Week 6 Searching for your topic in the database

Week 6

1. Academic Search Complete

a) I searched MRSA and got 8192 results, way too many

b) I limited my search to scholarly peer reviewed journals from 2010 to 2012 and got 2891 results, still too many

c) I limited to academic journals and got 2887 results

d) I added and prevent* to my search and got 482 results

e) I limited the results to the United States and got 26 results, this is what I will work with

Descriptive:

This article provides information about my topic that is different from what I have previously found. It explores the possibility for a vaccination against MRSA. This article is written for someone with a little background information on the subject and some science background, however I believe someone without prior information could understand most of it.

Evaluative:

·      This is a peer-reviewed article that was published in an academic journal; I believe the information to correct and accurate.

·      I chose this article because it explores options of preventing MRSA that I have not previously found. It has a unique perspective and explains the antigens in a way that I can easily understand.

·      I believe this information is accurate, the resources used are clearly cited and from my knowledge of peer-reviewed articles it has been confirmed.

·      I believe this information is objective and not bias, it is scientific information that has been researched.

·      This article was published in 2011, which fits into my time frame of finding the most current information available about my topic.

Citation:

Kobayashi, S.D., and DeLeo, F.R. (2011). Between bedside and bench, A MRSA-terious enemy among us. Nature Medicine, 17, 168-169.

2. Research Question: What is MRSA?

3. Three database annotations

1. Descriptive:

This article explains the impact of overuse of antibiotics in both the medical field and in farm and agriculture. This article explains why we should be concerned about MRSA and the overuse of antibiotics is creating more antibiotic resistant infections. This is a good source for my research because it provides background information on antibiotics and how they are causing antibiotic resistant infections that are being spread through our food as well as through the community. This article is written and can be easily understood by the general public, however directed at biology teachers.

Evaluative:

·      The author of this article is a research associate involved in molecular biology at Princeton University, I find the information to be credible.

·      I chose this article because it has the background on antibiotics that the other articles I have used are lacking.

·      This article was published for biology teachers and I find it to be credible and accurate, it is well cited with current references.

·      The information is factual and objective.

·      This article was published in 2011 and fits within my scope of research.

Citation:

Stein, R. (2011). Antibiotic Resistant: A global, interdisciplinary concern, The American Biology Teacher, 73(6), 314-321. BioOne.

2. Descriptive:

This study focuses on children in hospitals carrying the MRSA bacteria. It covers children admitted into an intensive care unit over a three-year period. Children have a lower risk factor of developing MRSA than adults, however children that are hospitalized have a higher risk factor than adults. Preventing MRSA among children is a priority and precautions should be taken, as their death rate is higher than adults once they get the infection. This study was written for someone that has previous knowledge of the bacteria and has a scientific background. This study has information that was not available in previous research, by relating the bacteria to children.

Evaluative:

·      These authors are scientists that have been published in many medical journals and are found to be credible.

·      I chose this study because it has information on how MRSA effects children, while most of my research has been on adults.

·      I trust the accuracy of this information because it was published in The Oxford Textbook of Medicine , which is a credible Journal.

·      This study was conducted on children admitted to an intensive care unit of a hospital and has a view that I have not found much research on. The authors are objective and did the study over a three-year period.

·      This study was published in 2011, which fits in my scope of research for the most up to date information.

Citation:

Milstone AM, Goldner BW, Ross T, Shepard JW, Carroll KC, Perl TM. (2011).             Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus colonization and risk of subsequent infection in critically Ill children: Importance of preventing nosocomial methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus transmission, Clinic  Infectious Disease, 53(9):853-9. Faculty of 1000 Biology.

3. Descriptive:

This study focuses on people that have been hospitalized for MRSA and evaluates the were hospitalized the following year for MRSA. It showed that 114 out of 482 people had infections return within a year of the first one. The study shows that people who have MRSA are high risk to have an infection return and need to take greater precautions in prevention. This study was written for someone with a scientific background and someone that has knowledge of the bacteria. This study adds to my research by showing that people with the infection once are more likely to get it again.

Evaluative:

·      These authors have published studies in many scientific journals and are credible.

·      I chose this study because it follows people that have had this infection before and that they are more likely to get it again, which covers a point of my research that I had not covered yet.

·      The information in this study is supported by research data, and the study is cited  in other research about my topic.

·      The information is objective and based on factual documented information.

·      This study was published in 2011, which supports the current information I am looking for on my topic.

Citation:

Huang, S.S., Hinrichsen, V.L., Rupak, D., Spurchise, L, Miroshnik, I., Nelson, K., Platt, R.             (2011) Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infection and hospitalization in high-risk patients in the year following detection, Plos One, 6(9):e24340. BIOSIS.

4. My experience:

In my experience in researching with specific databases, I found some easier to use than others. The Wiley database I did not like, it was hard to navigate and the interface was not very clear. BIOSIS was user friendly and I found it easy to narrow my search results down to under 50, which made my research easier. I used the feature of narrowing my search results to specific dates for this assignment, which helped in getting the most current information about my topic. The process of narrowing the searches to the United States and date ranges are things that I have not previously done and made a great difference in the result.