The Week 2 Assignment in NURS 6052 asks that students locate and search in at least 4 different databases in the Walden Library to identify at least 4 relevant peer-reviewed articles based on the clinical issue of interest and using keywords related to the clinical issue of interest. You are also asked to evaluate the methodology used in each of the articles you've located.

Specifically, after reviewing this guide you will be able to:

• locate nursing databases in the Walden Library
• pick appropriate search terms
• search for research articles based on clinical issue of interest
• evaluate articles for the methodology used

The NURS 6052 Week 2 Assignment asks that students locate at least 4 different databases in the Walden Library to identify at least 4 relevant peer-reviewed articles based on the clinical issue of interest.
 

1. To begin, try using the Nursing Research databases. 
2. Break apart your topic into separate subtopics. Learn how to select and refine keywords in a database search.
3. If you were researching COVID and heart related issues, you could enter your keywords like the example below.
   Always start broadly with one term or concept.
   
   First search box:  covid*
   
   Notes: capitalization does not matter; the asterisk is a truncation symbol, so this will retrieve COVID, COVID19, or COVID-19.
   
   Second search box:  heart OR cardiac OR cardiovascular OR coronary​
   
   Note: Learn more about Boolean terms: AND, OR, NOT.
    
4. Limits may be applied from the Results screen, in the left column. If you wish to limit your date range to the last five years, under Publication Date, enter 2016 in the first Year box. This will limit your results to articles published from 2016 to the current year.
    
5. Click inside the check mark boxes for Full Text and Peer Reviewed if applicable. Note: Not all databases will have these limiters. 
   

Search tips:

• Try adding nursing as a separate concept in a separate search box. Especially if you are using a more general database and not a nursing-related one.
• Refine your results depending on what you find. Don’t be afraid to try other words or combinations of words to get a sizeable results list, then you can apply limits.
• For information about how to locate full text:
  Quick Answer: How do I get the full text of an article?
• For this assignment, it is not recommended to select systematic reviews. Look for original research articles.
  Quick Answer: How do I find original or primary research that analyzes empirical data?
• Ask a Librarian if you need more help!
   

See also: Nursing Recorded Webinars

The NURS 6052 week 2 assignment also asks that you analyze the methodologies applied in each of the four articles you've chosen.

Many articles and dissertations will include methodology terms in the abstract or title. Be sure to also look at the methodology section in the full text of the article. This will provide detailed information about the methodology used.

To learn more about locating an article by a given methodology please use the following links:

For help with this assignment, see the following links from other departments outside the Library: