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:
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.
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.
Accessing full-articles from Google Scholar
Search several EBSCO databases at once using the instructions below. This means you can search some good quality databases but just have one list of results to look through.
To cover medical and allied health fields (including hearing related topics), choose the Medline and Cinahl databases.
To cover Psychology topics, choose PsycInfo and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences as well as Medline and Cinahl.
1. Use links in this guide or Library Search to get into one of the EBSCOhost databases.
2. Click on the name of the database at the top of your EBSCOhost search screen - in the screenshot below, Medline is the starting database:
3. In the selection box that opens, tick the databases you would like to include. In the screenshot below, Cinahl has been ticked and added alongside Medline:
4. Click on Select in the bottom right hand corner of the database selection box to conform your choice.
5. Return to your search screen and your search will now include all the databases you have ticked.
A unique set of references will be shown on screen - these are the references that would be downloaded if you choose to download your whole results list.
To see how many results were found in total, click on the All Filters button under your search results, then Databases. Add the database totals together to get the total number of results your search found, including duplicates.
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.
You will probably find some of the same material cropping up in each search you do. Use RefWorks, our reference management tool, to store and organise your references and remove duplicated sources.
The EBSCOhost search screens changed on 6 August 2025. Instructions for the new interface are given below.
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.
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.
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.