Database Help Information
Help videos are available from this link Scopus tutorials - Scopus: Access and use Support Center (waikato.ac.nz)
What database/s to use?
Where do I find quality information?
Library Search
The Library’s main search bar (known as “Library Search”) searches across most of the journal and eBook databases we subscribe to, therefore, for the most part, are sufficient for research. However, at post graduate level you may find it useful to use individual, more specialised databases for your research.
Specialised Databases
Some databases specialise in specific areas of health research. For instance, PubMed/Medline focuses on biomedical literature, CINAHL covers nursing and allied health, and PsycINFO is strong in psychology and mental health.
Systematic Reviews
For those of you conducting systematic reviews, using individual databases is essential to ensure thoroughness, reduce bias, and maintain methodological transparency and replicability.
Thoroughness: Systematic reviews aim to be exhaustive, summarising all relevant evidence on a given topic. Searching multiple individual databases helps capture all relevant studies, minimizing the risk of bias and ensuring no significant studies are overlooked.
Quality and Relevance: Each database may have different inclusion criteria and indexing practices. By using multiple sources, reviewers can cross-verify the quality and relevance of the studies included in their review.
Reduction of Bias: Different databases may have different strengths and weaknesses. By systematically searching across a variety of databases, reviewers can balance these biases, providing a more objective and balanced review of the available evidence.
Transparency and Replicability: Systematic reviews follow a transparent and replicable methodology. By detailing the individual databases searched, reviewers provide a clear and reproducible search strategy, enhancing the credibility and reliability of the review.