Library Resources: Nursing

ABSN NURS 130: Ways of Knowing

Learning Outcomes

• Understand how research works
• Navigate library resources to find sources for your assignment
• Acquire a basic understanding of simple tools to help you organize your research
• Locate the contact information for your personal librarian and other support areas for research/writing

         Stages of Research

1.      Thinking/exploring/understanding
2. Initial research/keyword harvesting/refinement 
3. Choosing resources 
4. Extracting information 
5. Writing

What is "Research"?

• Research is the investigation of a topic
• Research is looking for information that informs your topic
• Research is finding reliable sources
• Research is not seeking information to prove what you already think, such as your opinion, point, or bias

Big (R)esearch	Little (r)esearch
Laboratory or experimental research	Library/information-based research
Field research	Books, eBooks, journal articles, newspapers, magazines, primary documents, videos, podcasts, websites
Creating and sharing NEW knowledge	Synthesizing and studying already created knowledge

Research Expectations

• Research skills take practice!
• You will most likely NOT find the perfect resource on your first (or second or third) search
• I will make it look fast and easy—these are “live/practiced” searches AND I have a masters degree/it’s my job

No researcher follows the same formula!

•  “Warm-up” in Search @ XU
•  Keeping track of topics in notes
•  Take keywords and new concepts to specialized databases

Wide vs. Specialized Searches

• Large “discovery” searches cover many articles and publication types; result numbers overwhelming but useful for scope/building knowledge
• Specific database searches cover only a selection of materials and result in smaller number of results but will be much more precise to topic

Body of Water Metaphor

Ocean: Includes (almost) everything that Xavier has access to	Lake: a focused database that is subject/discipline specific
Search @ XU	CINAHL
Google Scholar @ XU	Medline/PubMed

Initial Search: Search @ XU

• Research = Re + search
• Your initial search should never be your final search
• Search @ XU: 1 keyword/phrase → Research Starter
• After reviewing initial results, think about how you can modify your search
  • NARROW by adding additional words (AND)
  • EXPAND by adding additional terms (OR)

Search @ XU Review

• Simple keyword/phrase to start = Research Starter
• Advanced search bar guesses search terms = great for building OR search strings
• Subject headings = database language for indexing content
• Use subjects in results list as mini abstracts + build future searches
• Filter by full text, peer review, publication date, publication type
• Cite button
• Always read the abstract before diving into the full text!

Interface changing Fall 2025!

CINAHL Plus with Full Text

• Nursing and Allied Health focus
• Smaller, focused database
• CINAHL Subject Headings help users effectively search and retrieve information and follow the structure of the Medical Subject headings (MeSH) used by the National Library of Medicine.
• Advanced searching options (PICOT framework)

CINHAL Review

• Advanced search bar predicts search terms = great for building OR search strings
• Filters specific to healthcare research
• Full Text Finder @ XU = DON’T PAY FOR ARTICLES
• CINAHL Headings
• Major concept and explode
• Always read the abstract before diving into the full text!
• BONUS: PICOT guided search