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Now that you have a clear research question, you can decide which database(s) you will use to search for relevant papers.

Tip: Start with one database and refine your search there before expanding to additional databases. See Expand search.

Step-by-step worksheet

You can note down which databases you intend to search in the Library's worksheet.

Worksheet - Literature Searching: Step by step

Why is database selection important? 

Different literature databases focus on different disciplines and cover different journals. A biomedical database will cover mostly biomedical literature, whereas a database focused on nursing or allied health will cover those disciplines and offer less (if any) biomedical literature. The image below illustrates how databases capture different sections of the wide body of available health literature. 

By carefully selecting a database that best matches our research question, we can more effectively invest our research time and resources.

Do I need to search more than one database?

Yes. Some databases have very extensive coverage, but even those contain only a portion of the wider health literature. There is no single database that covers all papers ever published. Because of this, we must search more than one database in order to avoid missing important relevant studies.

As above, we recommend beginning your search in one database and then expanding your search (see Stage #5 of this guide) to include a minimum of one other relevant database. 

How to select appropriate database(s)

The most appropriate database(s) for your search depends primarily on your research question, and to some extent your discipline.

For example:

  • If you are searching for evidence on a nursing or allied health intervention, databases such as Emcare and PEDro are suitable.
  • If your question compares two different drug therapies, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library are key databases.
  • If your question compares two different antipsychotics, you would search PsycINFO in addition to the databases listed above.    

To help you choose one or more databases for your search, consult our 1-page overview of health databases, or browse our full list of literature searching databases.

Health Databases Overview

Literature Searching Databases

Ovid databases at Monash Health

Ovid is a powerful search platform that is used to build and run literature searches across a range of databases. At Monash Health, the following databases open in the Ovid search platform: 

Visit the MEDLINE User Guide for a quick overview of basic Ovid features. 

 

 

PubMed vs. MEDLINE

It is important to be aware that content in PubMed includes papers that have not completed the peer review process. 

We strongly recommend using MEDLINE rather than PubMed for these reasons:

  1. PubMed will always return more results than MEDLINE because it includes ahead-of-print and non-peer reviewed articles. Don't be fooled by quantity over quality!
  2. A full database search in PubMed creates automatic mappings that expand the focus and reach of your search. In MEDLINE, you control these mappings and therefore the focus and scope of your search.
  3. PubMed includes PubMed Central papers, which are full-text articles deposited to promote open access.

MEDLINE User Guide

PubMed User Guide

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