About the Literature Searching programme
These modules are designed to help the healthcare workforce (clinical and non-clinical) build confidence to search published literature for articles and evidence relevant to their work, study and research. The modules are short (each taking no more than 20 minutes to complete) and may be ‘dipped into’ for reference, or completed to obtain a certificate. There are seven modules suitable for novice searchers and those wishing to refresh their knowledge:
- Module 1 Introduction to searching
- Module 2 Where do I start searching?
- Module 3 How do I start to develop a search strategy?
- Module 4 Too many results? How to narrow your search
- Module 5 Too few results? How to broaden your search
- Module 6 Searching with subject headings
If you require further assistance contact your local healthcare library team. Check the Health Library and Information Services Directory to find your local library.
More information
Select each module below to find out more information:
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Module 1
Introduction to searchingModule 1
The aim of this module is to help you:
- Consider the processes involved in searching and identify which areas you need to develop
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Recognise when you need to conduct a search
- Identify which searching skills you need to develop
- Find out where you can access further help with searching
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Understand where to get help with searching
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Module 2
Where do I start searching?Module 2
The aim of this module is to help you:
- Ensure that you are looking in the right places for information
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify the range of resources available to you
- Identify appropriate resources relevant to your search topic
- Locate the full-text of a journal article
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Use the right resources to save time searching
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Module 3
How do I start to develop a search strategy?Module 3
The aim of this module is to help you:
- Develop a simple search strategy and save time in the long run by spending some time planning your search
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify what you want to know and focus your topic
- Use frameworks to break down your topic
- Identify additional search terms to broaden the search
- Use AND/OR to combine search terms
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Put time into planning the search to get the most out of it
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Module 4
Too many results? How to narrow your searchModule 4
The aim of this module is to help you:
- Use techniques to narrow your search to find relevant articles in less time
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Apply limits (e.g. year of publication)
- See the impact of searching in the title and abstract
- See the impact of phrase searching on the results
- Amend your search strategy to reduce the number of results
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Not give up on searching because you find too much information
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Module 5
Too few results? How to broaden your searchModule 5
The aim of this module is to help you:
- Use techniques to increase your search results even when there doesn’t seem much available at first
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Add different endings to a search term
- See the impact of removing keywords from your search
- See the impact of removing limits from your search
- Amend your search strategy to increase the number of results
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Not give up on searching too soon because you don’t find much information
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Module 6
Searching with subject headingsModule 6
The aim of this module is to help you:
- Use advanced techniques to find more relevant articles in less time
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Describe what a subject heading is (or thesaurus term) and why it is used
- Describe the difference between subject heading and keyword search
- Select relevant subject headings for your search
- Broaden or narrow a search using subject headings
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Applying more advanced search techniques
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Module 7
Searching the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub and bibliographic databasesModule 7
The aim of this module is to help you:
- The aim of this module is to help you get the most out of the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub and a range of bibliographic databases are available from a number of providers:
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Login into the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub with NHS OpenAthens
- Know when to use the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub and when to use the bibliographic databases
- Use the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub to conduct a basic search and to find articles
- Know where to conduct advanced searches on the bibliographic databases
- Access a range of materials to help you use the resources available
What behaviour will we aim to change:
- Apply a range of search techniques to an essential resource for the healthcare workforce
Thank you
Thank you to the Steering Group, chaired by Helen Bingham, for bringing their expertise and knowledge to the project team. Thanks also to our wonderful team of library staff who made up the Virtual Reference Group, testing, evaluating and informing the development of the modules.
Meet the team
Sarah Lewis
Library Services Manager, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Tracey Pratchett
Knowledge & Library Services Manager, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Michelle Maden
Independent Information Consultant
Mandy Davis
Blended Learning Manager, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Wayne Troake
Senior Educational Technologist, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Tracey Geddis
Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
How to access
Available to all
The Literature Searching programme is freely available to access here.
Please note your progress and completion of sessions will not be recorded and you will not be able to generate a record of completion. If you require evidence of learning, please register and then log in to access this programme on the elfh Hub.
If you already have an account with elfh, then you can enrol on to the Literature Searching programme by logging in to the elfh Hub, selecting My Account > Enrolment and selecting the programme. You can then access the programme immediately in the My elearning section.
To view the Literature Searching programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.
NHS healthcare staff in England
The Literature Searching programme is also available to NHS healthcare staff via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). Accessing this elearning via ESR means that your completions will transfer with you throughout your NHS career.
Further details are available here.
Not an NHS organisation?
If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.
To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ‘OpenAthens’ portal.
Registering large numbers of users
If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Literature Searching programme, please contact elfh directly.
Organisations wishing to use their own LMS
For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.
More information
Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.