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Beginning Your Research at the Library
New York Medical College – Health Sciences Library

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How to search for information on a topic or subject
	Search a Library Database
	On the Library’s web site there are databases with collections of journals, books, evidence-based medicine resources, newspapers and magazines, and more. These can be searched using the key terms you have selected.
	Searching the Library's databases can be an effective method of finding information on your subject, resulting in journal articles, newspaper articles, chapters and sections in books, as well as information from other sources.
	Each database provides a search interface allowing you to search for material on your topic. A help section is also provided by each database with instructions on how to use the interface. Although search interfaces share similarities from database to database, if you have a question concerning use, consult the database’s help section, or talk to a Reference Librarian (914) 594-4210.
	The information you obtain from searching a database will be, depending upon the database, available in a variety of different formats and locations. The results may be:
		Full-text in the database
		A citation with a link to full-full text
		A citation, requiring you to retrieve the journal title from the Library shelf
		A citation requiring that you—when the Library does not subscribe to the journal, or own the book—ask the Library to order the item through Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
	The Library databases can be searched from on campus, or from off campus.
	To view and search the available databases, go to the Databases web page
	Additional Information:
	For a tip sheet on finding full-text online, see Finding Full-Text on the Library’s Web Site
	For a tip sheet on PubMed, the MEDLINE database with links to full-text articles, see Searching PubMed.
	For a tip sheet on how the PubMed links to full-text articles work, see PubMed LinkOut.
	National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Tutorial
	For Step by Step Instructions for Off-Campus Access of Library's web site resources
	The Library provides instruction on searching databases. See more information about Library instruction.
	Search the Library Online Catalog
	The Online Catalog can be searched for books, journals, videos, and other materials on a topic. There are many methods by which to search, you can search by title, by author, or by subject and more.
	For a tip sheet on how to search the Online Catalog, see How to Use the Online Catalog
Next:  Finding the Source. "If I have the citation to an article, or a book title—how do I find the full-text source?"
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	H. Lougee-Heimer 6/19/09