Public Health Databases
View the Public Health Research Guide to view suggestions of databases and websites to search for your literature review.
Literature Review Materials
Use this Excel spreadsheet to track your search and keep your literature review organized.
The accompanying PDF file provides detailed guidelines for conducting a comprehensive literature review.
Have questions about using these materials, or suggestions for improving them? Contact Kim Whalen, the librarian for public health, at kwhale4@uic.edu.
- Literature Review WorkbookUse this spreadsheet to keep track of your literature search. Last updated 2024.
Presentation Slides & Recordings
The Literature Review presentation material below was developed for SPH Success, IPHS 401, and other courses. E-mail Prof Kim Whalen, the librarian for public health, at kwhale4@uic.edu with questions or to schedule a one-on-one conversation to talk through your literature review and search strategies.
- Literature Reviews in Public HealthThis PPT is from library instruction sessions during 2024-2025.
MeSH - Medical Subject Headings
- MeSH - What is MeSH? How to find MeSH terms?This brief but descriptive module describes what MeSH (medical subject headings) are, how they are structured, and how to find them within the MeSH Database and within PubMed. A quick read but very helpful!
- MeSH Major Topics - What are they?These few brief pages explain what MeSH Major Topics are, how to identify them, and how to use them in a search.
- PubMed Subject Search - Video from National Library of Medicine - (@ 4 minutes long)This 4 minute video from National Library of Medicine walks through the steps of using subject headings in a search.
Recommended Reading
These books, available through the library catalog, are recommended for further reading on the literature review process.
Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care (2010) by This link leads to an e-book version accessible from any computer; search the library catalog to find and request the print version.
Library Faculty
Librarian for Public Health
kwhale4@uic.edu
Systematic Review Information
- Systematic Review Search WorkbookUse this Excel workbook to document your searches and track results.
If you are not conducting a systematic review, use the "Literature Review Workbook" (left).
- Systematic Review Webinar Series from UIC Library FacultyThese 13 videos recorded during Spring 2024 walk users through systematic searching strategies, databases, citation management tools, etc.