Science Direct
Search tips:
Science Direct is a scientific database that provides access to Elsevier publications including peer-reviewed journals, books and reference works.
Phrase searching: Use double quotes - example: "pulmonary embolism"
For an exact match, use brackets - example: {acute myocardial infarction}
Truncation: Use an asterisk - example: adoles* will retrieve the words adolescent, adolescents or adolescence.
Boolean: Use Boolean Operators for more precise searching within your search statements or between advanced search boxes. (Case does not matter!)
Example: (exercise OR "physical activity") AND obesity
Full-text: To limit results to just those articles that are freely accessible, check the box next to 'Subscribed Publications' and 'Open Access Articles' under the Advanced Search screen.
Advanced Search: For more precise searching, choose Advanced Search. This will allow you to specify subject content by discipline, limit to full-text,choose a date range and limit your search to just journals.
For more help on searching ScienceDirect, click on the link below:
EBSCO Databases
Search Tips:
EBSCO databases include Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL and many more. To search multiple EBSCO databases at one time**, look for the "Choose Databases" link above the search box upon entering any EBSCO database:
**Note: searching multiple EBSCO databases at a time limits searching features including database specific controlled vocabulary and limiting tools. You will achieve more specific, relevant results by searching databases individually.
Phrase searching: Use double quotes - example: "pulmonary embolism"
Truncation: Use an asterisk - example: adoles* will retrieve the words adolescent, adolescents or adolescence.
Boolean: Use Boolean Operators for more precise searching within your search statements or between advanced search boxes. (Case does not matter!)
Example: (exercise OR "physical activity") AND obesity
Full-text: To limit results to just those articles that are available full-text, check the 'Full Text' box on the left side of the screen after you run your initial search.
Advanced Search: For more precise searching, choose Advanced Search. This will allow you to choose the 'fields' you want to search and precisely map out your search strategy.
Academic OneFile
Search Tips:
Academic OneFile indexes a variety of both popular and scholarly sources in every discipline. When searching for scholarly articles, view the Academic Journal results or limit to 'only peer-reviewed'.
Phrase searching: Use double quotes - example: "pulmonary embolism"
Truncation: Use an asterisk - example: adoles* will retrieve the words adolescent, adolescents or adolescence.
Boolean: Use Boolean Operators for more precise searching within your search statements or between advanced search boxes. (Case does not matter!)
Example: (exercise OR "physical activity") AND obesity
Full-text: To limit results to just those articles that are available full-text, check the 'only full text' box on the left side of the screen after you run your initial search.
Advanced Search: For more precise searching, choose Advanced Search. This will allow you to choose the 'fields' you want to search and precisely map out your search strategy.
PubMed
Search tips:
Many of the traditional search techniques are not recommended for searching PubMed. PubMed uses Automatic Term Mapping and automatic explosion which interprets and matches your search terms to MeSH headings while using appropriate keywords and incorporation of Boolean operators.
Phrase searching: PubMed automatically finds phrases for you - using quotes is not recommended.
Truncation: Pubmed will automatically look for variations of a root word - using truncation is not recommended.
Boolean: Pubmed automatically adds AND in between your concepts and OR between like terms. Using Boolean is not recommended but, if used, Boolean Operators must be capitalized
Full-text: To limit results to just those articles that are freely accessible, choose "Free full text available".
***For more help on searching PubMed, visit PubMed Quick Start or PubMed Tutorial ***