MGH Guides: DNH-720 Population Health: Finding Evidence

Database Tutorials

Learn how to use our most popular databases with these guides.

CINAHL
by Jessica Bell Last Updated Nov 12, 2024 164 views this year
Expert Keyword Searching
by Jessica Bell Last Updated Nov 18, 2024 667 views this year
Google Scholar
by Jessica Bell Last Updated May 17, 2024 47 views this year
Ovid - MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane
by Jessica Bell Last Updated May 16, 2024 133 views this year
PubMed Searching
by Jessica Bell Last Updated Nov 19, 2024 250 views this year

Where to Find Evidence

The following databases and search engines are all excellent tools with which to look for research articles. Tutorials for using some of these tools are available on other tabs.

CINAHL
- This link opens in a new window
If you are looking for nursing research, start with CINAHL. It is primarily nursing journals and has filters specifically for research articles and nursing journals.
PubMed@MGH
- This link opens in a new window
PubMed searches Medline, a large medical research database consisting of abstracts from thousands of journals. Going to PubMed through this link makes it so that you can easily see what articles are available to you through MGH. Try Advanced Search for more targeted, relevant results.
OvidSP Medline
- This link opens in a new window
OvidSP Medline searches the same journals as PubMed with a different interface.
PsycInfo
- This link opens in a new window
Search PyscInfo for psychology/psychiatry research related to your topic.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
- This link opens in a new window
All results will be systematic reviews or meta-analyses. For optimal results in Cochrane, keep your searches simple.

Modifying an Unsuccessful Search

If you aren't happy with the list of articles your search brings back, here are some ways you might think about changing your search.

1. Too many articles / Articles aren't on topic

Make your topic more specific. Add words to describe the
- population
- setting
- treatment or intervention
- outcome
Make your terms more specific. For example
- "women" becomes "women over 50"
- "analgesic" becomes "opioid"
- "recovery" becomes "length of stay"

2. Too few articles

Make your topic less specific
- focus on the core ideas (remove unnecessary details)
- choose less specific terms ("exercise therapy" becomes "exercise")
Look for different search words
- synonyms - brainstorm synonyms (e.g. "length of stay" = "hospital stay") or different forms of a word (e.g. therapy, therapies, therapeutic)
- scan abstracts and subject headings to find out which words authors and databases are using to describe your topic.

Photo by Anant Nath Sharma, used with permission under a Creative Commons license