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Forensic Science and Crime & Investigative Studies (CIS): Help with resources

General search tips

You can start your search in any way you prefer.  Library Search and Google Scholar can be useful starting points. Use our guides to find out more:

Using AI tools for literature searching

New AI tools for literature searching could also be useful as starting points for your search. However, you should evaluate the tool itself and the information it provides.

Make the most of the good quality academic resources available in this guide and get in touch if you have any questions.

Find out more in the ARU AI Guide linked below - including what is and what is not allowed and an overview of tools you might see promoted on the internet.

Google Scholar

The 4 minute video below shows some of the features of Google Scholar that you can use to help you find relevant material.

The script for this video can be found using the link below.

For more information, try Google Scholar's help pages.

Use instructions on the library website to set your library links so you see Full-Text@ARU links and don't miss the content we provide.

This video demonstrates the off-campus institutional access steps you may need to use for some articles.

Use our InterLibrary Loan service for any articles you need that you can't get freely or through ARU.

Need help?

Contact the library with general questions. You'll be redirected quickly to the Subject Librarian team if you need help with finding information sources or referencing, 

 

Need more in-depth help? Book an appointment with your Subject Librarian, Andrea Packwood.

Help resources for databases

Use the Search tips and Help options in the databases you would like to search. Many have video tutorials, but not all.

Some help resources are listed below covering commonly used databases mentioned within this guide.

SCOPUS

  1. SCOPUS search help page. The help page includes a short video on building a search for alternative keywords for the same topic. Use AND to join the search boxes together if you are searching for two different concepts that you want to find in each if your results. 
  2. SCOPUS quick reference card (pdf). Gives an overview of main SCOPUS features.
  3. There are more detailed video tutorials on a range of SCOPUS features including tips for expanding your search using cited, citing, and related records.

Web of Science

  1. Web of Science Core Collection - Quick Reference Guide. Gives an overview of the features of the main Web of Science database.
  2. Web of Science tutorial on Strategies for combining search fields and other videos on the Web of Science YouTube playlist.
  3. The WoS platform also includes several other databases and you can search Biosis (good life sciences database) and Medline at the same time as Web of Science. Choose All databases from the drop down 'Search in' menu above the search boxes. Then choose the individual Collections you would like to include, as shown in the screenshot below where Web of Science Core Collection and Biosis have been selected. 

PubMed

  1. Basic instructions in FAQ format in How do I search Pubmed?
  2. Videos on a range of PubMed tools on the PubMed Online Training pages.
  3. Add the LibKey Nomad browser extension to quickly see which articles are available in full through ARU subscriptions from your PubMed results - and to access them.

Westlaw UK

  • Access a full range of support materials on the Westlaw page - under Product Support at the very bottom of the home page.
  • Find out how to use WestLaw effectively - and get a certificate to prove it with the short WestLaw Certification modules. Videos can be watched without completing the certification quiz.

EBSCOHost databases (including Medline and PsycInfo)

The EBSCOhost search screens changed on 6 August 2025. Instructions for the new interface are given below.

  1. EBSCOhost quick guides to different features in the new interface, including an introductory video.
  2. Generic video on Advanced Search. Please note: you do not have to specify a field to search as shown in the example in the Advanced video and can leave it as the default 'All fields'. This will search author, subject, keywords, title and abstract fields for each record in the database. Details of what each search field option covers is available from the Help menu (?) in each database or from the EBSCO Connect 'Database helps sheets'.
  3. Using the CINAHL/MeSH Subject Headings Feature in the New EBSCOhost Interface. Choose from a 3.53 minute video or a Powerpoint tutorial or webpage instructions. Controlled vocabulary is useful when carrying out a systematic search and as an equivalent to keywords if you are unsure what words to use. MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) is used in Medline, CINAHL has a similar thesaurus. PsycInfo uses the APA's Thesaurus of Psychological Index terms but the principles of use are the same. Please note: until fixed by EBSCO, the new interface only allows you to explode a Psychology subject heading to one level below your chosen term.

Proquest SciTech premium and Social Sciences Premium

  1. Use drop-down to search 'Anywhere except full-text' if too many irrelevant results.
  2. Use filters to limit to peer-reviewed titles or find range of non-journal and trade publications (professional magazines).

  3. In ProQuest, you can search very large collections or smaller collections or individual databases. Start by going into one of the very large Collections, SciTech Premium for example.  Focus your results by searching in a specific database or collection of databases. 

Change database via the top left hamburger menu on your search screen - and select where you would like to search. Alternatively, use the 'Discipline' or 'Database' filters to limit search results to specific research areas.

You can choose to include SciTech Premium AND Social Sciences Premium if your topic might occur in either collection.

  1. Detailed help in a series of videos from the ProQuest Platform Guide - covers search tips and how to apply them in real searches. Avoid limiting to full-text within the database as many of the articles will be available through our other subscriptions or InterLibrary Loan.

Embase

  1. Comprehensive guide produced by our medical librarian. Guide to searching Embase and Medline (OVID) (downloads as a Word document)
  2. Advanced searching video from University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Demonstrates using subject heading mapping and keywords plus combination of concept sets. This video contains UTS specific information but is very similar to ARU Library access.