Tools for searching the literature

KPER 7000

Janice Winkler

Librarian for Kinesiology and Recreation Management

For today: bit.ly/7000F23

For bookmarking: https://slides.com/infolitlibrarian/kper7000_23

  1. Libraries website and services
  2. Database selection
  3. Search strategies
  4. Organizing and managing your sources

Overview

Libraries website and services

Website 

UMNetID

  • Log in to library website
  • Access e-resources (articles, ebooks, databases)
  • Place print materials on hold
  • Request scans or inter-library loans

In-person

UM student ID 

  • Borrow print materials
  • Borrow laptops

Lean Library Browser Extension

  • Used for web browsing
  • Pop-up helps you bypass paywalls via library access
  • If we don't have library access, it auto-populates an inter-library loan request form

Results page

Subject Guide: Kinesiology and Recreation Management

Choosing and using databases

Database Coverage Platform
SportDiscus Sport, sport medicine Ebsco
Sociological Abstracts Sociology ProQuest
PubMed Biggest health database. Medical focus --
CINAHL Nursing and allied health Ebsco
PsycInfo Psychology Ovid
ERIC Education ProQuest
Cochrane Library Systematic reviews --
Scopus Large multidisciplinary, citation tracking --
Web of Science Large multidisciplinary, citation tracking --

Searching process

Search process overview

  1. Identify key concepts
  2. Brainstorm related terms or synonyms for each
  3. Consider using syntax (* and " ") and Booleans (ANDs and ORs) to flesh out each concept
  4. Run your search in the database and apply filters.
  5. Review your search results, identify why they came up, and adjust your search accordingly.
  6. When you have a good strategy: save it!

 

We do this because database search functionality is very literal.

Search concepts from a research question

Can physical activity reduce depressive symptoms among people with posttraumatic stress disorder?

Physical activity

 

  • Exercise/ exercises/ exercising
  • Fitness
  • Physically active

Depressive symptoms

  • Depression/ depressed
  • MDD

Posttraumatic stress disorder

  • Post traumatic stress disorder
  • PTSD

Identify synonyms for each concept

Apply search strategies

Truncation

 

  • Searches for all possible endings
  • Add at the point in the word where it changes
  • Be careful about truncating short words, or truncating too soon

 

Examples:

exercis*

depress*

step*

Apply search strategies

Phrase searching

 

  • Use to keep words together
  • Can be used in combination with truncation

 

Examples:

"posttraumatic stress disorder"

"post traumatic stress disorder"

"physical* activ*"

Apply search strategies

Other options, which vary by database

  • Wildcard: usually ? or # 
  • Proximity searching varies more; Google a tutorial for your database or contact librarian for help

 

Examples using Ebsco syntax:

behavio#r = wildcard character optional

organi?ation = wildcard character required

disab* N1 person* = no more than 1 word between these words

therap* N0 recreation* = no words in between these, but any order

Physical activity

 

  • Exercis*
  • Fitness
  • Physical* activ*

Depressive symptoms

  • Depress*
  • MDD

Posttraumatic stress disorder

  • "Post traumatic stress disorder"
  • "Posttraumatic stress disorder"
  • PTSD

Updated search strategy

Apply Boolean operators

"physical* activ*"

Use OR to combine synonyms

exercis*

Apply Boolean operators

"physical* activ*" OR exercis*

Use AND to combine separate concepts

depress* OR MMD

Physical activity

 

  • Exercis*

          OR

  • Fitness

          OR

  • Physical* activ*

Depressive symptoms

  • Depress*

            OR

  • MDD

Posttraumatic stress disorder

  • "Post traumatic stress disorder"

               OR

  • "Posttraumatic stress disorder"

               OR

  • PTSD

Back to our example

AND

AND

(depress* OR mdd) AND (exercis* OR fitness OR "physical* activ*") AND ("posttraumatic stress" OR "post traumatic stress" OR ptsd)

Apply brackets and paste into database

Or use the Advanced Search and include one concept per line

Or search one concept at a time, then use the Search History to combine

Subject headings

  • Like a tag assigned to each article to identify the main topic(s) of a publication
  • Reduces complications with synonyms
  • Can further focus results
  • Available in most databases, usually in a section called Advanced Search, Thesaurus, MeSH

Thesaurus is located on the homepage in SportDiscus, CINAHL

Activity: Choose a database and look up a subject heading

Citation management software

Feature Mendeley
 		    Zotero
Save publications (references, files)
 
Organize publications using folders and tags
MS word integration to add in-text citations and generate reference lists
Create groups to share references for team projects

Using Mendeley

Intro: bit.ly/7000mendeley

 

Mendeley tutorials: mendeley.com/guides

Activity

If you aren't already using a reference management software:

  • Download Mendeley
  • Create an account
  • Try adding a PDF or folder
  • Try citing in Mendeley

 

Already have Mendeley (or similar?)

  • Make sure you have installed the Word plug-in and web importer
  • Add and organize your files using folders and tags
  • Open and annotate a PDF

Suggestions for managing search results

  • Save your search
    • Create a free account on each database platform, save searches to your account
    • Most have the option to email you new search results periodically
  • Paste your search strategy into a Word document
  • Save or export citations
    • Export results into your citation manager

Accessing full text

  • Check library access button (in databases)

 

 

  • For issues with full text access, use the chat

Connect

  • Janice.Winkler@umanitoba.ca
  • Appointment scheduler (Zoom or in-person) through the FKRM research guide

 

More resources

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