LibGuides: Master of Health Administration: Suggested Library Databases

Criteria for Evaluating Sources

When doing research, you should use a variety of sources such as books, articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals, and websites. To ensure you are including only valid information in your research, evaluate your sources using the criteria below.

Criteria	Questions to Ask
Authority / Credibility Determining the author for a source is important in deciding whether information is credible. The author should show some evidence of being knowledgeable, reliable and truthful.	Who is the author (person, company, or organization)? Does the source provide any information that leads you to believe the author is an expert on the topic? Can you describe the author's background (experience, education, knowledge)? Does the author provide citations? Do you think they are reputable?
Accuracy The source should contain accurate and up-to-date information that can be verified by other sources.	Can facts or statistics be verified through another source? Based on your knowledge, does the information seem accurate? Does it match the information found in other sources? Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
Scope / Relevance It is important that the source meets the information needs and requirements of your research assignment.	Does the source cover your topic comprehensively or does it cover only one aspect? To what extent does the source answer your research question? Is the source considered popular or scholarly? Is the terminology and language used easy to understand?
Currency / Date Some written works are ageless (e.g., classic literature) while others (e.g., technological news) become outdated quickly. It is important to determine if currency is pertinent to your research.	When was the source written and published? Has the information been updated recently? Is currency pertinent to your research?
Objectivity / Bias / Reliability Every author has an opinion. Recognizing this is instrumental in determining if the information presented is objective or biased.	What is the purpose or motive for the source (educational, commercial, entertainment, promotional, etc.)? Who is the intended audience? Is the author pretending to be objective, but really trying to persuade, promote or sell something?
Style / Functionality Style and functionality may be of lesser concern. However, if the source is not well-organized, its value is diminished.	Is the source well-written and organized? To what extent is it professional looking? If it is a website, can you navigate around easily? If it is a website, are links broken?

Select Databases

Healthcare Administration Database
Journals, reports, and magazines covering hospitals, insurance, law, statistics, business management, personnel management, ethics, health economics, and public health administration.
CINAHL Complete
Journals and magazines covering nursing, public health, diseases, medicine, and related areas. Includes evidence-based care sheets and research instruments.
Cochrane Library
Reviews and reports covering child health, genetic disorders, infectious diseases, mental health, public health, and more. Includes clinical answers, protocols, and trials.
PubMed
Resource for finding journals, books, and other literature covering biomedicine and health, including portions of the life sciences, behavioral sciences, chemical sciences, bioengineering, and more.
Academic Search Complete
Journals covering a range of subjects, including science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, music, psychology, philosophy, technology, and more. Also includes books, reports, and speeches.
ABI/INFORM Collection
Journals and reports covering business, economics, management, trade, accounting, finance, and more. Includes business case studies and dissertations. Includes ABI/INFORM Dateline, ABI/INFORM Global, and ABI/INFORM Trade and Industry.
Business Source Complete
Journals, reports, and case studies covering marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance, and more.
Mergent Intellect
Data and reports covering public and private U.S., Canadian, and international companies, including a residential database, company executive biographies, and industry information. Includes all information previously available in Hoover’s Online.
Net Advantage
Data and reports covering companies, industries, the credit market, and long and short term prospects for equities, bonds, funds and industries. Includes The Outlook and S&P 500 Index, as well as screening reports and a chart builder.