Medical School Research Guide
Key library resources journal article databases, eBook and eJournal collections, tools for finding evidence-based medical research, and training workshops to support your academic work.
Useful Web Links
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
A global network representing medical students worldwide. Founded in 1951, IFMSA provides a collaborative platform for future physicians to engage in public health, education, and advocacy on global issues such as human rights, medical ethics, and sustainable healthcare.
- Offers international research exchange programs for medical students
- Students participate in supervised research projects abroad
- Thousands of students participate annually in exchanges
Databases
Subscription Databases, mainly through institutional access
Research4Life Programmes
Free Electronic Resources, Open Access
eBooks
Large academic ebook platform; access depends on institutional subscription.
Reference Sources
Authoritative English dictionary for spelling, definitions, and usage.
Historical dictionary of English providing detailed definitions and word histories.
Collection of subject dictionaries and encyclopedias for medical and research concepts.
Reference Management Software
A reference management and academic collaboration software by Elsevier. Designed to help researchers organize research, manage citations, and share papers.
- A free tool that helps you manage references, annotate PDFs, and create bibliographies
- Includes cloud storage and collaboration features
- Has a Word plugin for easy citation insertion
An open-source reference management software that helps users collect, organize, cite, and share research materials, integrating directly with web browsers.
- A free, open-source tool for collecting, organizing, and citing research sources
- Works with browsers to save articles automatically
- Integrates with Microsoft Word and Google Docs to insert citations
A web-based citation and reference management tool developed by Clarivate for formatting bibliographic references online.
- Free online version of EndNote
- Helps you store references and generate citations
Nursing & Midwifery Research Guide
Start your research with links to key library resources, journal article databases, eBook and eJournal lists, strategies for discovering evidence-based research, and library workshops.
Useful Web Links
Official data collected by governments and compiled by the United Nations, as well as estimates and projections. Covers labour, population, industry, energy, agriculture, and education.
👉 Best for: Official global statistics and population dataDatabases
Subscription Databases, mainly via institutional access
Research4Life Programmes, usually accessed via institutional portal
Free Electronic Resources, Open Access
BioMed Central, Open-Access Journals
eBooks
Large academic ebook platform; access depends on institutional subscription.
Reference Sources
Authoritative English dictionary for spelling, definitions, and usage.
Historical dictionary of English providing detailed definitions and word histories.
Collection of subject dictionaries and encyclopedias, useful for quick overviews of medical and research concepts.
Clinical Cases
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®)
Contains information on drugs and other chemicals to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed. All data are derived from the scientific literature and peer-reviewed for scientific validity.
Nurses Compass
An online organisation delivering interactive nursing education through free or low-cost digital tools.
- Offers interactive patient cases where you make decisions
- Simulates real clinical situations (e.g., emergencies)
NURSING.com
An online nursing education platform providing digital learning tools and NCLEX preparation materials.
- Offers 40–60+ unfolding case studies with answers
- Includes critical thinking questions with rationales
Reference Management Software
A reference management and academic collaboration software by Elsevier designed to help researchers organise research, manage citations, and share papers.
- A free tool that helps you manage references and annotate PDFs
- Includes cloud storage and collaboration features
An open-source reference management software that helps users collect, organise, cite, and share research materials.
- Works with browsers to save articles automatically
- Integrates with Microsoft Word and Google Docs
A web-based citation and reference management tool developed by Clarivate for formatting bibliographic references online.
- Free online version of EndNote
- Helps you store references and generate citations
Plagiarism
Plagiarism (either intentional or unintentional) is the use of work or ideas of another person and submitting them as one's own.
Webster's Dictionary Definition: To steal and pass off the words or ideas of another as one's own; to commit literary theft; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source without acknowledging that source. It carries both personal and legal consequences.
Plagiarism and copyright are closely related. While plagiarism is a legal issue, it is also ethically wrong, often resulting in professional disgrace or academic condemnation.
Types of Plagiarism
There are several manifestations of plagiarism, generally categorized into two main types:
Forms of Direct Plagiarism
Reasons Why People Commit Plagiarism
- Time pressure and poor deadline management
- Underestimating the seriousness of the offense
- Insecurity regarding one's own writing ability
- Lack of clarity on what constitutes plagiarism
- Assuming professors don't check for original content or lack technical skills
- Lack of adequate knowledge on research ethics and citation styles
- Academic pressure to "publish or perish"
How to Identify Plagiarism
1. Use of Technology
Software such as Turnitin (proprietary) or various free online plagiarism checkers can scan databases and the web for matching text.
2. Common Sense / Manual Method
Lecturers become familiar with a student's writing level. Sudden changes in vocabulary, sophisticated sentence structure, or "mashup" styles are immediate red flags.
Exceptions to Plagiarism
The following may generally be used without citation:
- Common Knowledge: Facts found in numerous sources that don't depend on a single discovery (e.g., Ghana's Independence Day is March 6, 1957).
- Original Ideas: Your own unique thoughts, analysis, or evaluation of a topic.
- Personal Creative Work: Your own prose, poems, diagrams, and photographs.
- Folklore & Tradition: Myths, legends, proverbs, and wise sayings (e.g., Ananse stories).
- Sacred Texts: Verses from the Bible or Quran (though specific translations should still be noted in formal research).
Consequences of Plagiarism
- Academic Dismissal
- Revocation of Degrees/Certificates
- Cancellation of Exam Papers
- Demotion or Job Loss
- Professional Disgrace
- Personal Embarrassment
- Article Retractions
- Legal Lawsuits
- Career Destruction
- Mental Health Strain (Depression)
How to Avoid Plagiarism
1. Quotations
Use the exact words, enclose them in quotation marks, and include the author, year, and specific page number. If you change a single word, it is no longer a direct quotation.
2. Paraphrasing
This is a complete rewriting of a text in your own words. It must have a different structure than the original while maintaining the same meaning. It still requires an in-text citation.
3. Interpretation
A higher level of paraphrasing that reveals a deep understanding rather than an imitation of the original. This is the goal of scholarly writing.
4. Citation and Referencing
Every external idea must have an in-text citation and a corresponding entry in the reference list. You cannot have one without the other.