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Social Work and Human Services

Choosing a database

Searching health and social care 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 EBSCO databases

Watch the EBSCOhost basic search tutorial (YouTube, 2m 11s).

UniSQ Library provides access to many different databases via EBSCO. You can search across all the databases but you might find that you get overwhelmed with too many results that might not help to answer your question. To perform more focused searches and use more advanced search functions, you should choose and search each individual database that is relevant to your search topic.

Visit the EBSCOAcademy or watch the EBSCO YouTube playlist to learn more searching skills for these resources.  

Access EBSCO's Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection via UniSQ Library Search.

  • Access CINAHL via UniSQ Library. 

Watch CINAHL database - basic searching tutorial (YouTube, 3m, 20s).

Access APA PsycINFO via UniSQ Library.

Access Informit via UniSQ Library Search.

The Informit Knowledge Centre has resources and to help you learn to search this key resource effectively. 

Searching Science Direct

Searching 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.