Once you have established a search strategy using the Research Tips and Tricks, you are ready to begin searching databases. 

Keep in mind that searching the literature is an interactive process, and you will be revising your searches, running them again, revising, running, etc. As you review the materials you locate, you will discover different search terms and synonyms.  

Remember, if you get stuck talk to an FSU Reference Librarian!

Below are the key databases for the integrative reviews you will be working on. The topic of your review will determine which databases you decide to search. Remember that you need to search multiple databases to make your literature search as robust as possible. 

Remember to DOCUMENT all your searches, even if you don't find any useful articles. If you don't document it, you didn't do the work! 

• Users who are off-campus will need to log in with their Blackboard credentials in order to access the databases and other resources offered by the Library. Students, faculty, and staff will be prompted to authenticate via Blackboard.
• If you are having trouble logging in with Blackboard, the Library may refer you to Information Technology Services for assistance.

Take a look at this helpful video, "Searching CINAHL: 5 Steps to Get You Started", to review how to search CINAHL.

Need a quick refresher on Boolean operators?  Check out this video from Stewart Library at Weber State University. 

To learn how to use the advanced search features of CINAHL and how to search CINAHL using your PICO, take a look at this .pdf guide.

One of the best ways to brainstorm search terms is to use a technique called PICO. 

What is PICO? 

PICO is a strategy for going from a written research question to keywords you can use to search the database. 

P = Patient 

What patient group or problem are you looking at? Are you focusing on patients of a particular age or gender? 

I = Intervention

What is the intervention, exposure, or prognostic factor you are looking at? Keep in mind that the definition of intervention is broad. An intervention can be a drug or treatment, but it could also be the implementation of an educational program or training tool. 

C = Comparison 

Are you comparing the intervention with something? Are you comparing a drug against another drug or a placebo? 

O = Outcome 

What is the desired outcome? 

Example: 

Does drinking cranberry juice prevent urinary tract infections? 

P (Patient or problem) = Urinary tract infection 

I (intervention) = Cranberry Juice 

C (comparison) = No cranberry juice

O (outcome) = Prevention of urinary tract infections 

Example search string: "urinary tract infection" AND prevention AND "cranberry juice"

What if my research question cannot be mapped to PICO? 

Don't fret if your research question cannot be mapped to PICO! You can still develop good search terms from a written sentence or question. 

The key to PICO is pulling the most important words out of your research question and reorganizing them with search operators. This basic concept can be applied to any research question, even if it doesn't fit the PICO framework.