Step 1: Research
Interview a librarian or nursing scholar on methods for locating and appraising health and other relevant research literature and electronic database search on strategies.
You may want to base this research on your idea from your Capstone Project; however, you may not self-plagiarize your previous work.
Step 2: Consider
Write a quality appraisal of the Library and resources.
What did you learn?
How do you locate and evaluate sources of evidence?
Which electronic database would you use most and what types of search words would you use?
What are the strengths?
What are the weaknesses?
Is it adequate? Why or why not?
Full Answer Section
Step 2: Consider
Here are some questions to consider when evaluating library resources:
- Relevance: Does the resource directly relate to your research topic?
- Credibility: Is the source from a reputable publisher or author?
- Currency: Is the information up-to-date?
- Objectivity: Is the information presented objectively, without bias?
- Scope: Does the resource cover the specific aspects of your research topic that you need to explore?
Electronic Databases
Some popular electronic databases for health and nursing research include:
- PubMed: A biomedical literature database maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- CINAHL: The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, a database that covers nursing, allied health, and biomedical literature.
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: A database of systematic reviews that evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of healthcare interventions.
Search Words
When using these databases, you can use a variety of search words to refine your search results. For example, you might use keywords related to your research topic, such as "nursing education," "evidence-based practice," or "cultural competency." You can also use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine search terms and narrow or broaden your search.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The strengths and weaknesses of different databases will vary depending on your specific research needs. Some databases may be more comprehensive, while others may be more specialized. It is important to experiment with different databases to find the ones that work best for you.
Adequacy
Whether a library resource is adequate will depend on your research goals and the specific information you need. It is important to evaluate multiple sources and consider the overall quality and relevance of the information you find.