CINAHL's Basic Search allows you to search by keyword, and add limits, such as peer-reviewed, date range, and major subject(s).

1. Type in your keywords in the search box
2. Below the search box are many limits to aid you with retrieving the desired information. Limits include Publication Type, Peer Reviewed (meaning scholarly), and more!

Once you've run your search, you'll have a list of results displaying. Some key things to note:

1. Most recent articles show first, so you cannot look at it like a Google results set
2. In order to link out to full text, click on Ferris FullText. Do not select Linked Full Text, as CINAHL only knows of the full text within the database, not the 100,000+ journals you have access to through FLITE. See the Full Text linking tab to learn more.
3. The left-hand column provides many options to refine your results.
4. Consider using the date bar in the left-hand column so you only have the most recent 5 years of results.
5. Subject Major Heading in the left-hand column allows you to limit results to major topics.

CINAHL's Advanced Search helps you to build your search by providing a row for each concept, and also offers more limits options not found on the Basic Search, such as restricting your keywords to the document title, Evidence-Based Practice, Special Interest, and more. In the Advanced Search:

1. Enter one concept per search box
2. To pick up keywords only in the title or the subject, use the Select a Field drop-down menu
3. Many limits are available below the search boxes

For a reminder of using concept blocks and creating an effective search strategy, please see the following worksheet:

Once you've clicked onto a title to go into the full record, the right-hand Tools are very handy, especially the CITE option!

1. The Tools show up on the right side once you've clicked into the full record
2. Cite shows you how to cite the source in APA style, or other styles such as MLA or Chicago
3. **Always double check the citation against an official guide to ensure it is correct