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Research Guides@Tufts

Dentistry

A brief introduction to resources

The Background Question in EBD

The Background Question in EBD research or original research:

  • Seeks established general knowledge that you yourself don’t know but the profession as a whole does
  • Is usually about a single concept
  • Who, what, when, where, why, and how questions
  • Findings these answers lays the groundwork for foreground questions
  • Usually answered with textbooks

If a topic is totally new to you, start with MedlinePlus for plain language.

After that, search a platform (a resource that allows you to search multiple textbooks simultaneously).

After platforms, try point-of-care tools.

Follow these with the recommended textbooks not contained in a platform. These are listed out individually simply because there is no easy way to search them simultaneously since they are not on a platform but it is still important to know they are available resources. 

Finally, Springer Link is a publisher with a collection of dentistry books. Some of these are textbook-like and some of them are very focused on a narrow topic for experts making them more difficult to understand. Use your best judgment when selecting from a Springer Link book. Go here last for your EBD Background Question.

MedlinePlus

Platforms - Collections of Textbooks

We recommend using platforms first. Platforms are collections of textbooks that may be searched simultaneously. This function makes them time-saving.

Point-of-Care Tools

Recommended Textbooks Not Contained in a Platform

These are listed out individually simply because there is no easy way to search them simultaneously since they are not on a platform but it is still important to know they are available resources. Remember to consider the key part of your question and choose a textbook whose overarching topic encompasses that.

Springer Link Dentistry

Finally, Springer Link is a publisher with a collection of dentistry books. Some of these are textbook-like and some of them are very focused on a narrow topic for experts making them more difficult to understand. Use your best judgment when selecting from a Springer Link book. Go here last for your EBD Background Question.

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