Saybrook Psychophysiology Guide

Some tips when searching in library databases:

Use quotation marks around phrases and search terms to search for the words as a phrase in the exact order you would like. 

Use the field options to search for your terms.

If you have too many results:

• Add in additional search terms
• Limit to peer-reviewed journals
• Limit by date
• Limit by subject
• Limit to items with full-text availability

If you have too few results:

• Check spelling and make corrections
• Erase unnecessary search terms
• Try different search terms
• Use the Boolean operator "OR" between search terms
• Remove any limits you may have added in an earlier search

Major categories of information:

• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Academic, Popular and Trade Publications
• Scholarly and Peer-Reviewed Journals
• Grey Literature
• Clinical Trials
• Evidence-Based Treatment
• Statistics
• Datasets

Evidence-based practice refers to using the best available evidence for decision-making and providing efficient and effective care for patients on a scientific basis. Systematic implementation of EBP can enhance healthcare and improve patient outcomes.

Most health science databases include a search limiter for evidence-based practice or evidence-based medicine. In CINAHL Complete, click the Evidence-Based Practice box or choose Evidence-Based Practice under Special Interest. Both of these options apply the same limits to the search.

The Evidence-Based Practice journal subset is applied to articles from evidence-based practice journals as well as articles about evidence-based practice, research articles (including systematic reviews, clinical trials, meta analyses, qualitative studies), commentaries on research studies (applying practice to research), case studies if they meet the criteria of the use of research and/or evidence-based practice terms.

You can search for evidence-based articles in other databases, too, but non-subject specific databases may not have a designated limiter. One way to search is to search for your topic but then add the term AND "evidence based" with quotation marks to search evidence based as a phrase rather than as independent words. Example: hypnotherapy AND "evidence based":

The term evidence based may also be searched as a Subject term in many databases. Select the field limiter from the dropdown menu after the search word. Here is the same sample search in our multidisciplinary database, Academic Search Ultimate:

Results will include articles categorized by publishers as evidence based, such as evidence-based nursing, evidence-based medicine, etc.