Searching tips • Be clear about the type of paper you are reading – is it an RCT? o Read the abstract to see what type of article it is. For example: Do not mistake a qualitative study with a...

Searching tips
•    Be clear about the type of paper you are reading – is it an RCT?
o     Read the abstract to see what type of article it is. For example:

Do not mistake a qualitative study with a quantitative study.
If you are having trouble making the distinction, ask a librarian, a friend, or contact your tutor.
•    Only use articles that are actually in ENGLISH, even if the abstract is in English you have to have read the full article to do the quality assessment.

•    Do not rewrite/type abstracts – take a screenshot – this shows us you have understood how to search for the article.
•    When searching DO NOT limit to full-text or to nursing journals or to abstracts. This will restrict searches and valuable evidence is very likely to be missed. Remember that you are searching for the BEST AVAILABLE evidence.

•    In Medline (Ovid) do not use publication types (such as RCT) as a keyword but tick it in the limits box.

•    Use the activities from previous weeks to help you with your assignment, including the online Library Study Guide and individual tutor consultation.


Referencing and submission
1.    How do I submit this assignment?? Please use Submission Template in the assignment section to complete the activities and submit this into Turnitin. To get the database searches into your document you will need to take a screenshot and then copy and paste it in like a picture – see if a friend can show you. This must be READABLE!
2.    Do I have to submit a hard copy or cover sheet? No, you don’t. Online submission only.
3.    Can I fill in the PICO worksheet as a word document or do I have to write it by hand? Please complete the word document and an electronic word document.
4.    What is a screen shot? This is when you take a picture of the screen from your computer. You can do this by pressing ‘Ctrl+Print Screen’. This gives you a record of your search within the database and evidence of your understanding and ability to apply your search plan into a particular setting.
5.    Is there a word limit? Please see the submission template for the word limits.
6.    Why is it midnight for submission? Because online doesn’t need someone to close the assignment box, so you can have until midnight 
7.    What turnitin percentage should I be aiming for? There will be a high similarity because of the template. BUT, please don’t copy and paste from another source – that is not ok. That is cheating/plagiarism, and we will proceed with a misconduct case– you need to use the art of paraphrasing :-)
8.    Do I need to reference? You will need to cite and reference your randomised control trial and qualitative study in the 400 word summary part.


9.    When is the assignment due? See the assignment instructions


Search questions
10.    How do I find the databases? See the online UTSLibrary search guide in Week 2 Activities
11.    What if I got no results? It probably means you have entered too many terms or you have used limits. It might also mean you are using OR and AND the wrong way.  Simplify your strategy to just the key term, remove your limits, and check OR and AND. Also check you haven’t selected Full Text Only – this is never a good idea and you can usually get the full text once you have found the article.


Assignment content
12.    What is a PICO? See Week 2 activities
13.    What is a systematic search plan? See Week 2 activities
14.    Does the assignment need an introduction? No, just the activities in the worksheets. This is a process assignment – you need to show us you understand and can apply the process.
15.    What if I don’t know how to do the search? Go back to the UTSLibrary search guide in Week 2 where there is a guide to help you, use the online discussion board to ask your tutor and other students for help with this. You can also book in and see the librarian through the link in the Week 2 and library page.