Information specialist: Health sciences
Information seeking in Health sciences
Information seeking and reference evaluation can be carried out in few different ways in health sciences. In this page you can find short introductions to the general ones.
Publication procedures and the principles of data creation may vary according to the discipline. The main focus of health sciences is on international research and international refereed journal publications are favored in publishing. Thus, often used databases are also international health science databases where e.g. systematic information seeking is possible. Information about different publication types can be found in Library Tutorial.
Literature reviews are typical in health sciences nowadays. There are many types of reviews, and they could be described as research methods that are either part of empirical research (Collins 2003, Arnold 2007, Rhoades 2011) or an independent method (Arnold 2007, Rhoades 2011). The reviews can be divided into e.g. to meta-studies, systematic and descriptive literature reviews (Rhoades 2011).
- In practice, meta-studies often involve systematic information seeking and process original research data.
- A systematic literature review, on the other hand, is a summary of previous research, and its preparation is based on its own method (Khan et al. 2003, Kääriäinen & Lahtinen 2006, Bettany-Saltikov 2010).
- Systematic reviews are common at JYU, so you should remember a few steps when planning information seeking
- documentation: search statement, filters, limits, databases, date of searches
- explanation for choices: why, where and how?
- often the goal is to make 1 search statement, which is entered in the same way, with the same limitations in all used databases
- different models can be used as help, e.g. PICO, PICo, PCC. The choice depends on the research setting, e.g. from qualitative or quantitative research
- the evaluation of publications is also done systematically, using the same method, e.g. PRISMA, incl. inclusion and exclusion criteria
- different programs can be used as help, e.g. Sumari or Covidence
- Systematic reviews are common at JYU, so you should remember a few steps when planning information seeking
- Descriptive reviews, on the other hand, are freer in form but produce cumulative information based on previous research (Fitzgerald & Rumrill 2005), e.g. scoping reviews.
In the following sections, we go through the different stages of making a review in more detail from the point of view of information seeking.
See additional information on the methodology of health science literature reviews: Kangasniemi M., Pietilä AM., Utriainen K., Jääskeläinen P., Ahonen SM. & Liikanen E. 2013. Kuvaileva kirjallisuuskatsaus: eteneminen tutkimuskysymyksestä jäsennettyyn tietoon. Hoitotiede 25(4), 291–301.
References
Arnold DM. 2007. The science of systematic reviews. Transfusion 47(8), 1347–1349.
Bettany-Saltikov J. 2010. Learnin how to undertake a systematic review: part 1. Nursing Standard 24(50), 47–56.
Collins, J. 2003. Demystifying the clinical nursing research process: the literature review. Urologic Nursing 23(4), 297–299.
Fitzgerald SM. & Rumrill PD. Jr. 2005. Qualitative alternatives to narrative reviews for understanding existing research literature. Work 24(3), 317–323.
Kangasniemi M., Pietilä AM., Utriainen K., Jääskeläinen P., Ahonen SM. & Liikanen E. 2013. Kuvaileva kirjallisuuskatsaus: eteneminen tutkimuskysymyksestä jäsennettyyn tietoon. Hoitotiede 25(4), 291–301.
Khan K., Kunz R., Kleijnen J. & Antes G. 2003. Five steps to conducting a systematic review. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 96(3), 118–121.
Kääriäinen M. & Lahtinen M. 2006. Systemaattinen kirjallisuuskatsaus tutkimustiedon jäsentäjänä. Hoitotiede 17(1), 37–45.
Rhoades EA. 2011. Literature reviews. The Volta Review 111(3), 353–368.
Library Tutorial
An online course (1 ECT), based on Library Tutorial, where you learn the basics of information seeking and reference management, e.g.
Recommended into bachelor's degree.
Research Data Management
Research data management is part of your scientific competence. Lean on an e-course (1 ECT) how to make a data management plan for your thesis.
Open Science Centre teaches information seeking usually in health sciences at the first year and bachelor's level, as part of the faculty's courses. During the first year training, you can familiarize yourself with the basics of information seeking and the most common databases in your discipline. In connection with the bachelor's seminar, 2 library exercises will be organized, during which we will delve deeper into thinking about search strategies and seeking information in practice. In some subjects, esp. in master's programs, information seeking and source evaluation are also taught in the master's phase.
The management of research data is also taught in cooperation with the faculty's courses, and the topic is deepened in the courses dealing with ethics in the bachelor's and master's stages.
The general trainings of the Open Science Centre are open to all JYU students. In undergraduate studies, e.g. the Reference Manager Zotero trainings that delve into reference management software have been popular (search with the term Zotero).
Research and personnel trainings deal with information seeking from new perspectives, e.g. in terms of literature review and concept analysis. In addition, there is training on publishing, management of research materials, open educations, openness research method, researcher profiles and, of course, open science and research. Research trainings are open to all JYU dissertation authors, other researchers and staff.
- PICOS/SPIDER
- PICO
- PICo(S)
- PCC etc.
There are differences between disciplines and subjects; supervisors are experts on the possibilities of these different options.
Library tutorial: Basics of search statements, e.g. AND and OR operators
Library tutorial: Search terms and strategy
- MeSH Browser (Medical subject headings)
- MOT: dictionary
- includes also medical dictionary
- RedFox: dictionary
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Oxford Reference Online
- Dictionaries e.g.
If it is necessary to limit the search to e.g. qualitative or quantitative research methods in the search statement, ready-made search word lists can be used. In the search terms, it is usually stated exactly which part of the publication's metadata the search is aimed at. Among other things, SIGN filters and Cohcrane filters are applied to predefined publication information in the search fields.
