HES 190A Herbal Medicines for Beginners  

Research is non-linear process.  Keep an open mind and explore.

Tips:

• Have a well defined reseach question.
• Identify a number of different databases to search.
• Identify keywords and subject terms that are linked in the best articles.
• Find the major authors and journals in your topic area.

Ask for help at any time!

Refining your research question to one that is well-focused and specific is the key to reducing frustration and stress. 

• The Auraria Library offers great resources for finding and researching your topic.
• You can search for subject encyclopedias and browse the current periodicals area to see what other researchers are doing.
• You can also search databases such as CAM on PubMed to identify recent medical research in conditions associated with herbal medicines.

Tip: In the discussion section of many research articles, the author proposes further areas of inquiry.

Tip: When you're searching topics in PubMed and find a promising article, try clicking the "related articles" link to the right of the citation.

Reference books such as specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries are great for finding what you need to support your thesis or to collect background material for your research. You can search our catalog from the Library homepage using your term combined with terms like "encyclopedias" or "handbooks" to pull up reference works (example: herbal medic* and encyclopedias or alternative medicine and encyclopedias). This also applies to "dictionaries" and "video".

• Encyclopedia of herbs & their uses, in Reference at the Library at REF SB351.H5 B645 1995  
• The encyclopedia of medicinal plants, in Reference at the Library at REF RS164 .C4437 1996
• The Gale encyclopedia of alternative medicine, in Reference at the Library at  REF R733 .G34 2001 and as an ebook 
• A field guide to Western medicinal plants and herbs, two copies one in Reference and one in the stacks at QK99.U6 F684 2002 

To find books or articles available through the Library, you might try a subject search (on the Library homepage) for your research topic (enter, su:herbal medicine). 

Tip: You can narrow the search using the refinements listed on the left side of the results screen. Try limiting to more current publications or a certain type of publication article or book.  Or choose a different narrower topic (e.g., "geriatric cardiology ").

Tip: Knowing the vocabulary of the subject you are researching in very helpful.  Scanning the index or table of contents of your textbook for unfamiliar words or reading an article about herbal medicines can give you options when you do a search in any database.

Navigating Library Research is a not-for-credit course offered by the Auraria Library. Completing one or more units of Navigating Library Research is a great way to build up your research skills.  You're welcome to work through the course on your own.  Please contact the Library if you need assistance or suggestions.