Research Guides: MHS 1940: Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Finding Scholarly Articles: Databases & More

Librarian for Sociology, Environmental Sociology, MHS, GSS, and Public Policy Studies

Pam Morgan

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Subjects: Gender and Sexuality Studies, Medicine, Health and Society, Public Policy Studies, Sociology

Scholarly Sources

Vanderbilt University Library Search

Selecting the best search scope for your research needs:

Everything vs. Library Catalog vs. Articles

Search Scope	What is included?	When should I use it?
Everything	Broadest search scope Results will include books and ebooks, articles, and media like DVDs	A great option when you are just beginning your research process. Use Everything when you want to survey the research landscape for your topic
Library Catalog	Focuses on VU owned items, physical and digital Results will include books and ebooks, and media like DVDs Digital collections like the TV News Archive will also be included in your results	You have defined your information needs Use Library Catalog when you are ready to create a tailored search for your topic
Articles	Content from selected VU databases Popular and scholarly articles	Use Articles to find popular and scholarly articles on your topic. The Articles scope does not search across all databases accessible to the Vanderbilt community. Not finding the articles you need or want more database options? Consult the Database A-Z

For a more detailed explanation of your search scope options consult What am I searching?

Keyword vs. Subject Searching

Step 1: Start your search process by brainstorming a list of keywords that describe the main concepts of your topic or question.

Step 2: Use these keywords for your initial searches.

Step 3: Use the Subject Heading links in the Library Catalog record to refine your search. A subject heading is a specific word or phrase used to find and organize books and articles by topic.

1. Use quotes around phrases

2. Use the "Quick Filters" if you want just books, articles, etc.

3. If you need peer reviewed sources, apply that filter

4. Use "Format" for other types of sources such as newspaper articles, book chapters, etc.

5. Use the date limiter

A complete list of limiters can be found on the left hand side of the screen.

Screenshot of Library search for the phrase racial health disparities

The following databases will help you find articles on your topic:

Library Search This link opens in a new window
Check out the Library Search which finds print and electronic items, including journal and newspaper articles, book chapters, books, reviews, legal documents, and much more. Note: Due to licensing restrictions, some content is only available to current students, faculty, and staff.
Vendor Tutorials: https://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/searchhelp/
Google Scholar Vanderbilt Login This link opens in a new window
Use this link to seamlessly access VU resources via Google Scholar both on and off campus.

You can also adjust your Google Scholar settings to display the Vanderbilt Findit@VU link to appear in search results and allow for access from on or off-campus. Access Google Scholar settings by visiting this page (https://scholar.google.com/scholar_settings).

Click library links on the left hand menu. in the search box, search for Vanderbilt and select: “Vanderbilt University Library – Findit@VU” (with uppercase F), Click Save.
Vendor Tutorials: Add VU to your Google profile - https://scholar.google.com/scholar_settings
PubMed This link opens in a new window
International journals in medicine, public health, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and the preclinical sciences. Information from allied health, biological and physical sciences, humanities and information science as they relate to medicine and health care.
CINAHL Ultimate This link opens in a new window
Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature: authoritative coverage of literature related to nursing and allied health professionals.
ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Search all ProQuest databases simultaneously. Includes arts, humanities, social sciences, news, and science and technology.

What is ?

FindIt@VU provides direct links from a database citation to the fulltext of the article (if available) and other supporting resources.

An FAQ for FindIt@VU is also available.