Bastyr University: Library: Resources: Research Guides: Access To Free Scholarly Information

Research Guide: Access to Free Scholarly Information

Bastyr University Library
May 2006
Online version at: http://www.bastyr.edu/library/resources/researchguide/scholarlyaccess.asp

The volume of scholarly information has been increasing on the Internet. The following are tips for locating free journals, articles and other useful research, with an emphasis on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Due to licensing restrictions, private institutions such as the Bastyr University Library, cannot allow individuals other than students, faculty and staff to use their databases and online journals; however, public libraries and state colleges must, as part of their mission, allow access to the general public.

Searching the Web for Scholarly Research

For a comprehensive search, use at least three major search engines; the overlap is only about 20%. For a current list of the best ones, refer to www.searchenginewatch.com.
Use a specialty search engine, such as www.scirus.com, which accesses more in-depth information and does not index commercial Web sites. Refer to www.searchenginewatch.com for a comprehensive list.
Go directly to the source. For example, if you want statistics on type 2 diabetes, search the American Association of Diabetes homepage. For statistics, search the best governmental resource, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, www.cdc.gov.
The best information often lies in the “invisible web.” Use the Advanced Search options , offered by major search engines, in order to dig deeper. For example, “Limit to” (Acrobat) PDF format. Many studies are published in this format and may not appear in the first few pages of your search results unless you select this limit. Advanced search options will focus your search and increase the relevancy of your results. Features vary depending on the search engine.
On the Advanced Search Page, limit your results to a domain, such as .gov, .edu, .org. You can also eliminate domains by selecting NOT .com. This is particularly helpful for botanical searches.
Use specific, unique terms rather than general ones. For example, search for diabetes mellitus type 2 instead of diabetes
Enclose phrases in quotations or use the phrase box.

Databases Accessible through the Web

MEDLINE (www.pubmed.gov), the primary international biomedical database, continues to add free full text. To search for these documents click on Limits (below the search box), and select Links to Free Full Text.. Select the Complementary Medicine subset for citations pertaining to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Agricola (http://agricola.nal.usda.gov/), the National Agriculture Database, encompasses all aspects of agriculture, including nutrition, environmental science and education. It is primarily a citation database but contains links to thousands of free full-text documents and includes articles, book chapters, short reports and reprints.

HerbMed (http://www.herbmed.org/) is produced by the Alternative Medicine Foundation. It contains links to the evidence-based data underlying the use of herbs for health. This database is not updated as frequently as the professional version, HerbMedPro, that is available for a modest fee. See the HerbMed Web site for details. To determine when the database was last updated click on About HerbMed.

ERIC (http://www.eric.ed.gov/), from the Education Resources Information Center, is the premier database for education literature, with journal citations and free, full text. It is useful for research having an education component, such as teaching cooking skills to low-income people.

Free Journals Directories

Directory of Open Access Journals (www.doaj.org)
Journals listed must meet quality control standards. Over 600 journals are searchable by topic. Click on Search Articles on the left-hand toolbar.

Freemedicaljounals.com (http://freemedicaljournals.com/htm/index.htm#fmj)
Journals may be sorted by specialty or browsed alphabetically. Offers access to nearly 1500 titles.

Highwire (http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl)
The largest repository of free, full-text life science articles; searchable by topic.

E-Journals

The following is a select list of high-quality, peer-reviewed journals. Some require free registration. Note: journals must be searched individually.

Ethnobotany Research and Applications
http://www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/
Articles from an array of disciplines, including the biological and social sciences.
The Internet Journal of Alternative Medicine
http://tinyurl.com/9zydv
Edited by Dr. Samer Koutoubi, Bastyr University, School of Nutrition and Exercise Science.
International Journal of Naturopathic Medicine
http://www.intjnm.org/homepage.php?id=1
A multi-disciplinary CAM journal
Nutrition Journal
http://www.nutritionj.com/
Peer reviewed. Research reports, clinical studies, case reports, and reviews.
Preventing Chronic Disease
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/about_the_journal/index.htm
Published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Tips for Accessing Free Scholarly Research in Major Cities

Public libraries, including King County (www.kcls.org) and Seattle Public (www.spl.org) have research-oriented databases, such as ProQuest Direct, InfoTrac and Expanded Academic Index. Call a reference librarian in your city for details.
Explore the public academic institutions in your area, including community colleges. In most cases, you will have free access to databases and journals on site. Colleges with programs in nursing, environmental science, biology, psychology, nutrition and allied sciences are likely to have relevant resources. In order to use your time efficiently, search the online catalog prior to visiting the campus.
Ask a librarian for help in running searches. Although he or she may not be a subject expert, librarians are adept at navigating databases and the Web and can help you identify search terms and formulate search strategies.
Inquire about interlibrary loan services. Many public libraries will order articles for a nominal amount or for free.

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