Doing a literature search in biomedicine Juliet Ralph, Life Sciences & Medicine Librarian, Radcliffe Science Library

This session will cover Planning the search Planning the search Search tools and information types Search tools and information types Obtaining the full text in Oxford and beyond Obtaining the full text in Oxford and beyond Evaluating results and reviewing your search strategy Evaluating results and reviewing your search strategy Subject encyclopedias and handbooks Subject encyclopedias and handbooks Books (research monographs) Books (research monographs) Journal articles Journal articles Theses and dissertations Theses and dissertations

The cycle of scientific literature Idea Research Thesis Conference paper Journal article Monograph Textbook Reference book

Getting started Basics Credo Reference

Reference sources - online Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Encyclopedia of Cancer Encyclopedia of Cancer Encyclopedia of Cancer Encyclopedia of Cancer International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences Handbook of Statistics Handbook of Statistics Handbook of Statistics Handbook of Statistics

…and in print (multi-volume) Encyclopedia of molecular cell biology and molecular medicine Encyclopedia of molecular cell biology and molecular medicine QH 506 ENC Encyclopedia of virology QW 13 ENC Encyclopedia of virology QW 13 ENC Comprehensive glycoscience : from chemistry to systems biology QU 75 COM

Books Oxford’s library catalogue SOLO Oxford’s library catalogue SOLO Research monographs Research monographs Library of Congress classification scheme Library of Congress classification scheme ocation_of_reading_room_books ocation_of_reading_room_books ocation_of_reading_room_books ocation_of_reading_room_books

Beyond Oxford COPAC: union catalogue of major UK research libraries COPAC: union catalogue of major UK research libraries WorldCat (OCLC): libraries worldwide WorldCat (OCLC): libraries worldwide Listed on SOLO Listed on SOLO

Journal articles Bibliographic databases available via Listed by Title A-Z Listed by Subject Medical Sciences

What are the respected databases? Bibliographic databases (Abstracting & Indexing services) Bibliographic databases (Abstracting & Indexing services) multidisciplinary multidisciplinary Scopus (science & medicine) Scopus (science & medicine) Web of Science (all subjects) Web of Science (all subjects) subject specific subject specific Medline (medicine) Medline (medicine) BIOSIS (experimental & pre-clinical medicine) BIOSIS (experimental & pre-clinical medicine) Embase (the “European Medline”) Embase (the “European Medline”) PsycINFO (psychology) PsycINFO (psychology) Pubmed Pubmed

What are they searching? Article title Article title Abstract Abstract Descriptors / Subject Headings Descriptors / Subject Headings Journal title Journal title Authors Authors Affiliation Affiliation Journal title Journal title …..But not the full text …..But not the full text

Coverage JournalsDatesExtras Biosis Conf Embase Conf Medline Trials Psycinfo Chapter s/diss Pubmed Trials

Coverage JournalsDatesExtras Scopus15, Conf proc & patents Web of Science 9, Conf proc & book reviews

Source lists PsycINFO Journal Coverage List PsycINFO Journal Coverage List BIOSIS Previews, and Web of Science BIOSIS Previews, and Web of Science Embase Embase Pubmed Pubmed Medline Medline Scopus Scopus Listed on the Sources tab Listed on the Sources tab Ovid Ovid Choose Browse all journals Choose Browse all journals To check where a journal is indexed: To check where a journal is indexed: Ulrich’s Periodical Directorywww.ulrichsweb.com Ulrich’s Periodical Directory Look under Abstracting & Indexing Sources

Full-text databases Publisher sites ScienceDirect (Elsevier), WileyInterScience Subscription needed to read full text Open access repositories, eg BioMed Central, PubMed Central

Search strategy Pick out key concepts and keywords I’m having difficulties with my thesis search strategy. I have been using the following: “hiv or aids and policy or policies and Africa”

Search results Too many hits? Too many hits? Use the Limits, e.g. Use the Limits, e.g. Publication type (e.g. Reviews) Publication type (e.g. Reviews) Date Date Language Language or Save useful results or Save useful results Save search and set up an Alert so you can keep up-to-date Save search and set up an Alert so you can keep up-to-date

Oxford theses & dissertations DPhil theses (and some master’s dissertations) listed on SOLO DPhil theses (and some master’s dissertations) listed on SOLO Science and medicine ones at Radcliffe Science Library Science and medicine ones at Radcliffe Science Library Oxford Research Archive (ORA) Oxford Research Archive (ORA)

Beyond Oxford Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses doctoral dissertations and master's theses, worldwide, from doctoral dissertations and master's theses, worldwide, from Index to Theses Index to Theses List of theses (with abstracts) accepted for higher degrees by universities in Great Britain and Ireland since List of theses (with abstracts) accepted for higher degrees by universities in Great Britain and Ireland since 1716.

Reference management tools EndNote Desktop & Web versions Easy export from Web of Knowledge RefWorks Easy export from Ovid and Scopus Create an account at

Citation searching To find out if a paper has been cited by others How many times and by whom Follow research forward Science Citation Index (Web of Science) indicates “Times Cited” Scopus equivalent “Cited By”

The research process “Engage” website html html interactive guide to the research process in bioscience getting started reviewing the literature planning your research statistics writing up & presenting your research.

WISER sessions Ovid databases. Monday 9th February Google Scholar – pros and cons. Friday 13th February SCOPUS for Science and Medicine. Wednesday 18th February (RSL) Biosciences: Reference management. Wednesday 25th February (RSL)

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