Databases and Searching Classes

This class will explore best practices for planning and conducting literature searches. The topics and tips introduced in this session are intended to support general literature searching practices that participants can use to conduct more effective searches, regardless of database used. This class will address the importance of the literature search, introduce a basic framework to help develop search strategies, discuss how to connect concepts and use other search helpers in your strategies, and explore resources and tools that support good literature searching practices. 

This session teaches students to use SciFinder-n in their approach to infringement and patentability searches. Explore the science hidden in patents, search patent Markush structures, and check the chemical landscape. By the end of this training, students can expect to learn: about the patent content in SciFinder-n, how to use an AI-driven prior art analysis, how to explore a chemical landscape, how to find substance locations with PatentPak, and how to search Markush structures.

This class will provide an overview of NIH Library services and information resources for HHS staff. By the end of this class, participants will be able to demonstrate how to access/login to the NIH Library online; describe available information resources for HHS staff; describe how to access online journals and access full text articles and access/search databases; demonstrate how to order articles and other documents; and discuss additional services available for HHS staff including manuscript preparation, document editing, and literature searching.

This class will provide an overview of NIH Library services and information resources for HHS staff. By the end of this class, participants will be able to demonstrate how to access/login to the NIH Library online; describe available information resources for HHS staff; describe how to access online journals and access full text articles and access/search databases; demonstrate how to order articles and other documents; and discuss additional services available for HHS staff including manuscript preparation, document editing, and literature searching.

Have you questioned why there is more than one database available through the NIH Library? Not sure which database best addresses your needs? This webinar provides an overview and an in-depth description and comparison of the major databases available to NIH researchers, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus.  Join this class which will outline the strengths and provide a comparison of the databases. By the end of the class, you will have a better understanding of the databases, and when and how to use them.

Join a Technical Information Specialist from the National Agricultural Library’s Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) to learn how to conduct a literature search for animal use alternatives using bibliographic databases. The regulations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) require investigators to provide Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) with documentation demonstrating that alternatives to procedures that may cause more than momentary pain or distress to the research animals have been considered and that activities do not unnecessarily duplicate previous experiments.

Learn how you can promote your scholarly output using ORCiD, from creating an ORCiD iD that is a permanent identifier for researchers, to using the full site to help track your publications and your peer review work for journals. NIH encourages everyone who is engaged in research, grants, and research education to create an ORCiD identifier. Using ORCiD enables researchers to highlight their scholarly work more effectively.

This class will provide an overview of databases and author profile websites to help locate experts in a research field. During this session, the instructor will review how to use tools to locate authors related to a specific topic, find algorithmically generated author profiles, and how to find author-maintained profiles. The instructor will also share how to identify additional citation and publication metrics for authors using InCites, including international and industry collaborations, first and last author positions, number of publications in high-impact journals, and more.

The CMS Virtual Library is an online resource designed specifically to support the information needs of CMS staff. This class will provide an overview of the CMS Virtual Library services and information resources.

Embase is a biomedical and pharmacological database covering international literature from 1947 to present. Embase includes citations and unique indexing for drugs not found in PubMed. This advanced training session will focus on using Embase for general literature searching, and will cover how to use the database’s embedded tools to design advanced queries for systematic reviews and adverse drug reactions.

Explore the New Web of Science interface with a refreshed look, enhanced workflow tools, faster page loads and more. Web of Science is a database providing access to billions of cited references, dating back to 1900 in the areas of life sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. This session provides a tutorial in using Web of Science, developing and executing searches on topics and citations, and managing results. 

This introductory class will provide an overview of patent search tools, with a focus on search and analysis options in a variety of patent databases: Espacenet, Google Patents, PATENTSCOPE, Derwent Innovations Index, and Lens.org. During this session, the instructor will review patent search concepts including patent families, patent classification systems, and kind codes. Chemical structure and genetic sequence search options will also be covered.

Animal models are used to study the development and progression of diseases and to test new treatments. Model organisms are a subset of research organisms that serve as a proxy for understanding human biology. This introductory class will cover techniques on locating biomedical research articles, patents, NIH-funded research projects, genetic information, and print and electronic books related to animal models and model organisms.

Preprints are increasingly a popular means of information dissemination in research. This is seen currently with preprints being used as a key resource for COVID-19 information. However, not all preprints are of equal value nor appropriate for all projects. Participants will gain skills to identify the strengths and weaknesses of preprints and learn ways to search for preprints.

Cochrane Library is a collection of databases with high-quality systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials and clinical answers. It offers simultaneous search of variety of resources to provide independent evidence to inform healthcare professionals in their decision making. This class will introduce the variety of resources offered by Cochrane Library, how to search them, and the key features of the search platform.

UpToDate is an evidence-based clinical resource which includes collections of medical and patient education information, access to Lexi-Comp drug monographs, and a variety of medical calculators. It is the only clinical decision support resource associated with improved outcomes. Its primary purpose is to help physicians quickly locate information to answer their questions. This introductory session will demonstrate the major features of the database and will provide a hands-on tutorial on how to search by disease, symptom, lab abnormality, drug, or procedure.

Embase is a biomedical and clinical database of bibliographic information. This seminar will explain Embase's features and how it compares to other databases like PubMed.  It will include designing queries, using form-based queries, multiple search strategies, combining searches, and conference and literature coverage. This class was designed for beginners and intermediate NIH users.

This webinar provides an overview of taxonomies, including the origins of taxonomies, where they are used in everyday life, and why they are important. The overview will present existing taxonomies in multiple areas and subjects (science, art, biology, medicine, industry, and news). The participants will learn about the importance of organizing their files and data and basic best practices for taxonomy building.

Conducting a systematic review can be time consuming and challenging. This class provides an overview of the different steps in the comprehensive process of conducting a systematic review. At the completion of the class, participants will be able to identify each step of the systematic review process and know where to access valuable resources.

SciFinder-n is a comprehensive database for chemical literature. Learn how to locate information from journals, patents, property values, and vendors; analyze large answer sets; export and share relevant literature; reaction search; review patents and non-patent literature; and structure drawing. SciFinder-n is available to NIH staff at no additional charge. New users should request access two work days prior to this class at https://www.nihlibrary.nih.gov/get-help/scifinder-registration. 

This class will provide an overview of NIH Library services and information resources for HHS staff. By the end of this class, participants will be able to demonstrate how to access/login to the NIH Library online; describe available information resources for HHS staff; describe how to access online journals and access full text articles and access/search databases; demonstrate how to order articles and other documents; and discuss additional services available for HHS staff including manuscript preparation, document editing, and literature searching.

This class will provide an overview of NIH Library services and information resources for NIH staff. By the end of this class, participants will be able to demonstrate how to remotely access/login to the NIH Library online; describe available information resources for NIH staff; describe how to access online journals and access full text articles and access/search databases; demonstrate how to order articles and other documents; and discuss additional services available for NIH staff including manuscript preparation, document editing, and literature searching.

This course will present a brief overview of the scope and features of clinical/biomedical research information resources, including: PubMed; Embase; evidence-based and clinical trials databases; other information resources of value in high-impact clinical care; and opportunities to obtain additional detailed information and specific training. 

Researchers today face an almost overwhelming flood of scientific literature in various formats. How does one keep up? There are resources that can help filter and organize the information. This workshop will provide a close look at (1) a database of recommended biomedical research article (Faculty of 1000 (F1000); (2) citation tracking (Scopus and PLOS); (3) customized database alerts (NLM My NCBI); journal reading and table of content apps (BrowZine); and (4) social media tools (Twitter). Information focused on your interests will be readily available.