1. How to Identify Relevant Subject Databases for Searching the Literature
Glenda Myers, D. Litt et Phil
Witwatersrand Health Sciences Library
2009

2. Where to Begin
The University of the Witwatersrand Libraries subscribe to hundreds of electronic databases
Finding the right e-database for your topic can be overwhelming
This program is designed to help you make the right choice/s
However, the best guide ultimately will be your own experience
Experience comes from practice

3. Ask for Help
If you need advice or help with any of the databases available
Remember that the librarians at WHSL are available to help

4. What is a Database?
A collection of information arranged as individual records which can usually be searched by computer
Databases can be general in coverage or subject- specific
Databases can be searched using keywords or terms from specific lists (eg. The MeSH Thesaurus used by PubMed)
Thesaurus terms generally link similar terms and concepts together
This makes your search more specific
You will usually obtain a narrower (more specific) result

5. Citation vs “Full Text” Databases
Most databases provide a list of references (citations) to articles
Databases usually provide abstracts, but not all do so
Some databases link through directly to the full text of the article (the complete article) if the subscribing institution (Wits) holds subscriptions to these journals
This makes searching for entire articles much easier

6. What is the Difference Between Searching a Database and Searching the Web?
Articles indexed by databases usually contain more reliable (scholarly) information than found on the Web
Articles on the Web are not always good in quality
There are too many articles on the Web
As a postgraduate student you will be evaluated on the quality, not quantity, of your references

7. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (1)
Clinical Medicine
PubMed
MDConsult
Scopus
AccessMedicine
AccessSurgery
AccessEmergency Medicine
SPORTDiscus (via EBSCOhost)
PsychiatryOnline
Evidence-Based Medicine
First Consult
Up to Date
BMJ Clinical Evidence
Cochrane Library

8. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (2)
Public Health
PubMed
Gideon Online
Via EBSCOhost
Global Health

9. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (3)
Oral Health
PubMed
Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source
Via EBSCOhost
CINAHL Plus
CINAHL=Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature

10. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (4)
Allied Health Sciences
Nursing
PubMed
CINAHL Plus (Via EBSCOhost)
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
Via EBSCOhost
Pharmacy & Pharmacology
Micromedex
Natural & Alternative Treatments

11. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (4a)
Allied Health Sciences
Occupational Therapy
PubMed
CINAHL Plus (Via EBSCOhost)
SPORTDiscus (Via EBSCOhost)
Physiotherapy

12. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (5)
Anatomical Sciences
Anatomy TV (via STAT!Ref)
PubMed
Scopus

13. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (6)
Physiological Sciences
Scopus
PubMed

14. E-Databases for Subject Areas in the Health Fields (7)
General
In addition to these databases to which Wits has a subscription, there are many more free subject specific databases
Some of these are listed here
Google Scholar
OTSeeker (Occupational Therapy)
PEDro (Physiotherapy)

15. Other General Databases Used for Research Purposes (1)
Web of Science, comprised of
Science Citation Index
Social Sciences Citation Index
A citation index is used normally to track publications which cite other articles
If you know the name of an expert in your field, you can use a citation index to locate other researchers working in the same field, on the same topic
For example, if you search for works by the author J.M. Pettifor under “cited articles”, you will be able to see who cited (referred to) J.M. Pettifor in their works
This type of article tracking is called “chaining”

16. Other General Databases Used for Research Purposes (2)
Various “journal article” databases
These databases are actually finding tools for articles from journals published by the database publisher, eg. Science Direct, Springer LINK
If your topic is very specific, it is sometimes helpful to search for articles from journals in the subject field across one of these “journal article” databases

17. E-Book Databases
Another rich source of information for background reading
Usually contain comprehensive hyperlinks to relevant articles
Examples:
STAT!Ref

18. “Aggregated” Databases
Some databases are hybrid in nature, and contain a mixture of the following material:
e-Journal articles
e-Books
Patient (consumer) literature
Clinical guidelines
Differential diagnoses
Videos, audiofiles, images, animated procedures
Examples include:
MDConsult
AccessMedicine; AccessSurgery; AccessEmergencyMedicine

19. Where to Locate Databases @ Wits http://web.wits.ac.za/Library