- For example, when searching in Medline, / means targeting only the field of MeSH terms. If the search term in question was in the title or abstract, it will not appear in the search results with / targeting.
- E.g. RCT.
Faculty's guidelines: Tuula Tutkija.
Reference management software: Zotero is often used if JYU. You can download it online or if you're using university' computer find it from Software Center. Learn to use Zotero, an online bibliographic management program, that allows you to create a personal database of references and generate in-text citations and bibliographies in a variety of styles in library's workshops.
- Other options according to subject and research layout e.g.
- Sumari (JBI database: Tools. Only for faculty members)
- Sumari guides
- Note Sumari may require logging in twice to access the system
- Covidence (available openly online)
- Sumari (JBI database: Tools. Only for faculty members)
Library tutorial: Finding scholarly journals and articles
JYKDOK: Browse for databases + field of science: health
Finnish articles
- JYKDOK: article search
- Medic (only in Finnish).
International articles
- MEDLINE (Ovid)
- PubMed (Medline)
- CINAHL (EBSCO)
- Health & Medical Collection (ProQuest)
- BioMed Central (OA).
Evidence-based medicine
Other disciplines, e.g.
- Sport Sciences:
- SportDiscus
- SPOLIT (open access)
- Education: Eric (ProQuest)
- Psychology: PsycINFO (Ovid)
- Social sciences: Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest)
- Business and economics: Business Source Elite (EBSCO)
- Multidisciplinary databases: additional searches
- Scopus (Elsevier API)
- Web of Science WoS (Thompson Scientific)
- Resource by subject: other fields.
Citations and impact factors
- Web of Science (WoS)
- Scopus
- Cabells
- Publication forum (Julkaisufoorumi) etc.
- Other resources than databases, e.g. aritificial intelligence in Dimensions
- Responsible publication metrics in JYU.
Library tutorial: Finding books
- JYKDOK
- Finna: Finnish libraries, inc. JYKDOK materials
- EBook Central
- EBSCO eBook Collection
- Dawsonera ym.
- More information: using electronical materials
- Research methods, e.g.
- JYKDOK:JYU's disserations and theses
- Finna:Finnish dissertations and theses
- SwePub: Swedish dissertations
- DiVA portal
- DART - Europe E-theses Portal
- Open Access Theses and Dissertations etc.
Electronic Publications
- FreeBooks4Doctors
- Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
- WHO Statistical Information System (WHOSIS) Evidence and Information for Health Policy.
Libraries
- National Library of Medicine, United States
- Meilahti Campus Library Terkko. University Library of Helsinki.
Lists, Subject Directories
- AMEDEO The Medical Literature Guide
- Faculty of 1000 Medicine Literature evaluation and awareness service for medicine
- Hardin MD Medical Information
- HON Health on the Net. Useful and reliable online medical and health information
- MedWeb -Biomedical Internet Sites
- National Institute of Health. Health Information, U.S.
- TERKKO Navigator.
Trials registers
- ClinicalTrials.gov the largest clinical trials database run by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health
- Community Research & Developmen Information Service (CORDIS) information on all EU-supported R&D activities
- Current Controlled Trials metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) e.g. Current Controlled Trials mRCT - active registers
- WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal
- International Standard Randomised Trial Number Register (ISRCTN) a numeric system for the unique identification of randomised controlled trials worldwide.
Expert Organizations
- Finnish Centre for Health Promotion
- FinOHTA Finnish Office for Health Care Technology Assessment
- National Institut for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- UKK Institute, Tampere, Finland
- World Health Organization (WHO).
Other Services
- AMA Manual of Style
- Citation Style Guides for Internet and Electronic Sources produced by the University of Alberta
- Gerontology Research Centre GEREC Jyväskylä, Finland
- Instructions to authors in the health sciences Instructions to authors for over 3,500 journals in the health and life sciences collected by the University of Toledo
- MedTerms - Medical Dictionary
- PEDro - Physiotherapy Evidence Database
- SMIL Skandinavisk Medicinsk Information för Lekmän (languages: Swedish, Norwegian and Danish)
- ICMJE Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (Vancouver style).
More information on the processing of research data is available in the Research Data Management online course and the faculty's ethics courses. Here are some additional tips:
- Data archives (e.g. Tietoarkisto, Zenodo, Kielipankki), Etsin (OA materials) and JYX data as well as sector-specific archives
- JYU's instructions on data protection
- JYU's instructions for researchers, e.g.
- Data protection policy of the University of Jyväskylä (rector's decision 18 June 2018)
- Data protection training, e.g. Moodle course
- Research Data Management training (dissertation authors, other researchers and personnel)
- Management of research materials training for supervisors (coming soon)
- Help with research also from JYU's Human Sciences Ethics Committee, e.g. requests for opinions for ethical preliminary evaluation (requests for medical research opinions to the Ethics Committee of the Central Finland Hospital District)
- Material management instructions also elsewhere, e.g. Kopiraittila (Kopiosto) and Data Archive's material management guidelines.
The faculty uses Tuula Tutkija writing instructions and Word template for theses.
Theses are basically public in Finland, that is, their information is visible and findable. In JYU, theses information appears in the JYKDOK database.
The theses in JYU are also often open, which means you can read the thesis openly online. In this case, JYKDOK's information contains a link to the thesis opened in JYX, which can also be found by searching online.
Dissertations, on the other hand, are publications.
JYU instructions: Opening the thesis online
Contact the Library.
Ask online.
Book consultation in information seeking (JYU master's theses, dissertations, researchers and other personnel).