LibGuides: Literature Reviews: Step 3: Conduct Search

Conduct Search

Document your searches across all databases with the Lit Search Tracking form.
Reach out to your liaison librarian for assistance translating searches between databases
Use a citation manager to organize your search results

Choosing Databases

Core Databases
Additional Databases

PubMed, which you are likely already familiar with, is the largest biomedical database in the world, and should be the starting point for literature searching for any health sciences topics.

Scopus is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary database with broad coverage in the health sciences and an international scope. In contrast to PubMed, which focuses on US-based medical publications, Scopus greatly broadens your search. It is able to get an interdisciplinary angle on topics (the social sciences and life sciences frequently overlap with medical topics), has a broader coverage of the allied health literature than PubMed, and gets to publications outside the United States.

PubMed

Linked to ATSU's full-text subscription journals when access via this link. Includes access to PubMed Central, which is fulltext and open access.
Scopus
CINAHL Plus with Full Text

From the list below, you should choose at least one database that fits your research topic/area. The list below includes the most common databases used at ATSU. If you are having trouble choosing a database, reach out to your liaison librarian.

Academic Search Complete
Education Source
ERIC
Google Scholar

Take care: Google Scholar does NOT filter out predatory, fake, unreliable publishers or sources and you must review what you find with care. It is best used to find items with known value; i.e., you already know that you respect the journal or author.
Health Policy Reference Center
PsycINFO
SPORTDiscus with Full Text

How to Track Your Literature Search Process

Citation Tools

	EndNote Basic	EndNote DeskTop
Cost	Free	Paid subscription option for students Free for ATSU faculty
Browser Plugins & Tools	Endnote Capture Reference Chrome Safari Firefox	Endnote Capture Reference Chrome Safari Firefox
Maximum Records (Basic Versions)	50,000 Records in cloud	999,999 on Desktop
Access Options	Mobile App Browser Plugin Word Integration	Mobile App Browser Plugin Firefox Desktop Utility Word Integration
Mobile Options	iOS for iPad	iOS for iPad
APA Citation Formatting	Yes	Yes
AMA Citation Formatting	Yes (Requires Additional Free Download)	Yes (Requires Additional Free Download)
Longterm Access to Data	Perpetual	Perpetual
Collaboration & Sharing	Share EndNote Web account with other EndNote Web users (cannot share file attachments)	Free sharing (citations and attachments) of one Endnote Library with up to 14 other people Includes unlimited storage space for PDF attachments Traveling Library within a word processor document Save as compressed file with data subfolder
Link & Upload pdfs	Open URL compliant (possible to link to ATSU resources) Add & upload attachments to entries (up to 2 GB)	Open URL compliant (possible to link to ATSU resources) Add & upload attachments to entries
Open Athens Compatible	Login through Open Athens first to use with EndNote	Uncertain
Annotate Pdfs	No	Yes
Import Records from Databases	Yes	Yes
Export Formats	Tab Delimited (use with Excel) BibTeX EndNote (XML) RIS Refer export	Tab Delimited (use with Excel) BibTeX XML
Integrates with Word	Yes	Yes
Work Offline	No	Yes
Screencap & Store Webpages	No	No
Sort & Search Options	Sort by Author, Title, Year Search by Author	Sort by Any Field Search by Any Field
Pay Upgrades Available	Pay for access to Endnote Desktop	Pay for subscription (students)

Cost	Free
Browser Plugins & Tools	Zotero Connector Chrome Safari Firefox Edge
Quick Citation without Installtion	Zotero Bib
Maximum Records (Basic Versions)	Unlimited Desktop 300 MB free cloud storage
Access Options	Browser Plugin Desktop Utility Word Integration
Mobile Options	Zotero works in a mobile online environment & integrates with assorted apps BrowZine PaperShip Zed Etc.
APA Citation Formatting	Yes
AMA Citation Formatting	Yes (Requires Additional Free Download)
Longterm Access to Data	Perpetual
Collaboration & Sharing	Create public and private groups Automatic synchronization of collections among multiple computers
Links & Upload PDFs	Open URL compliant (possible to link to ATSU resources) Add & upload attachments to entries
Open Athens Compatible	Browser App extension available HERE
Annotate PDFs	No (But can sync Pdfs annotated with 3rd party software or apps)
Import Records from Databases	Yes (requires Translator)
Export Formats	BibTeX RIS Refer/BiblX BIbliontology MODS Etc.
Integrates with Word	Yes
Work Offline	Yes
Screencap & Store Webpages	Yes
Sort & Search Options	Sort by Any Field Search by Any Field
Pay Upgrades Available	Pay for more storage

Cost	Free
Browser Plugins & Tools	Mendeley Web Importer Chrome Firefox
Maximum Records (Basic Versions)	Unlimited Desktop 2 GB free cloud storage
Access Options	Mobile App Browser Plugin Desktop Utility Word Integration
Mobile Options	Google Play iOS
APA Citation Formatting	Yes
AMA Citation Formatting	Yes
Longterm Access to Data	Perpetual
Collaboration & Sharing	Create public and private groups Automatic synchronization of collections among multiple computers One private group of 3 members free (costs for private groups)
Links & Upload PDFs	Open URL compliant (possible to link to ATSU resources) Add & upload attachments to entries
Open Athens Compatible	Uncertain
Annotate PDFs	Yes
Import Records from Databases	Yes (requires Importer)
Export Formats	BibTeX EndNote (XML) RIS
Integrates with Word	Yes
Work Offline	Yes
Screencap & Store Webpages	Yes
Sort & Search Options	Sort by Any Field Search by author, title, publication names, year & notes
Pay Upgrades Available	Pay for more storage, more groups, larger groups