Improving or refreshing literature-searching skills

Presentations were designed by RSS staff for self-directed learning and each unit can be worked through in about half an hour (click on the unit number to download the pdf)

Searching the literature for your research proposal (4 Units)

Unit 1: Building research questions - Scoping searches in developing a research proposal; developing a research question; planning a scoping search

Unit 2: Databases - Major health databases; choosing which to use

Unit 3: Searching - Using MeSH; combining terms

Unit 4: Advanced searching - Methodological filters

Searching the qualitative literature for your research proposal (3 Units)

Unit 1: Qualitative searches - Identifying qualitative research questions; methods used in qualitative research; brief activity

Unit 2: Sources of qualitative research; keywords phrases and subject headings; useful databases

Unit 3: Challenges of searching for qualitative literature; using methodological filters; step-by-step search example

Tutorials

Searching the Cochrane library (Wiley tutorials)

Searching PubMed (US National Library of Medicine)

Searching NHS Knowledge and Library Hub

Other resources for researchers

Vitae: researcher's portal A UK organisation aiding personal, professional, and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff

ResearchGate: An online community which connects researchers and makes it easy for them to share and access scientific output, knowledge, and expertise

Typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. The selection of review type is wholly dependent on the research question.

Acknowledgments

This resource was collated by Christine Keen, RSS Hub Leicester and Partners

Created: February 2019    Last Updated: November 2024