This tutorial provides general information about the library's research databases and how to utilize them. More specific information about each database can be found within the Help or About sections of those databases,
For advanced searching techniques, please read our tutorial on advanced searching.
The research databases you can access from the Libraries @ RRH index scholarly research on specific subject areas and have strict standards for inclusion.
Many of our databases can be found in the "Popular Resources" box on the Library Homepage, but a complete list can be located here.
Each research database is different from one another: they will look different and have different features. Some will also be focused on specific specialties or subject areas--CINAHL for instance indexes literature on Nursing and Allied Health.
In general, however, databases all work like search engines, and you can enter keywords of interest into their search bars to look for articles on the topic you're searching for.
We will now cover three functions common to research databases that will help you to find and utilize relevant results: filtering results, retrieving articles, and exporting citations.
Often, entering keywords alone can yield an overwhelmingly large number of results. Using the database's filtering options will help you to refine your search and focus on results that are relevant to you.
Using filters, you can narrow your results to articles published in specific years or year ranges, look for specific types of articles (e.g., systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials), limit by languages you can read, and more. Some databases, like those in EBSCO, allow you to set filters before you search, but others like PubMed will only allow you to set filters after the search is completed.
We recommend running your search at first without filters, then applying filters to the results. This will allow you to confirm that you are using the right keywords to find research on your topic of interest before you begin to narrow things down further.
Here is an example of the PubMed results screen, with filtering options on the left:
Here is the results screen from an EBSCO database, with filters also on the left:
Here are the filters in OVID, which appear under the search bar and above the results portion:
For each database, additional filters can be set beyond what is shown.
After you've found an article you want to download, click on the title in the results list. This will bring you to an expanded entry for that article which contains the abstract and additional cataloging information. To download the article, look for icons like the following:
The "Find Article @ RRH" button is especially useful: it will search our holdings for access to the article, even beyond the database you are currently using. If the "Find Article @ RRH" button is unable to find the article, it will instead bring you to a form where you can request the article via interlibrary loan.
There may be cases where the "Find Article @ RRH" button does not give access to an article that is free to download or which we do actually subscribe to, although these cases are rare. In these cases, you may be able to use a Full Text link or a DOI address to find the article on the publisher's website.
If you are unable to download the article you want, and the publisher prompts you to pay money to access it, go back and fill out an interlibrary loan request form using the "Find Article @ RRH" button.
Databases allow you to save multiple citations at once, which can be helpful when engaged in research. Once you've exported your citations, you can use a reference manager like Endnote, Mendeley,or Zotero to view and manage your citations.
Click the empty box to the left of a result to select it.
Once you've made your selections, click the "Send to" button at the top of the page:
You can choose to add your selections to your Clipboard to save for later (note: your Clipboard expires after 8 hours) or export your selections directly to a reference manager. If you choose to send your results to the Clipboard, this will create a link to the Clipboard at the top of the page, from which you can then export your selections to reference manager software.
Click on the empty folder icon on the right side of a result to add the selection to your folder:
Once you've made your selections, click on the folder button at the top of the page:
This will bring you to a new page where you can export your folder items to a reference manager.
Click on the empty box to the left of a result to add it to your selections:
Now click on the "export" button at the top of the results list, and then select "Reference Manager" in the format field.
If you want to learn more about exporting citations into a reference manager, contact us!
There are many other things you can do using a research database!
Look for help documentation or FAQs within each database to learn more about how you can leverage these tools to empower your research.
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