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Counselling

Choosing a database

Searching healthcare databases

Choosing a database

UniSQ Library provides access to a wide range of healthcare databases and there no single database can provide all the information you are looking for. Start by looking at the Databases section specific to the subject you are studying and then review the databases that match your research needs. You may need to search multiple databases to ensure you find the scholarly sources you need.

When choosing which databases to search, you should consider these questions:

  • What subjects does the database cover?

You need to know what subjects a database includes to make sure that you choose the correct database for your topic. Your choice of database can also influence the kind of information you find in your searches.

  • What date range does the database cover?

Most databases will have a Help or About this database section where you can learn more about the content included in the database. 

  • What type of materials does the database include?

Most databases include scholarly or peer-reviewed articles but many will include other kinds of content such as:

  • books or book chapters
  • dissertations
  • conference papers
  • images, audio, or videos

Searching databases

Searching APA PsycINFO and APA PsycARTICLES

At UniSQ, these databases are provided on the EBSCO platform, so you can search them in the same way. 

Watch Searching APA databases (EBSCO, 6m 42s).

You can download a quick reference guide to help you build your search skills.

What is PubMed?

Watch PubMed: find articles on a topic (YouTube, 41s).

You can search the PubMed User Guide, use PubMed Online Training resources, or watch a playlist of NLM video tutorials to help you build your PubMed search skills. 

Searching Psychology and behavioral sciences collection

Watch the EBSCOhost basic search tutorial (YouTube, 2m 11s) to get started with your searches.

UniSQ Library subscribes to many databases through EBSCO. This EBSCOhost playlist contains short videos that will help you to build your search skills and get the most from these resources. 

Searching Scopus