REGN 70: Theoretical Concepts of Med-Surg Nursing

Companion Research Guide: http://library.shastacollege.edu/nursing.html

Please return completed tutorials to the Library Reference Desk by Fri Mar 29th

For assistance contact:

Carolyn Salus Singh, Librarian, 225-4896, singh@library.shastacollege.edu

Online Research Databases

If you are seeking information that is more up-to-date or on a subject that is not well covered in the Library’s book, online book, and video collection, you can try journals, magazines, and newspapers. The Shasta College Library subscribes to more than 500 in print. The Library also subscribes to over 25 premier online databases. These databases draw from a variety of sources including reference books and journal articles that appear simultaneously in print. Health and Wellness Resource Center is a good place to start searching on allied health topics.

Logging In:

Go to any computer with Internet access (that includes all computers in the Libary and Writing Center).

• Go to the Shasta College Library Webpage [http://library.shastacollege.edu/]
• Click on Articles and Databases.
• Scroll down to Health & Wellness Resource Center (Info Trac)
• If you're working from Shasta College, click on the database name.

• If off-campus, click Off Campus Access.

• Enter your 14 digit library card number (don't include spaces)
• Click on Submit Query.

• Select Health and Wellness Reference Center from the Database Menu

Each database employs its own search vocabulary and search software. Be flexible and prepared with a few synonyms (or near synonyms) in case your first search doesn’t pan out. Try the search again by using synonyms, broadening or narrowing keywords, and limiting by date and type of publication.

One strategy is to begin with a broad search and revise or narrow as necessary.

Tips for broadening include:

• adding synonyms with the connector OR (homeless or homeless shelters)
• truncating a word at its root with an * (ex. homeless* yields homelessness…)
• searching within the text of an article (most databases default to searching the title and assigned subject headings)

• Limiting by year, type of publication (peer reviewed), or to full text only

• Adding another subject heading with the connector AND (homeless* and shelter)
• Using quotes to retrieve terms that are both adjacent to each other and in a specified sequence (ex. "homeless shelter")

1) Enter crohn's disease in the text box. Click on Search. The results are delivered in as many as five files (labeled at the top of the page). Reference books are displayed first.

2) We may need to broaden our search. Scroll up to the search box enter

irritable bowel syndrome, and click on Search.

3. Which search did you find to be most effective in directing you to a few useful articles caring for the patient with crohn's disease:

Skim the titles of the articles retrieved in the last search. Pick one article that interests you and complete the following:
 

Email one full text article to yourself. If you don't have email, you may print the article at home or in the library (up to 5 pages free of charge for this assignment. Ask librarian for assistance)              Title of article: Author of article: Title of the print magazine: Volume and issue: Date published: Page on which article begins:  7-a) Does the article contain illustrations or tables? ___ yes ___ no  7-b) Are the pictures legible online or do you need to consult the print  version of the article?  ___ readable online  ___ should consult hard copy of magazine to view illustrations

 

Begin the research for your group project on a disease process.

1. What is your topic:
 
 
 
 

2. Select a few keywords to describe your subject:

____________________ _____________________

____________________ _____________________

3. Combine keywords into a search statement. Remember to use operators such as OR or * to broaden a search and AND or " " to narrow a search.

Search statement
 
 

4. How many documents did you find in each of the following formats:

5. Was your search ___too broad? too narrow? ___ just right?

If your search was too broad, too narrow or just plain missed the mark, revise your strategy and search again.

Revised search statement (if necessary)
 
 

Select three articles from your best searches for possible inclusion in your project. Use the table below to record enough information to locate the article again.
 

Database	Author. Article Title. Journal title. Volume, Issue, Date, pages.
	Is article full text? _____yes _____ no  If "no," how might you like to obtain the article: ___ full text available from another database ___ print copy available from Shasta College Library ___ request an interlibrary loan  Does document contain patient education or support group information? _____yes _____no
	Is article full text ? _____yes _____ no  If "no," how might you like to obtain the article: ___ full text available from another database ___ print copy available from Shasta College Library ___ request an interlibrary loan  Does document contain patient education or support group information? _____yes _____no
	Is article full text ? _____yes _____ no  If "no," how might you like to obtain the article: ___ full text available from another database ___ print copy available from Shasta College Library ___ request an interlibrary loan  Does document contain patient education or support group information? _____yes _____no

 
 
 
 
 

Since this is a small, selective database don't expect every disease to be covered. Still, the sites included are often more reliable than those found with a trawl of the Internet. Begin by searching on the specific disease. If that fails, broaden to the phrase patient support.

Look for sites on crohn's disease.

1) Go to the Library's webpage [http://library.shastacollege.edu]. Go to Quick Links. Scroll down and click on Librarian's Index to the Internet [www.lii.org] .

Go to the search text box, enter crohn's disease, and click on search.

How many web sites did you retrieve?________

2) Go to the NIH Digestive Diseases web site [http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/digest.htm]

Scroll down the list of Digestive Disease Topics and click on Crohn's Disease.

Examine this website:

Authority

What organization or institution publishes this page?

Do authors give their names, credentials, and contact information?

Are the authors qualified to address the topic?

Does more than one author contribute to the site or is the entire site content the work of one author?

What is the domain name (com for commercial, edu for education, gov for US Govt, org for non profit

organization) _________

Timeliness

When was the page most recently updated?

Objectivity

What is the purpose of the site (circle all that apply):

To sell a product To voice an opinion To educate To inform

Are authors affiliated to special interest groups?

Does the site contain ads? If "yes", what sorts of products are being promoted?

Content and Coverage

Does this site contain material of the depth and sophistication you require?

Does this site contain patient education or support group information? ____ yes ___ no

Does it contain links to other materials or websites? _____ yes _____ no

How do these links measure up?

Accuracy

Are sources of information and statistics given?

Has the site received any awards or endorsements?

Find a website to support your group project on a disease

process

1. If you already have a website in mind, you may skip down to item 2. Otherwise:

• Return to the Library's webpage http://library.shastacollege.edu
• Go to Quick Links. Click on Class Research Guides.
• Scroll down and click on Nursing Resources.
• Scroll down to the blue Internet Resources box. Click on either the Librarian's Index to the Internet or DIRLINE.
• Follow the search instructions until you find a suitable website.

2) How did you locate your site?

____Librarians Index to the Internet www.lii.org

____Dirline http://dirline.nlm.nih.gov/

____another source (describe)________________________________

Cite the site

3)Evaluate your chosen site

Authority

What organization or institution publishes this page?

Do authors give their names, credentials, and contact information?

Are the authors qualified to address the topic?

Does more than one author contribute to the site or is the entire site content the work of one author?

What is the domain name (com for commercial, edu for education, gov for US Govt, org for non profit

organization) _________

Timeliness

When was the page most recently updated?

Objectivity

What is the purpose of the site (circle all that apply):

To sell a product To voice an opinion To educate To inform

Are authors affiliated to special interest groups? _____ yes _____ no

Does the site contain ads? _____ yes _____ no

If "yes", what sorts of products are being promoted?

Content and Coverage

Does this site contain material of the depth and sophistication you require? __ yes __ no

Does this site contain patient education or support group information? ____ yes ___ no

Does it contain links to other materials or websites? _____ yes _____ no

How do these links measure up?

Accuracy

Are sources of information and statistics given? _____ yes _____ no

Has the site received any awards or endorsements?

url:  http://library.shastacollege.edu/nursingworksheetmar02.htm
Carolyn Salus Singh, Mar 20, 2002