Accessing information to support learning is a time-consuming task. CoBaTrICE has started to compile a database of online educational resources linked to specific competencies - these can be viewed by following the links in the competencies section or by searching the resources.

If you cannot find what you are looking for within the CoBaTrICE website below there are links to other online search tools that you may find useful.

Please remember to recommend online resources to us that you find particularly helpful in order to continue to improve the selection available within the CoBaTrICE database.


There are 3 main types of online search tools:

Search Engines

• To use a search engine you must know what you are looking for, as you have to create your own search terms.
• Search engines gather web sites automatically; there is no human intervention and no quality control.
• When you are using a search engine you are not searching every site on the Internet - you are only searching the pages indexed and found by the search engine you're using.
• Examples: Health on the Net Foundation (MedHunt), Google, Lycos

Directories

• Directories use human editors to organise their internet resources but quality control can vary.
• When searching a Directory, it is necessary to use broader search terms than you would use on a search engine (as the site coverage is smaller)
• Most Directories are aimed at the general public; therefore they will include popular, recreational and commercial sites.
• Examples: Google health directory, Yahoo health directory, Virtual Library

Subject gateways / portals

• Subject gateways provide access to evaluated high quality Web sites that can support learning and research, but the site coverage is relatively small.
• When searching a Subject Gateway, it is necessary to use broader search terms than you would use on a search engine (site coverage is smaller). Also, it is important to remember that you are searching catalogue records that describe Internet resources and are not searching the actual resources themselves.
• Resource descriptions are provided for each Web site and have usually been written by information professionals or subject specialists. They give a good idea of whether the site in question is suitable or not.
• The CoBaTrICE Collaboration has developed an ICUWeb Resource Portal
• This portal searches 24 websites recommended by ICM specialists. A full list of these sites is available here
• Other Examples: Intute (Medicine), National Library for Medicine, PubMed from NLM

For more information about searching for medical resources online go to: http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutorial/medic