Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) requires that decisions about health care are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence.
There are a number of resources which you can use to find the latest research evidence.
Databases allow you to search for peer reviewed articles from a large number of journal titles at the same time. The Library subscribes to a number of databases which you can access with your City email address. There are also databases available online which are free to use.
If you are performing a literature review for an assignment searching 3 or 4 databases will suffice. For a dissertation or doctoral research, searching between 5-8 databases is the norm.
See our Literature searching guide for help with searching databases.
Masters and Doctoral students who are writing a dissertation or research paper should use our Advanced literature searching and systematic reviews guide which covers more advanced search techniques.
EBSCOhost is a platform which gives you access to a number of databases, covering various subjects. You can create an account and save and edit any searches you perform within these databases.
To help you select databases most relevant to your research, here are details of those which cover information that may be relevant to language and communication science.
Multidisciplinary database providing access to full text articles, reports, conference proceedings and books.
Access to international literature in psychology, behavioural science and social sciences from the 1880s to present.
Database covering nursing and allied health research, including more than 50 nursing specialties.
Communication Source covers communications theory, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language, phonetics, media studies and related fields.
Database of information and peer reviewed research related to biomedicine, life sciences, behavioural sciences and biomedical engineering. Recommended for systematic reviews.
The full text articles to some journals may have embargo period up to 12 months.
Ovid Online is a platform which gives you access to a number of health databases. You can create an account and save and edit any searches you perform within these databases.
To help you select databases most relevant to your research, here are details of those which cover information that may be relevant to language and communication science.
Search for information on a range of specialities across allied health professions including alternative and complementary therapies.
Produced by the British Library's Health Care Information Service.
Contains references to thousands of controlled clinical healthcare trials.
Provides access to systematic reviews about the effectiveness of various interventions on a range of health conditions and issues.
High quality database for research across medicine and health sciences which is updated daily and recommended for systematic reviews.
Nursing and allied health database including international journals.
Database of the latest evidence in speech therapy.
Whilst databases can be used to find 'evidence' some resources have been designed to enable health professionals to access the latest evidence quickly. These resources can also find evidence not available through databases such as clinical guidelines.
Point of Care tools are research and reference resources that a clinician can utilise immediately at the point-of-care with a patient. Information often includes details about causes of conditions; signs and symptoms; how to assess and treat patients with specific conditions and the incidence and prevalence of conditions.