Proxy/remote access allows you to access electronic resources from a non wustl.edu network (no fee).
Use your WUSTL KEY username and password to log in to proxy.
For more information, see Becker Proxy Help and Tools.
A database is defined by the National Library of Medicine as “a structured file of information or a set of logically related data stored and retrieved using computer-based means.” Databases vary depending on subject, content, search features, date coverage and other features. Consult the user’s guide or select the help icon for each database to learn more about the features offered.
Subject Coverage
Most databases are subject or discipline specific; others cover more than one discipline such as the case with interdisciplinary topics related to Audiology, which may include both the Sciences and Social Sciences. Where to start? It depends on the nature of the topic or clinical question. For example, the MEDLINE database would be a recommended place to start for location of citations/abstracts to peer-reviewed journal articles for a search on Usher Syndromes. For a topic related to engineering such as directional microphones in hearing aids, Inspec or SCOPUS are recommended. For special education related topics such as literacy levels of hearing impaired children, PsycINFO or Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) are examples of databases that would be appropriate.
Date Coverage
Databases vary on date coverage of citations to indexed content. Most databases have complete files of citations to publications dating from the 1990s with some containing incomplete files of citations dating from the 1800s or earlier. If complete citation coverage for a specific time period is required it may be necessary to use several databases or to use the print version of a database (called a print periodical index) for complete coverage. The MEDLINE database includes complete coverage dating from 1949 to current while SCOPUS coverage is complete dating from 1996 to current but with additional citations dating from 1823.
Indexed Content
Databases index from various types of content with some being narrow in focus and others indexing from a variety of content types. The MEDLINE database is a highly specialized database that indexes peer-reviewed journal articles from a very select list of approximately 5,000 biomedical journals, using a controlled vocabulary, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH),for indexing of content. Another example of specialized database is Dissertation and Theses which indexes only dissertations and theses, worldwide, dating from 1637 to current. If an image of the mouse cochlea is needed, SpringerImages is a database to consult as its content is exclusive to scientific images, figures and graphs.
Other databases index from multiple content types ranging from citations/abstracts to peer-reviewed journal articles, trade publications, conference abstracts, dissertations, books, book chapters, book reviews, clinical guidelines, patents, and other works. For example, PsycINFO includes peer-reviewed journal articles, trade publications, books, book reviews, dissertations, and encyclopedias. The Cochrane Library includes citations to systematic reviews, peer-reviewed journal articles, books, conference abstracts, and unpublished literature. SCOPUS indexes from approximately 20,000 multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journals covering the Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities; and indexes content from materials such as trade publications, book series, conference abstracts, patent records, and dissertations. SCOPUS also includes keywords from multiple controlled vocabularies.
Some databases go beyond providing citations and abstracts to including full text content within the database, and others provide links to external resources for full text content.
Search Features
Databases vary on the search features and capabilities offered. For example, some databases may offer advanced search options such as limiting a search to gender, age, type of publication, and humans or animals; others may only offer basic search options. Some databases also index their records using a controlled vocabulary such as the case with MEDLINE. MEDLINE uses Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) which offers the option of identifying appropriate MeSH terms for searches to allow for more precise searching. Another example of a search feature is the ability to search by an author name. SCOPUS offers a specialized author search feature which allows users to search by an author name and retrieve all indexed publications by that author, and to view citing references to those publications. SCOPUS and Web of Science are two databases that offer a cited reference search option. This allows users to locate citing references to a specific publication. This feature is especially helpful if you have an older publication and want to track subsequent research based on the findings noted in the publication.
The mission of AHRQ is translating research findings into better patient care and providing policymakers and other health care leaders with information needed to make critical health care decisions. The AHRQ website provides guidelines instead of citations/abstracts to peer-reviewed journal articles.
Databases from Olin are not accessible via Becker Library proxy.
(Olin database) ArticleFirst contains literature on science, technology, medicine, social science, and business.
The Cochrane Library includes systematic reviews relating to the PREVENTION, TREATMENT or MANAGEMENT, and (if applicable) REHABILITATION of diseases of the ear, nose or throat.
Compendex is a comprehensive database of scientific and technical engineering literature and includes citations/abstracts to peer-reviewed journal articles and conference abstracts.
CINAHL is a comprehensive resource for nursing and allied health literature (audiology and speech-language pathology), and includes books, dissertations, conference proceedings, standards of practice, educational software, and audiovisuals.
Digital Commons@Becker contains independent studies, capstones and dissertations generated by PACS dating from 1938 to 2016.
(Olin database) Dissertation and Theses is a comprehensive database of dissertations and theses, worldwide, and is the official dissertation archives for the Library of Congress.
Embase is a up-to-date database covering international biomedical literature from 1947 to the present day and contains over 32 million indexed records, more than 8,500 currently indexed peer-reviewed journals, and over two million conference abstracts.
ERIC contains over 850,000 annotated references to journal articles appearing in the monthly Current Index to Journals in Education, and material published in the monthly Resources in Education.
Google Scholar is a publicly available resource of scholarly literature including citations/abstracts to peer-reviewed journal articles, dissertations, books, patents and conference abstracts from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations.
Google Scholar is freely available; however, all the content it points to is not. If you are on a campus network or access Google Scholar through our site while logged in to our proxy, you will automatically see links to full text from our libraries.
HAPI features material on unpublished information-gathering tools for clinicians that are discussed in journal articles, such as questionnaires, interview schedules, and tests used for speech and hearing therapy.
(Olin database) LLBA covers all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
MedlinePlus contains authoritative information from NLM, NIH, and other government agencies, and contains extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and the latest health news.
APA PyscInfo contains citations and summaries of journal articles, book chapters, books, and technical reports in the field of psychology and psychological aspects of related disciplines including medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology, linguistics, anthropology, business, and law. Previously know as PsycINFO in 2020 the name was changed to APA PsycInfo.
PubMed Medline is the National Library of Medicine’s search service that provides access to over 17 million citations from 5,000 titles in Medline, Premedline, and other related databases. Coverage dates from 1949-present; with some earlier citations. Searching is available to anyone but linking to full text content is limited to WU authenticated users.
Use PubMed Clinical Queries for clinical studies and systematic reviews.
SCOPUS is a large bibliographic database of scientific, technical, medical and social sciences literature and includes abstracts to conference proceedings, trade publications, books and patents.
Trip is a freely available search engine that serves as a clinical search tool designed to allow health professionals to rapidly identify the highest quality clinical evidence for clinical practice. Trip allows for filtering of searches by a color-coded hierarchy of evidence.
Access is restricted to WUSM, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Web of Science allows for concurrent searching of the following bibliographic databases: Science Citation Index,
Social Sciences Citation Index and the Arts & Humanities Citation Index.
WorldCat is a catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) global cooperative. It is built and maintained collectively by the participating libraries. It contains over 36 million records, including manuscripts written as early as the 11th century.
Cathy Sarli
Becker Medical Library