search man HOW TO SEARCH
 Finding and Evaluating Electronic Healthcare Information Sources
HOME PAGE
The purpose of this WebPage is to suggest searching strategies in order to find clinically useful information from electronic sources.
It is designed for the new student at UCSF, or anyone who wants tips on searching the Internet.
There is probably more information about health topics currently available on the Internet than any one person could absorb.
Finding appropriate material when a paper is due, however, can be a challenge.
"Having a sense of adventure, having a sense of humor, and knowing where the computer restart button is located are indispensable cyberspace tools."
             Donald H. Tinker, PhD, (p. 197) Diabetes Spectrum (1998). 11(3), 197-199.

Speed and database searchability are advantages that the Internet has over more traditional sources of information. Hopefully, you will find tools on this WebPage to assist you in your speedy and fruitful search.

What You’ll Find Here
  1.  The Home Page
  2.  What are Search Engines?
  3.  Links to Many Different Search Engine sites.
  4.  Hints for Evaluating the Quality of the Information that is Found.
  5.  Links to Specific Healthcare sites.
  6.  Direct access to the Galen II (UCSF Library) site.
Tips for "404-Not Found" Pages
  1.  Use only the main URL (the part up to the .com or .net or .org, etc.)
  2.  Cut & paste the end portion of the URL after you have accessed the page.
  3.  Check for errors ( "," instead of "." , a missed capitol letter, etc.)
  4.  Look for directions from the server if the page moved. It may still be up.
  5.  Report broken links to the webmaster. Most appreciate the feedback!

C O N T E N T S
Home Page About Search Engines Search Engine sites Evaluating Quality Healthcare sites UCSF Library


Developed by a second year student in the UCSF Nursing Informatics program
who remembers how long it took to figure all this out.
Please send comments or suggestions to: jakirby@ix.netcom.com

Last updated:  May 1999  Judy Kirby