Searching

Databases and sources

Searching databases will allow you to identify published literature on your topic. The databases you search for your review will depend on the research question you are trying to answer. You can find a list of the databases the Library subscribes to on the Library’s Databases by Subject page.

Commonly searched databases for health-related reviews include, but are not limited to:

PubMed: Provides citations with abstracts to worldwide biomedical literature. Covers research, clinical practice, administration, policy issues and healthcare.
PsycINFO: This American Psychological Association (APA) database contains more than 2 million citations and summaries of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, technical reports and dissertations, all in psychology and related disciplines, dating as far back as the 1800s.
Web of Science: Covers the sciences, including computer science and engineering, as well as the social sciences, arts and humanities.
Scopus: Abstract and citation database containing both peer-reviewed research literature and quality web sources. Scopus covers scientific, technical, medical and social sciences fields as well as the arts and humanities.
Wiley-Blackwell Cochrane Library: A collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which examine evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of treatments (medications, surgery, education, etc) in specific circumstances.

The databases you search may not index all of the articles important to your review. Articles can accidentally get missed, or database coverage may not include specific journals altogether. As a result, hand searching important journals in your field of research can help improve the comprehensiveness of your review. For more information about hand-searching visit Rutgers University Libraries' guide on Systematic Reviews in the Health Sciences, "Hand searching".