This document summarizes a lecture about finding and evaluating academic sources for nursing assignments. It discusses developing a comprehensive search strategy using keywords and Boolean operators. It emphasizes planning searches in advance and considering alternative terms. The document also covers evaluating sources based on author, publisher, date, and research methods. It recommends keeping track of references using reference management software or manual lists for citing sources correctly in the University of York Harvard style.

1. The Good Nurse in the Literature
CLG2: The Good Nurse
May 2019
David Brown

2. The plan for this morning
Lecture
Seminar SeminarSeminar
You You You

3. Looking back
1. Literature searching is a key professional skill
2. Use a range of professional literature in your assignments
3. Use journal articles for up-to-date, high quality research
4. Google Scholar or Library databases help you to locate the best
quality evidence

4. In today’s session
Use a range of search techniques to find
academic sources;
Develop a search strategy based on
your research question;
Consider what makes an effective list of
references and explore methods to
manage your references.

5. By the end of the session
The aim of today’s session is to equip you with skills
and techniques which you might use in the CLG2
assignment.

6. By the end of the session
What makes me a good nurse?
Consider the attributes, values and behaviours
that good nurses demonstrate. Choose ONE
attribute, value or behaviour of a good nurse
that you feel is relevant to you. Discuss how you
have demonstrated your chosen attribute, value
or behaviour in your own practice, with
reference to the learning undertaken during this
module.
You must use predominantly nursing literature to
support your work.

7. Developing your
literature searching skills

8. The importance of good planning

9. Plan before you search
Spend some time analysing your topic. What are the key
concepts in the question?
For each concept, come up with a comprehensive list of
keywords that you will use in your search.

10. Identifying search terms
Come up with alternative words to describe each concept
in your search.
These could be exact synonyms or related concepts. A
concept table can be useful to map out your search terms.
Compassion Nursing
Compassion* Nurs*
Dignity
Empath*

11. Think about the terminology
Think carefully about your search terms, considering:
• Synonyms, e.g. compassion, dignity
• Variant spellings, e.g. behaviour/behavior
• Plurals, e.g. patient(s), child/children
• Abbreviations and acronyms, e.g. CBT, ICU

12. Using truncation
Use truncation to find variations of the same word stem.
The most common truncation symbol is *.
For example:
• patient* will find patient, patients etc.
• child* will find child, children
• behav* will find behaviour, behavior, behavioural etc.

13. Searching with phrases
Some databases allow you to search for phrases by using
quotation marks. This technique searches for the terms in the
exact order in which you type them.
For example: “patient experience” “living with”

14. Combining terms
OR
e.g. compassion*
OR dignity
• Finds either term
• Tends to increase the
number of results
AND
e.g. compassion*
AND nurs*
• Finds both terms
• Tends to decrease the
number of results

15. Combining terms
Compassion Nursing
Compassion* Nurs*
Dignity
Empath*

16. Creating an effective search
A good quality search
requires time and
thought.
You only get out what
you put in!
Let’s see a search in
action…

17. An example topic
The effect of eating and drinking habits on patients
suffering from bipolar disorder

18. Option 1: Databases work like Google,
right?
I’ve got 0 results, but surely there’s something on the topic!?
Typing the exact question is never a good strategy – all the
unnecessary words will confuse the search and authors will
use a range of words to describe the same topic. I’ll need to
get more creative.
The effect of eating and drinking habits on patients suffering from bipolar disorder
AND
SEARCH
0 results

19. Option 2: Deconstructing the puzzle
I’ve got 3 results – that’s better, but it can’t be everything.
The word ‘and’ in the first row probably isn’t helping. And
these are pretty rubbish! I still need to think more about the
search and come up with more varied terminology. Back to
the drawing board…
eating and drinking
bipolar disorderAND
SEARCH
3 results

20. Option 3: Thinking outside the (puzzle)
box
That’s more like it! I’ve thought about a range of ways to
describe the topic and came up with lots more results.
They’re not all going to be relevant though, so I’ll need to do a
bit more work before starting to read through the results. Can
I add a bit more context?
eat* OR drink* OR nutrition* OR diet*
“bipolar disorder*” OR “affective disorder*” OR “manic depression”AND
SEARCH
635 results

