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Literature Review: Nursing Literature Review Search Tips

This guide will help you learn what a literature review is and how to write one for your class.

Nursing-Specific Database Search Tips

CINAHL Complete

  • Use the CINAHL Subject Headings to find controlled vocabulary to more effectively search the database
    • Indexers add specific CINAHL subject headings to every article in the CINAHL database, so this method is more efficient in finding articles.
    • Click on the CINAHL Subject Headings link on the menu at the top of the database page and go to this Cascadia College page and follow the steps to find the right subject heading. Watch this video to learn more about CINAHL Subject Headings and MeSH.

CINAHL Subject Headings

  • Click the peer-reviewed box to narrow down the results to those in peer-reviewed academic journals.
  • Narrow down the search results by age group (if needed) by scrolling down to the Age Groups box on the main search page and clicking on the correct age group.

PubMed

  • Watch this video to see how to use MeSH to search PubMed
  • Enter the first string of search terms (e.g. loneliness OR “Social isolation”) where it says Add terms to the query box and click the ADD button to the right of the search box.
    • Enter the second string of search terms (e.g. aged OR elderly OR “old age” OR senior) in the same box as the first string and click the AND button to the right of the search box to add it to the Query Box.
    • Narrow down search results by age group (if needed) by clicking on the Filters link on the results page and clicking on Additional Filters at the bottom of the Filters menu.
  • Not all articles on PubMed are full-text; those that have full-text usually have links out to the article that say “full-text article” or “free full text.”
    • Articles that have Free PMC article in the title and description contain free, full-text access to articles.

PubMed Free PMC Article

MEDLINE

  • Use MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) to find controlled vocabulary to more effectively search the database.
    • The National Library of Medicine’s controlled vocabulary thesaurus is assigned to describe the content of each article in the MEDLINE database.
    • Click on the Look up MeSH subjects link and type in the search terms to find the related MESH subjects.
    • Narrow down searches by age group (if needed) by scrolling down to the Age Group box on the main search page and clicking on the correct age group.