Research Tutorials

Where do I find sources? Use the library's resources!

The library subscribes to many different resources, but here are the top places to starting looking for sources (Login Required) :

• The "Aultman Research Begins here!" search bar
• Subject-specific databases (A-Z Databases)
• OVID Nursing Journals
• OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center

Library accounts are your Student Number and Aultman!XXX where XXX is the last three digits of your Student Number. Employees use their Employee Number preceded by AU (example: AU12345 and Aultman!345)

While web searching isn't always the best option, you can use strategies to maximize the relevance and quality of sources you find in the wild.

The Aultman Search Platform (Primo) is like an all-in-one database. It searches the Hospital Affiliate and OhioLINK catalogs, various academic research databases, eJournals, and multimedia resources. It’s a great place to start when you begin the initial searching steps of the research process.

To get started searching, use the search field below.

What's a database?

Databases are online, searchable resources that allow users to find scholarly, popular, news and trade journals, articles and media materials. Some are topic specific (like CINAHL for nursing), while others provide information on all topics and specialties (like Academic Search Complete).

How do I use databases?

You can search by title, author, subject and keyword, which increases the ability to be effective and efficient when you are creating search strategies.

Database Lists

A catalog is where a library's books, ebooks, journals, and other physical media are recorded. Searching in catalogs works similarly to searching in databases. You can use keyword, subject, title, and author searching, but you can also search by location.

The library uses two catalogs:

• Hospital Affiliates catalog: contains Aultman's collections, plus collections from the Northeast Ohio Medical University and affiliated hospital libraries.
• OhioLINK catalog: contains the collections of all the member libraries of the OhioLINK consortium, which includes academic, medical, and public libraries from across the state.

When are web sources appropriate?

• When looking for basic background information
• When looking for current events and issues
• When your professor explicitly states that they are appropriate for a given assignment

Can you look for scholarly resources online?

• Yes, Google Scholar can connect you to resources from academic publishers.
• Things to consider:
  • You will encounter many paywalls (whereas library resources are free to use).
  • Google Scholar is not health care-specific (like many library resources are).
• Here's a tip: Search for results through Google Scholar, while also having Primo open. That way, if you see an article that required payment through Google Scholar, you can copy and paste the title into our research bar to see if Aultman has access.

For further information, see the "Evaluating Sources" tab in this guide.

You can connect Aultman's holdings to Google Scholar to quickly retrieve the full-text of available articles. Use the directions in the PDF below.