bsc veterinary nursing dissertation workshop nov2015

Literature searching for your dissertation – finding the evidence

BSc Veterinary Nursing

November 2015

© Middlesex University

What will we be doing today?

• Refresh and review literature searching strategies;

• Spend some time carrying out your own search;

• Search tips and citation searching

• What would YOU like to cover?


What do you want to cover?• Finish this sentence: “By the end of today’s session I

want to have covered/looked at/done…”

1. *

2. *

3. *

Presentation title | 3


Doing a literature review• Aim is to comprehensively review what is

known publically (published) on a subject – the “evidence base”

• Starting point for further research – “sets the scene” and/or application to practice

• Two parts: Thorough literature search• Critical analysis of the findings


Planning your searchThink about:

• Areas of interest

• Keywords

• Scope of subject


Keywords

• Brainstorm – it will save you time later!

• Searching one word for your concept will not necessarily bring you all the results! And sometimes none. Not everyone uses the same terminology for the same idea.

• Can use the worksheet if you like (also helps you organise how to combine the terms with ‘AND’ or ‘OR’)


What exactly are you trying to find out? The PICO model

• Patient / population / problem• Intervention• Comparison• Outcome


Planning your search - keywords

1. Pick out your concepts and separate them —Cats, obesity, prevention, nurse’s role etc

2. Think of other words that are similar to your key words but represent the same concepts

—Feline, weight management, advice etc


Things to consider

• Synonyms• US /UK spellings and terminology• Old and new terminology• Broader and narrower topics• Acronyms and abbreviations• Medical and everyday terminology• Variations of words – use truncation (e.g. Obes* will

search for obese, obesity etc)


Feline obesity

Felines• Cats• Ages?• Breeds?

Obesity

• Overweight• Weight management• Healthy weight• Weight loss• Related conditions e.g.

diabetes

Prevention /management

etc

• Diet• Nutrition• Food/feeding• Exercise• Advice• Attitudes (owners,

professionals)

What is the role of the veterinary nurse in prevention and management of feline obesity?


Over to you...

• Using the worksheet

• Briefly summarise your topic in the first box

• Narrow it down to some key words

• Swap with your neighbour – add some they haven’t thought of

Where to search?


Sources to search

• Summon

• Databases

• Google Scholar

• Individual journals specific to your topic See the journals page on the VN library subject guide


Thinking outside the box

• Using literature from related fields (veterinary medicine and human nursing)

• Example – using CINAHL to find nursing literature on infection control to draw comparisons with VN article


• Search for phrases (“”): eg. “feline lower urinary tract disease”

• Broaden your search (*):

eg. prevent* (finds prevent, prevents, preventing, preventative etc)

Search tips


• Widen your search eg. Obesity OR overweight OR weight management

• Narrow your search eg. Obesity AND Feline

Search tips


Limiting your search

• Date• Peer reviewed• Language• Type of journal• Type of article / study• Research articles, animals (depending on database)


Keeping track of your searches


Getting full text of journal articles

• Regardless of where you’re searching…be logged into myUniHub and click on a My Library link first

• If you’re not lucky… REMEMBER – it won’t always be directly available to you – especially for dissertations

• Double-check (library catalogue/Summon)• Google Scholar• Authors’ & institutions’ websites• Researcher networks (e.g. ResearchGate), contacting

authors• Inter-Library Loans


Citation searching• Which articles have cited an earlier article• Find articles on similar/related subject• How many times an article has been cited• Best journals in your field


Citation searching• Allows you to move forwards and backwards in the

literature• Use Google Scholar, Summon or Science Citation Index


Google Scholar – useful features


Articles that have

referenced this one

The same article on other websites –

sometimes good for getting full text

Full text from Middlesex and other sources


Google Scholar – Full Text@Middlesex

• Setting up Google Scholar to link to Middlesex University subscribed journals:

• Go to ‘Settings’ icon (top right) • Select ‘Library Links’ from the menu on the left• Search for and select ‘Middlesex University’, then Save.• REMEMBER! Always login to MyUniHub and go to My

Study > My Library to make sure you get access to the journals which are bought for you!



Distinguishing between primary and secondary sources

• Primary sources – original research published by the researchers in peer-reviewed journals.

• Secondary sources – work that summarises, critiques or reviews primary research.


Critical appraisal – why?• Part of your literature review!• As practitioners ensures that your decisions

are based on good quality research• The more you read the easier it gets• Saves time by being able to assess if a piece

of research is of good quality and worth reading

• Develop the ability to make your own judgements on whether a research conclusion is valid


Need further help?

• 1:1 appointments bookable via the VN guide• Jo Wilson [email protected] • Ask a Librarian https

://unihelp.mdx.ac.uk/askalibrarian • Drop in to the Study Hub (1st floor), Mon-Fri 9-5

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

https://unihelp.mdx.ac.uk/askalibrarian

https://unihelp.mdx.ac.uk/askalibrarian

bsc veterinary nursing dissertation workshop nov2015

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