Below are links to subpages of this guide to help you through an entire project that calls for you to locate information and use it.
Where you look for information is determined by
what kind of question you are asking. One way of classifying your
question is to ask whether you are seeking background information or foreground
information.
Background information
is sought when you have general clinical questions regarding a topic such as
what is the disorder; what causes it; how does it present; what are some
treatment options. These questions can be answered by using
"background" resources such as textbooks (both in print and
electronic) and narrative reviews in journals which give a general overview of
the topic.
Foreground information
answers specific questions regarding a specific patient. Foreground
resources can be divided into primary sources such as original research
articles published in journals; and secondary sources such as systematic
reviews of the topic, and synopses and reviews of individual studies.