21. Option 3: Thinking outside the (puzzle)
box
Perhaps I could refine the search by adding a location (e.g.
hospital, community) or age group (e.g. adults, children)?
Maybe I just want to look at very recent material so could
limit my results to the last few years. Add in all of this extra
detail before you start reading.
eat* OR drink* OR nutrition* OR diet*
“bipolar disorder*” OR “affective disorder*” OR “manic depression”AND
SEARCH
635 results

22. Sources of nursing literature

23. Explore help and resources via the Health Sciences Subject
Guide: subjectguides.york.ac.uk/health-sciences

24. Why evaluate your sources?

25. Evaluating information
For every source you find, you must decide whether it is of
sufficient quality for your assignment – don’t take everything
at face value!
You should be looking for a range of resources to demonstrate
your awareness – usually academic sources are needed, but
other tools can be useful too.

26. Evaluating information
Questions to keep in mind when reading the
information
Why is this important?
Who? Who are the authors? Individuals? Experts?
Companies?
Who published it?
Look out for bias and opinion pieces e.g. a
pharmaceutical company publishing research that
says their new drug is effective.
What? What is the information?
Is it useful to your project?
It needs to relate to your question – try to keep a
focus on the question not just the general topic.
When? When was it published? Recent? Dated? On the whole you will need the most current
information to answer your question.
Where? Where did you find the information: website, blog,
book, journal or database?
Where was the research conducted?
Always try to get your information from reputable
sources e.g. textbooks, journals. Research conduced in
other countries may not be relevant.
Why? Why was it written?
What are the motivations behind it?
Look out for bias – see also ‘Who?’
How? How was the research conducted?
Is it representative?
How can you use it to answer your need?
If it’s a piece of research, how did they conduct it?
Were the method and sample size appropriate and
representative?
Will it support points you are making?

27. Working with your
references

28. Working with your references
You will come across a large amount of references in your
research. You’ll use some of them in your assignments, but
others will be for general interest. Keeping track of your
references is key to save you time and stress.

29. Why reference?

30. What makes an effective list of
references?

31. Harvard ≠ Harvard
The Harvard referencing system has been adapted at lots of
different universities. There is no standard version and you
may lose marks if you’re referencing incorrectly. Always refer
to the University of York Harvard style.

32. University of York Harvard style
For advice and examples of the University of York Harvard
style, visit york.ac.uk/integrity. The PDF booklet has the most
common examples, and you’ll find lots of others on the
website.

33. Keeping track of your references
Keep a manual list, either
by hand or in a Word or
Google document.
Use reference
management software to
store details of your
references and to make
notes about them. There
are two options:
• Paperpile
• EndNote Online
• Mendeley
Email or print the citations
from a database. Most
give you automatic
options to do this.

34. • Collect…
• Manage…
• Cite…
Reference
Manager
reference
library
Sources
Citations
Reference list
groups labels Organise
styles
Reading lists
Annotated
bibliographies
scholar

35. Any questions?

36. Getting help after today
For access to resources and lots of help,
access the Subject Guide:
subjectguides.york.ac.uk/health-sciences
For help to develop digital and study skills,
access our Skills Guides:
subjectguides.york.ac.uk/skills
Or contact me for advice and support
David Brown, lib-healthsci@york.ac.uk,
01904 323846

37. Over to you
You now have your seminars where you’ll do some activities
related to the lecture. After that you have two activities to
complete in your own time: an exercise about searching for
resources and reading an online guide.

38. Over to you
If you need help with the activities, come to the Library
Surgery drop-in on Thursday 30 May. Pop along any time
between 12-1pm in LFA/205.

39. Some key points to remember
1. Plan in advance to create a
comprehensive search
2. Break down your search topic into the
key concepts, developing a list of terms
for each concept
3. Use a range of databases to search for
resources on your topic
4. Evaluate the information you use to
ensure a good quality range of resources,
appropriate to the assignment
5. Create a well-rounded list of references
with a range of high-quality academic
resources
6. Keep track of your references to save
time and avoid stress

40. Find resources for your subject
subjectguides.york.ac.uk
Pick up digital skills
subjectguides.york.ac.uk/skills
Library website
www.york.ac.uk/library
IT website
www.york.ac.uk/it-services
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