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NFS 5223: Human Nutrition & Metabolism

Articles / Databases

Databases

General Search Tips

  • Keep your first search very simple. Start with only 1-3 search words. 
  • After your first search, start using filters or adding search words one at a time to slowly narrow your results down to what you want.
  • Many times, you won't get what you want on your first search. Searching is about trial and error, so you may have to attempt several searches using different combinations of search words in order to find what you need.
  • If you have tried multiple searches in multiple databases and still cannot find what you need, contact Suzi (srumohr@twu.edu) for searching suggestions or for an appointment.

 

Searching in PubMed

Always access PubMed through the library website so it knows you are a TWU student and gives you access to more articles.

Videos to learn to search PubMed more effectively:

Accessing Articles

 
Find PDF Link

Most databases only show a description of each article. To view the full article, you must locate the PDF. The location and appearance of the PDF link is different in each database. Below are some examples:

In EBSCOhost databases

PDF Full Text

In ScienceDirect

PDF

In SciTech Premium Collection

PDF link example

 

No PDF Link?

Sometimes an article is discoverable in a database but doesn't "live" in that database. If you don't see a PDF link, look for a link that says something like "Find Full Text.." This link will either take you to the database where the article lives, or it will prompt you to submit an "Article Delivery Request."

In Web of Science

Full Text from Publisher

In PubMed

Label called "Full text links" with a button beneath is labeled as "FIND IT @ TWU"

Primary vs Secondary Comparison

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

Also Known As  

 Original research articles Review articles (e.g. systematic review or meta-analysis)
Purpose To share the findings of an experiment or study. To summarize or analyze the findings of previous research on a specific topic.
Author(s) Performed the experiment/study themselves. Did no original experiment. Writing about the findings of previous research.
Methods section? Required. Describes how experiment was performed. Not required, but if it has one, will list databases and search words used to search for previous articles/research.
References list? Yes Yes

Ultimately, the #1 way to tell if an article is primary or secondary is to look at the Methods section. For more explanation and some examples of primary and secondary sources, visit the following link: