When conducting research, especially in a database, it is helpful to know the medical or scientific term for what you are researching. For example you may want to research why is the rate of heart disease so high in older women. How do you know that heart disease is the correct term to use? Below are two approaches to finding the most useful terms to use.
MeSH Terms or Medical Subject Headings are a standardized way of describing and indexing journal articles in the medical field. These terms help researchers label and find the most relevant research when searching databases.
Scholarly resources have the following characteristics:
URL's constantly change both in databases and online. So how can you be sure your link will work when you try to access your research at a later time? Look for a permalink. A permalink is a permanent link to an article that will always take you back to the same article or webpage. When looking for a permalink look for the link icon, "permanent link", "stable URL," "more options," or any wording that indicates the link is not going to change.
Most database articles will have a permalink option. Watch the short video below to see how to find a permalink in a database.
Research can be messy and complicated. It is important that you find a style that works best for you to stay organized from the beginning. Below is an example of a traditional index card strategy. Whether you decide to use index cards, a word document, or something else, take a look at the index card below so you know what information you should be recording while taking notes.