SPME Library Search Resources

DATABASES

Two databases should always be searched for sports medicine and exercise science topics:

• MedLine
• SPORTDiscus

The following databases may also provide supplemental material that is not indexed on either MedLine or SPORTDiscus.

• Science Direct
• General Science Plus
• Research Library
• Academic Search Elite

If you are seeking a dissertation, then use this database:

• Dissertation Abstracts/Digital Dissertations

Lastly, you may also wish to search in the WorldCat card catalog

HOW TO CHOOSE "GOOD" KEYWORDS FOR SEARCHES

• Examine the keywords that appear in your prior searches.  Often if you find a good source, you can click on the keywords to conduct a more refined search.

SEARCH STRATEGIES

• http://lisweb.curtin.edu.au/resources/cdsearch.html
• http://www.waikato.ac.nz/library/learning/g_strategies.shtml

SECRET TIP FOR LOCATING SOURCES

• If you can find a recent article related to your topic, examine the reference list in the article.  Usually, you can identify several sources from a close review of the reference list.  Additionally, you will often see the names of researchers who publish on this topic occurring several times in the reference list.  You can then conduct database searches on the author names.

ONCE YOU FIND AN ARTICLE, HOW DO YOU GET A COPY?

• Examine the search results closely, often a direct link to a pdf file is provided
• Check the Pepperdine University Journal Title List.  If the journal is present, follow the journal title link to get the article.
• If a direct link to the article is not present AND the journal does not appear in the Pepperdine University Journal Title List, use InterLibrary Loan (ILL)
• You can also try searching for the author's name or the article title on Google.  Frequently authors post pdf versions of their publications on personal web sites.

WHAT TO AVOID

• Searches where you lack a clear direction or understanding of your topic
• Trying to obtain Master's Theses.  Master's Theses are generally only held in one library, often take several weeks to retrieve via ILL, and are often of low-to-poor quality.  It is not worth you time to "track down" a Master's Thesis.  Instead, search for the author of the thesis in the databases shown above.  If the author's thesis work was high quality, chances are it will be published in article form somewhere.  You will have much greater success retrieving the article.