How do I find articles that are in specific levels of the evidence pyramid?
Answer
The evidence pyramid is a visual reminder of both the quantity of research published and the quality. There are more articles and documents that fit in the lower levels of the pyramid, and fewer of the filtered resources toward the top of the pyramid. Searching any of the library's article databases, PubMed, or Google Scholar will find articles up and down the pyramid.
Some databases have more of one or the other type of resource, so search the ones that work best.
Aside from making good choices among which databases to search, another tool to use to ensure you find articles which fall into a particular level on the evidence pyramid is to use (or exclude) specific search terms or subject headings which make it more likely that you would find what you need. If you know you don't want systematic reviews, you can specify it in CINAHL or ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health.