CINAHL Plus Basic Search

Effective Searching: CINAHL Plus

This tutorial will show you how to search the CINAHL database to find journal articles. You can use the skills you learn here, to find journal articles on any topic in most Library databases.

About CINAHL

                                     
Let's get started!

How to use this tutorial

How to access CINAHL Plus

We are starting at the A-Z Database list.

From the Library homepage click on A-Z Databases.

Then

• Click C
• Click CINAHL Plus
• Enter your username and password
• You are now in CINAHL Plus

How to search CINAHL Plus

We are looking for journal articles using the example topic:

‘Use of empathy when establishing communication with the client in a health care setting'

• The main search words are: empathy AND communication AND client
• Alternative search words for empathy include: compassion OR caring
• An alternative search word for client is: patient

Click on the image below to enlarge it. Type the search as shown in this image into CINAHL Plus.

Click Search 

Search Tips Explained

Search Results Page

Searching is a process

Sometimes you will get an overwhelming number of results and other times you will get too few, or none at all.

In your search results, you'll notice your search words are in bold.

You can use your search results to look for more relevant search words or phrases to try.

Look at the first 5 article titles.

Click on each article title to view the full details.

Look at:

• Article title
• Abstract (article summary)
• Subjects

Find three different search words/phrases from the above options and enter them into the box below.

 (Click on Results List to return to your search results.)

Review Suggestions

Changing your search

The phrase “communication skills” appears in the subject field several items.

Using an exact phrase will help to focus your results. To practice this, add the phrase "communication skills" to the search box in place of communicat*

Click Search

Look at the top 5 articles found and consider if they are more relevant to the topic.

Tips:

• If your search results don't look useful, it's time to try new search words.
• Also think about the content and concepts covered in your subject for ideas about relevant search words.
  
  

Limiting Results

Frequently, in your assessment task and criteria you will be asked to find Academic Journals

On the left hand side of the results are options to limit results.

In the 'Source Type' column click on Academic Journals.

                       ------------------

Date Published

Often you will need to find recent or up to date research.

To practice let's limit results by date.

In the ‘Limit to’ column on the left hand side, use the scroll bar to select Publication dates for:

        '2014 - 2019'

Your search is now limited to academic articles published in the last 5 years.

Search History is a temporary record of previous searches, it allows you to view, revise, or combine searches

Finding Full Text

Finding Full Text

To read useful articles click on either or

Open one PDF article and save it to a folder on your computer. 

Tip: Create a subject folder on your computer to store resources for assessments.

Feedback

Thank you for completing this Library tutorial.

So that we can evaluate and improve our tutorials, we would appreciate if you could provide anonymous feedback.

Practice with your own assessment topic

Ask Us

If you need further help please Ask us.

Certificate

Please enter your name to print a copy of your completed quiz.

Print or save your certificate as a PDF to keep for your records or to send to your instructor.