Getting Started in the LibraryThis library guide points you in the direction of some basic library resources for completing library assignments and writing research papers in this course. Many of these resources are available from the library's homepage at http://www.lib.ipfw.edu/, so you may want to bookmark both the homepage and this guide.
Here are some resources to get you started:
Gaining an OverviewTo develop and refine your search, it often helps to consult a specialized dictionary, encyclopedia, handbook, textbook, guide, or bibliography. These tools are designed to offer an overview of your topic or research problem written by an expert. They may provide an historical perspective, a chronology of events, definitions of terms or concepts, or bibliographic references leading to the literature in a particular field of study. Many useful reference works are now available online. These handy e-reference collections are accessible via Find Resources By... Subject, Title, or Type on the library's homepage.
Finding and Evaluating Alternative and Complementary Therapies Web SitesGoogle is useful for finding Web sites. Check out Google's Cheat Sheet for tips on using Google more effectively. The library also has guides and tutorials to help you navigate the Web.
When deciding what words to use for searching, consider checking a medical dictionary, text, or reference. Call numbers beginning with RM are a good place to start browsing to find books about complementary and alternative therapies. To find a book using IUCAT Catalog (Indiana University's online library catalog) about complementary therapies, the following terms are useful. For books about herbal remedies: herbals, herbs, medicinal plants.
For books about hypnosis and other like therapies: consciousness, recovered memory, psychotherapy.
For relaxation techniques: stress management, relaxation.
To properly evaluate your Web site, the following tools may be helpful. Is Your Web Site Credible?
10 Things to Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Critical Evaluation Worksheet, Evidence-Based Practice Tools
Searching for Periodical ArticlesThe most efficient way of finding a high-quality periodical article , is to search a periodical database or index that provides descriptive abstracts, subject indexing, and often, the full-text content of articles. Check out the interactive Finding Articles Tutorial to learn the basics of choosing and searching the Academic Search Premier database. Below is a selection of databases useful for your course. For a complete list, see the library's Find Resources By... page. Select a resource by Subject, Title, or Type (choose Abstracts, Databases, & Indexes).
Databases for this Course
CINAHL Plus with Full Text -      |
Coverage: 1981 to present |
Brief Description: Provides monthly updated indexing of more than 2,900 journals in the fields of nursing and allied health and publications from the American Nurses' Association and the National League of Nursing, covering 1981 to present. |
Other IPFW Formats: IPFW library owns the printed index 1956-1981 |
Call Number: Reference Z6675.N7 C8 |
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Search Tips for Medline and CINAHLBoth CINAHL and Medline are great databases to use for finding nursing and other allied health articles, but generally, using the correct MeSH (medical subject heading) term in Medline or CINAHL term in CINAHL is key. Remember to keep the "Map term to subject heading" box checked. Doing this will help you discover the correct MeSH or CINAHL term to use for your subject. If an index term does not exist for your subject, you can search it as a keyword (look for the check box at the bottom of the list of possible terms).
"Explode" is useful in most searches because it includes articles with subheadings to the term you are interested in.
In EBSCO databases, the * is the symbol to use for unlimited truncation. For example, nurs* would return results with nurse, nurses, nursery, and nursing.
Remember that many times, finding research literature on psychiatric nursing topics can be challenging. PsycINFO can expand your search into the psychological and sociological literature. Other sociological databases should be considered as appropriate (Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, and PsycARTICLES).
Is Your Article Scholarly or Popular?University instructors often ask students to use articles from scholarly journals rather than from popular magazines for their research assignments. The following Is Your Journal Scholarly? (PDF) summarizes major differences between scholarly journals and popular magazines. Which type of source have you located?
Evaluating Journal ArticlesThe following book may be helpful in evaluating your nursing or medical article.
Greenhalgh, Trisha. How to Read a Paper : The Basic of Evidence-Based Medicine. (Science Reference R118.6 .G77 2001)
What about Full Text?Full text means that the text of the article is available in PDF or HTML digital format. Graphics and tables are not automatically included unless the database producer has rights to publish them. Many of the library's licensed databases offer the full-text content of periodical articles. IPFW students, faculty, and staff now have access to more than 20,000 full-text journals. Find them in E-Journal Finder.
When an article you need is not available full text in the database you are using, choose  to see all of your delivery options. You may be able to access the full-text content in another database, request the article from another library through Document Delivery Services, or make a photocopy of the article if the printed periodical is owned by Helmke Library.
When a Resource is Not Available in the LibraryRequest Delivery is an IUCAT feature that allows IPFW faculty, students, and staff to request materials held by other Indiana University Libraries and to have them delivered to Helmke Library (see the IUCAT Request Delivery Fact Sheet).
You may also request any item that is not available at Helmke Library through Document Delivery Services (DDS). DDS borrows books and provides photocopies of periodical articles from other library collections. The service is free for IPFW faculty, staff, and students.
And Finally, Ask a LibrarianLibrarians and skilled information assistants are always available to assist you. Visit the Service Desk to meet an information assistant who will help you get started. You are welcome to make an appointment with Your Subject Librarian if you need more in-depth assistance.
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johnsons@ipfw.edu
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499
260-481-6502
Fax: 260-481-6509
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Shannon Johnson M.L.S.
Reference & Information Services Librarian; Liaison to Biology, Chemistry, Consumer & Family Sciences, Dental Education, Geosciences, & Nursing; Science & Technology Information Center Coordinator
Helmke Library, LB 157 |
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