Step 1: Choose two Databases
The Cornell IACUC and the USDA Animal Welfare Act (AWA) require that you search at least two databases for your alternatives search. Here are good places to start:
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Web of Science: searches 1900 to present.a. Covers animal research topics well.
b. Searches multiple databases at once. One search in Web of Science satisfies the need to search more than one database. To do this, select "All Databases" from the drop-down menu at the top of the Web of Science interface. This "All Databases" search includes most of the information found in PubMed. If you use Web of Science to search multiple databases, be sure to list the names of those selected in your protocol. -
CAB Abstracts: searches 1973 to presenta. Good for finding agricultural and animal research information
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PubMed: searches 1946 to presenta. PubMed is a go-to source for medical and health research
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Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide: searches 1935 to presenta. Source for a wide range of ecological studies, good for identifying technical refinements or finding similar studies.
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Google Scholar: no date limita. Interdisciplinary
b. Includes patents, conference proceedings, and other grey literature
c. When searching in Google Scholar it is important to keep in mind that the algorithm is personalized, proprietary and not disclosed. Results are partially ranked by citation rank, your location, and your own online presence.
d. NOTE: Google Scholar is acceptable to use for alternative searches, but do not use Google web search for this purpose.
Cornell University Library provides access to many more databases. For a complete list, check the Databases page.
To see a list of databases suggested by the National Agricultural Library, please visit their guide to searching the literature for alternatives. The list is available in an expandable menu in Step 2. Many of these databases are accessible through Cornell University Library.