Once you've figured out what information you're going to be looking for and decided on a set of keywords to use, you need to figure out what databases you'll need to search. There is a lot of variety in the types of materials covered by different databases, as well as the timespans and overall scope covered, so making sure you select databases that are relevant to your research is a very important step.
To meet the literature search requirements of the IACUC, you need to select at least 2 different databases (2 for non-duplication and 2 for alternatives). However, it is acceptable, and encouraged, to search as many as are relevant.
Please note that Google Scholar is not a research database. It can be useful for finding some relevant articles and similar research projects, but it is not acceptable to be included it as one of your two databases for the purposes of your IACUC application.
NOTE: If prompted, please enter your MU credentials. Do not select “Institutional Sign In.” Clearing web browser cookies and cache may also fix access issues
Use Web of Science to perform a cited reference search, where you can look up an article and see how many times it has been cited. Databases can be searched together or separate and include: Web of Science Core Collection: Science Citation Index (1900-present), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-present), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present), Conference Proceedings Citation Index (1975-present), Book Citation Index (2005-present), Emerging Sources Citation Index (2015-present), Current Chemical Reactions (1985-present), Index Chemicus (1993-present). Web of Science Additional Databases: BIOSIS Citation Index (1926-present), BIOSIS Previews, Current Contents Connect, Data Citation Index (1900-present), Derwent Innovations Index, KCI - Korean Journal Database, MEDLINE, Russian Science Citation Index, SciELO Citation Index, Zoological Record (1864-present). Users may encounter content in this database the library has not purchased.
NOTE: If prompted, please enter your MU credentials. Do not select “Institutional Sign In.” Clearing web browser cookies and cache may also fix access issues
Use Web of Science to perform a cited reference search, where you can look up an article and see how many times it has been cited. Databases can be searched together or separate and include: Web of Science Core Collection: Science Citation Index (1900-present), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-present), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present), Conference Proceedings Citation Index (1975-present), Book Citation Index (2005-present), Emerging Sources Citation Index (2015-present), Current Chemical Reactions (1985-present), Index Chemicus (1993-present). Web of Science Additional Databases: BIOSIS Citation Index (1926-present), BIOSIS Previews, Current Contents Connect, Data Citation Index (1900-present), Derwent Innovations Index, KCI - Korean Journal Database, MEDLINE, Russian Science Citation Index, SciELO Citation Index, Zoological Record (1864-present). Users may encounter content in this database the library has not purchased.
NOTE: If prompted, please enter your MU credentials. Do not select “Institutional Sign In.” Clearing web browser cookies and cache may also fix access issues
Use Web of Science to perform a cited reference search, where you can look up an article and see how many times it has been cited. Databases can be searched together or separate and include: Web of Science Core Collection: Science Citation Index (1900-present), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-present), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present), Conference Proceedings Citation Index (1975-present), Book Citation Index (2005-present), Emerging Sources Citation Index (2015-present), Current Chemical Reactions (1985-present), Index Chemicus (1993-present). Web of Science Additional Databases: BIOSIS Citation Index (1926-present), BIOSIS Previews, Current Contents Connect, Data Citation Index (1900-present), Derwent Innovations Index, KCI - Korean Journal Database, MEDLINE, Russian Science Citation Index, SciELO Citation Index, Zoological Record (1864-present). Users may encounter content in this database the library has not purchased.
When doing an alternatives search, one of the two databases you search in is required to be AGRICOLA.
The other database can be of your choosing; it's a good idea to pick one that is discipline specific that relates to your study. See suggestions above.
Additional Resources
While not appropriate database selections, the following are valuable resources to consult for animal care guidance.
If you need a quick introduction to a database, check out these videos from you librarians at Miami.