Improving Your Research

Library Introduction for

MHI, Sept 2010

Allison Bell

Gerstein Library

What We’ll Cover Library Services and Homepage Research Steps Research Question Searching Databases Web Sources (incl. Grey lit) Activity Refworks

Write N Cite Refshare

http://www.library.utoronto.ca/gerstein/

Find Books and Journals

Find all Books and Journals

(print and online)

Find eJournals(online only)

Key Research Tools

http://guides.library.utoronto.ca/mhi2001

Research Steps in a Nutshell

1. Understand assignment

2. Determine information need

3. Create/identify search question

4. Find relevant sources

5. Search sources

6. Compile results of research

Assignment Information Need Sources

Readings/LecturesPreparation or studying

background info related articles broad overviews

textbooks related articles wikipedia (!)

Statistical Analysis,RFPs, Case Studies

other examples background info reports systematic reviews

databases Google/G. Scholar Cochrane

Essays clear understanding of topic articles/evidence

textbooks databases trusted web

Formulate a Research Question

Good questions will:

Provide a clear focus for your research Give you some idea of where to look for

information Give you search concepts and terms

Essay Assignment (sample)

Is the availability of bedside, real-time access to medical information through smart phone devices perceived useful for patient care and academic activities by medical residents?

from: Evidence-based medicine among internal medicine residents in a community hospital program using smart phones” Sergio A León, et al. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2007, 7:5doi:10.1186/1472-6947-7-5 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6947/7/5/

PICO – What?

Patient or Population• Who? Describe characteristics. e.g.

gender, age, ethnicity

Intervention• Action perpetrated on or by the population

Comparison• NO intervention or ANOTHER intervention

Outcome

PICO Framework

P medical residents

I real-time access to medical info. through smart phones

C no bedside or real-time access to info.

O perceived usefulness

Searching based on PICO

TIPS: Capture most important elements in your

search

Leave out comparison &/or outcome, if necessary

Synonyms (create worksheet)

P I C Omedical resident(s)

OR

Smart phone

OR n/a

Perception(s)

OR

residency

OR

Cell phone

OR

Enhanced patient care OR

resident physician(s)

Mobile phoneAcademic success

Search Question

Focused question, based on your PICO:

Do smart phones enhance patient care and/or academic activities when utilized by medical residents?

Finding Background Info.

Best Sources:

Textbooks & eBooks

in the Library catalogue

Google Books

Wikipedia

Start Your Research

Quick search of Cochrane and Pubmed for systematic reviews

Make sure your topic has not already been done, and get ideas for:

• search strategies• relevant subject headings

Find Systematic Reviews Pubmed:

ClickClinical Queries

Find Systematic Reviews Cochrane:

TIP: Try one word/phrase first, then add more if necessary

Choose Appropriate Databases Choose based on content

and interface

Make use of U of T paid

resources while you are here!

Familiarize yourself with

free resources

UT Resources - Health

Medline Embase Healthstar Cochrane (Systematic reviews)

UT Resources – MultiDis.

Scholars Portal Web of Science Scopus

UT Resources– Business/News

ABI/Inform Global Business Source Premier CBCA Complete CPI.Q

Free Resources

Pubmed Google Scholar Wikipedia

Database/ Web Search Tips

When searching the web, or a database like Scopus, use these tips to find more relevant results:

Search Tips

AND/ OR

AND different concepts

OR synonyms

doctors AND communication AND (cell phone OR mobile phone OR smart phone)

“ ” Group words together as a phrase

(doctors OR hospitals) AND "decision support systems"

* Different endings to a word

doctor* will find doctor, doctors, doctorate

Searching Ovid DBs

Best Practices: One concept at a time Map terms to subject headings Scope notes Tree

• Focus and Explode Use Keywords when no good MeSH terms Combine terms with booleans Limit/Filter results

Searching Pubmed

Best Practices Know the ‘details’ Simple search and MeSH database Search history / Advanced search Clinical Queries & Filter Table Journals database (abbreviations)

Finding Full Text Articles

Look for:

Ready, Set, Research!

Find a partner Choose a database/subject card Use 2 databases on the card to find

articles on your topic

Research! 15 mins

Grey Literature

What is it? How to find it

What is Grey Literature?Information produced on all levels of

government, academics, business and industry…

in electronic and print formats not controlled by commercial publishing…

i.e. where publishing is not the primary activity of the producing body.

GreyNet

Grey Lit – What?

Government documents and reports

Also, Theses and Dissertations Annual reports Technical Reports Conference proceedings/abstracts/papers Etc…

Grey Lit - Where?

Government/Ministry websites Newspaper and Magazine articles Government documents in print

Robarts Library, 4th Floor Reference area

Google and Google Scholar MHI2001 Research Guide

Some types of material findable online:

Chasing Grey Lit

Examine ref lists of the relevant articles and reports that you find

Look for relevant ‘grey lit’ they cite

Pay attention to author affiliations to agencies– it’s evidence that you should check for other reports by those agencies.

Critical Appraisal of Grey Lit.

Online: Date/Last modified Statement of Responsibility Wacko factor/ Malicious intent Bias: Financial/ political interests Personal or group interests/beliefs

Books/Reports: Date published Bias (author and/or publisher) Peer Reviewed or not

What is it? How does it work?

Refworks from Ovid1.

4.

3.

2.

Refworks from Pubmed

Download as text file and import into Refworks

3.

2.

1.

4.

Import File

Choose Data Source: NLM Gateway Database: MEDLINE/PubMed

Activity

Go into one of Medline, Scopus Do a quick search Import one article citation into Refworks

Add a Citation Style

Click on Bibliography Choose ‘Access

Output Style Manager’

Choose Output style Add to Favourites

Advanced Refworks

Write N Cite RefGrabIt Ref Share

Need Help?

Ask.gerstein@utoronto.ca

Contact the Library: http://gerstein.library.utoronto.ca/research/ask-gerstein