Library: Health Sciences Graduate Studies Guide: Finding Resources

Finding peer reviewed journal articles

Whether you are working on a research paper, a professional assignment, or a major project, you will need to research the best practices in your area. For your research needs, we recommend that you begin your search for peer reviewed journal articles in the library databases using OneSearch (see the Search tools box below). You can also search subject-specific databases, such as the health care, business, nursing, or public health databases listed below. The question mark icon to the right of the database name will open a brief tutorial about using the database. Please watch/read the available tutorials before beginning your research. You may also want to review this tip sheet about what is a peer reviewed article and the searching help found in the Searching Help box on this page.

Health Sciences databases

Health Sciences Databases (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Searches 10 health sciences databases simultaneously: Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database: Health & Medicine, Career & Technical Education Database: Health & Medicine, Consumer Health Database, Health & Medical Collection, Health Administration Database, India Database: Health & Medicine, Nursing & Allied Health Database, Psychology Database, Public Health Database, and Research Library: Health & Medicine.
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Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition This link opens in a new window Provides access to nearly 550 scholarly full text journals focusing on many medical disciplines as well as the Lexi-PALS Drug Guide.
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SAGE Journals Online This link opens in a new window An interdisciplinary database that contains over 1,000 full text, online journals in the fields of business, education, health, the humanities, law enforcement, criminology, and other social sciences. Several of these journals are the most authoritative and influential in their fields. Access from 1999-present.
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ScienceDirect Health & Life Sciences and Physical Sciences Collections This link opens in a new window Access to over 1,550 full text journals in health & life sciences, chemistry, computer science, physics, mathematics, and earth & planetary sciences. On the results page, green icons mean the full text is available (white means abstract only). Please note: Articles are available from 1995 to present only.
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Business databases

ABI/INFORM Collection This link opens in a new window Features scholarly journals, dissertations, working papers, key business and economics periodicals such as the Economist, country reports, and industry profiles. Its international coverage provides a complete picture of companies and business trends around the world.
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Business Databases (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Searches 8 business databases simultaneously: ABI/INFORM Collection, Accounting, Tax & Banking Collection, Asian & European Business Collection, Business Market Research Collection, Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database, Career and Technical Education Database, India Database, and Research Library.
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Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window The world's most comprehensive business database with full text ebooks, peer-reviewed journals, case studies, company profiles, SWOT analyses, interviews, market research reports, industry reports, and country economic reports.
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Nursing databases

CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window Comprehensive coverage of all areas of nursing and allied health with access to more than 770 journals and 275 ebooks.
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Ovid: Full Text Nursing & Allied Health Journals and eBooks This link opens in a new window Search across a targeted collection of full text journals and eBooks selected by Excelsior faculty that cover the nursing and allied health fields. You can also use the OVID Emcare database to browse citations of articles.
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Public Health database

Public Health Database (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window With journals, news, trade publications, reports and more, ProQuest Public Health covers a wide variety of disciplines ranging from social sciences and biological sciences to business. Designed to be the ideal starting point for public health information and research.
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Finding online Government and Policy resources

Many of your assignments will ask you to locate healthcare related government and/or policy resources, in addition to the peer reviewed journal articles. We recommend that you begin your search for government and policy resources in the following library databases, or policy or government organization websites under the tabs above. The question mark icon to the right of the database name will open a brief tutorial about using the database. Please watch/read the available tutorials before beginning your research.

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window Contains over 4,000 in-depth research reports from 1923 to present on the world’s most pressing issues (gay marriage, gun control, Middle East conflicts, etc.) with data, charts, and visuals.
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Military & Government Collection This link opens in a new window Designed to offer current news pertaining to all branches of the military and government, this database offers nearly 300 full-text periodicals and academic journals.
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News & Newspapers (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Searches four newspaper databases simultaneously: Canadian Newsstand, Global Breaking Newswires, International Newsstream, & US Newsstream.
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We also recommend our Government & Law research guide for suggestions of websites and other resources of both federal and state laws, statutes and government information.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise."
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services CMS is an agency within the Dept of Health and Human Services. Provides information, data & statistics, regulations, outreach and much more about the federal government's medical insurance programs
HealthCare.Gov The main website to find out about your health coverage under the Affordable Healthcare Act marketplace exchanges.
Insure Kids Now A campaign from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to that provides information and initiatives that support medical and dental insurance for all children.
Medicaid.Gov "Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that, together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program, provides health coverage to over 72.5 million Americans, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is the single largest source of health coverage in the United States."
Medicare.Gov Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and selected other diseases.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) "The agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities."
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs The major government organization responsible for veterans care and well being.

Brookings Institute "The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level."
Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. "A nonprofit policy center dedicated to improving the health of low-income Americans."
Commonwealth Fund "The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including low-income people, the uninsured, minority Americans, young children, and elderly adults."
National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) "The NASHP is an independent academy of state health policymakers, dedicated to helping states achieve excellence in health policy and practice."
National Center for Policy Analysis The NCPA's goal is “to develop and promote private alternatives to government regulation and control, solving problems by relying on the strength of the competitive, entrepreneurial private sector.” Strives to “tackle the country's most difficult public policy problems — in health care, taxes, retirement, small business, and the environment.”
National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) The NCSL mission is to improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures, promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures, and ensure state legislatures a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.
RAND Corporation "The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis."
Urban Institute "Gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues."

Finding articles/papers from professional associations

Go to the full list of professional associations page that lists association websites that you may want to explore for articles, papers, and white papers. Look for a search box at each website and search using your keywords. In addition to these organizations, you may also want to search the web using Google or another search engine to find other professional associations related to your field.

Search Tools

OneSearch

Find articles, eBooks, etc.

Note: This tool searches cover titles only, it does not search for article titles or within the text.

Using Google Scholar: Finding Peer Reviewed Resources (Transcript)