
          foetal/fetal
          caesarean/cesarean
          haemorrhage/hemorrhage