Your literature search should be as extensive as possible in to locate as evidence as possible, and to reduce reporting bias.
Your review topic will guide which databases you choose. Using health-related databases is typically the most efficient way to identify relevant studies. When topics are specialized, cross-disciplinary, or involve emerging technologies, you will need to search additional databases.
Chapter 4.3 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions provides guidance around sources to search, and search expectations.
1951 - present. Includes more than 22 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. PubMed facilitates searching across several NLM literature resources including MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and Bookshelf. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and Bookshelf. MEDLINE articles are indexed with MeSH (Medical Subject Headings). Use Get it at UC to locate the full text when not otherwise available.
1806 - present. The PsycINFO database contains citations to articles in over 1,300 professional journals, conference proceedings, books, and dissertations in psychology and related disciplines. Most citations include abstracts.
1982 - present. Over 7,000 full-text articles from 50 plus journals covering topics in health sciences and nursing.
Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975 - present), Social Sciences Citation Index (1956 - present), Science Citation Index (1900 - present), Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (1990 - present), and Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Social Science & Humanities (1990 - present).
(coverage varies according to journal title) Includes abstracts, tables of contents, and full text of articles from journals as well as a few book selections. Content includes the sciences, technology, medicine and social sciences.
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