Finding journal articles: a basic guide Use CINAHL to find journal articles on specific subjects

From Queen’s Online homepage go to “My Library”.

Click on “Library Home”.

Click on “Online Resources”.

Click on “Find Database” and log in.

Click on “C”.

Scroll down and click on “CINAHL”.

Follow the links to CINAHL.

Let’s find journal articles on maintaining patient dignity during nursing care.

Type in the first term and click on “Search”.

This brings up the first term and other related terms.

Click on scope note to get more information about the term.

Tick the term or terms you wish to search for and click on “search database”.

This brings up a list of journal articles on the subject of nursing care. We now need to search for our second term, but first we must clear the search box.

Type in the second term and click on “search”.

The database gives us the preferred term for dignity. Tick the box and then click on “Search Database”.

We now need to combine these two terms to retrieve all journal articles on patient dignity during nursing care. First clear the search box.

Tick the terms to be combined and then “Search with AND”.

We now have a list of 57 journal articles on maintaining patient dignity during nursing care. Scroll down to see the articles.

Move the curser over the magnifying glass symbol to see the abstract of the article

If the article looks relevant click on “Add to Folder”. Repeat this process until you have plenty of articles to choose from. Remember, not all articles will be available through Queen’s.

Click on “Folder View”.

Click on “QConnect” to see if the journal article is available, or even better is available electronically!

This article has no e-access. Click on QCat holdings to see which libraries take the journal.

Click on location.

Make a note of the library you wish to go to and the shelfmark of the journal.

Tick the box (we will print these references out later).

This journal is available electronically.

But we are linked to the journal home page, not the article. We need the reference to find the article. Again close the windows and return to folder view and tick box to print off later.

This article is available electronically.

We are linked straight through to the article. Click to see full text.

Read the article and if it is suitable, print.

Return to your folder, and print off remaining references to find which library the journals are located in, or follow references to print electronically.

Other useful information

Create an account to save your articles to for later use.

Use “Narrow Results” and “Limit Results” to refine your search.

HELP!!!! Further assistance is available by selecting the Help button from the top right hand corner of the database pages. Or contact your librarian Brenda Allen tel or call in the Biomedical Library, MBC