Did you know you can limit your results to peer-reviewed articles to find the highest quality academic sources?
Look for an option before or after you search!
Welcome! This guide was made by a librarian to help you succeed!
Explore below and to the left to find information about where to search, how to search successfully, and how to cite your sources.
Where should you search?
First, you need to decide where to search.
You can choose to search in a nursing database or across all library databases with Spartan Search. Expand the box below to learn more about your options.
The search box on the library home page, Spartan Search, looks through all library databases. The A to Z Database link gives you a list of each of those databases and resources, including certain highly credible resources from around the web. The list can be sorted by subject area or material type.
Many of the library's databases are subject-based, and searching one allows you to use advanced search options specific to the discipline. For example, CINAHL (a nursing database) can limit results to articles written by a nurse.
Spartan Search Box:
Subject Specific Databases:
any topic that is multi-disciplinary or doesn't clearly belong to one field
general topics
for browsing when you are just beginning your research
any time you are not finding results in other databases
topics within a set discipline
specific and in-depth topics
for finding more obscure information
Did You Know?
EBSCO is one database vendor that you will use often during your time at AU. The library also has access to other database vendors like ProQuest and JSTOR. Use the vendor drop down list on the A-Z Database to view these options.
CINHAL Complete is a comprehensive nursing and allied health database, covering nursing, biomedicine, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines. It provides full text articles, evidence-based care sheets, quick lessons and continuing education modules.
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition provides indexing, abstracts and full-text for hundreds of journals covering nursing and allied health topics, including pediatric nursing, critical care, mental health, nursing management, medical law and more.
Subjects: athletic training, coaching and youth sport development, exercise science, health promotion, physical education, school health education, nursing, sciences
Content: journals, books, reports
Publication dates: 1952-present
Online database from the National Library of Medicine. Includes citations that may have links to full text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites. If full text is not available, you may need to request articles through Tipasa interlibrary loan service.
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making including systematic reviews, reports of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials, and clinical answers that provide a readable, digestible, clinically-focused entry point to rigorous research.
Subjects: health promotion, health science, nursing
Content: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, AHFS Consumer Medication Information, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessments
Publication date: varies
Explore the human body's anatomy and systems with interactive models, quizzes, and more. The brain and nervous system may be of particular interest to psychology and social work students.
There are a few steps to open the interface. Click this link then choose "Anatomy & Physiology." On the following page, click "Launch." A new window will open with Visible Body. It may take a few moments to load. If prompted, sign in using your AU credentials.