Block 1 assignment : Define and search
Before starting your assignment:
- Review the Nursing & Midwifery Research Modules:
- Define
- Search
- Carefully read the assignment and rubric (check for instructor-specific requirements).
- Review the resources provided below on this page.
If you still need help after completing these steps, connect with Francine May, Nursing & Midwifery Librarian.
Overview of the assignment
After completing the Define and Search modules, this video will walk you through the assignment and the worksheet.
- Block 1 - Tips for your assignment video transcript
Block 1 assignment tips
- Do your background check: read the assignment + rubric (note any instructor-specific requirements).
- Refresh with Research Modules 1 + 2 (“Define” + “Search”).
- Frame your research question with PICO (effectiveness/outcomes) or PS (experiences/attitudes). Adjust if needed once you search.
- Search widely: PubMed/MEDLINE (pick one) + TRIP, and CINAHL or PsycINFO if relevant. Use synonyms; broaden or narrow as needed.
- Evaluate carefully: use the 6S Pyramid to gauge strength; reflect on quality, sample size, and applicability.
- Cite properly: paraphrase, provide in-text citations + a reference list.
Search tools covered in the following videos
Core databases
For most health topics, you will likely need to search either PubMed or MEDLINE. They overlap, so you only need to search one for this assignment.
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PubMedSearches the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics.
💡 Tip: Click Display Options → Abstract to see resources available via MRU. Visit Search help for more search tips.
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MEDLINENote: MEDLINE’s content is also in PubMed, but its interface offers different search tools and extra limits (e.g., qualitative Clinical Queries).
💡 Tip: See the EBSCOhost Quick Start Guide for search tips and useful features.
Guidelines tool
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TRIP Pro DatabaseA clinical tool used by clinicians to identify and link out to thebest available evidence to answer clinical and research questions. Includes journal articles, guidelines, systematic reviews, images, videos, patient information leaflets, educational modules, and news.
💡 Tip: See the Trip Database Blog for search tips & strategies & watch "How to Use Trip Database" introduction to the tool.
Additional databases
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CINAHL Plus with Full TextA core source for nursing and allied health research - full text access to many journals, plus tailored search tools.
💡 Tip: See the EBSCOhost Quick Start Guide for search tips and useful features. -
PsycInfoContains citations and summaries of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations in psychology and related disciplines.
💡 Tip: See the EBSCOhost Quick Start Guide for search tips and useful features.
PICO and PS
This video is also available in the Define research module.
6S evidence pyramid and choosing the tight tool for your search
This video also appears in the Search module. For a more detailed description of each layer, refer to the 6S pyramid page.
Advanced search tips in Medline and CINAHL
Tips for using the Trip Database
Important heads up: Make sure you use the link to TRIP provided below rather than searching for it in Google. The link from the Library website takes you to an enhanced version with more search options. The free version does not allow you to limit guidelines by country.
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TRIP Pro DatabaseA clinical tool used by clinicians to identify and link out to thebest available evidence to answer clinical and research questions. Includes journal articles, guidelines, systematic reviews, images, videos, patient information leaflets, educational modules, and news.
💡 Tip: See the Trip Database Blog for search tips & strategies & watch "How to Use Trip Database" introduction to the tool.
