Literature searching services

If you do not have the time or expertise to do your own literature search LIS staff can do a search for you. The results of a search will be a list of bibliographic references, with abstracts where available, which can be posted or emailed to you.

Service summary

Information staff have a great deal of experience at searching bibliographic databases. They will conduct a carefully formulated literature search on all the relevant databases available in the Learning Resource Centre. The current cost is £17.50 (incl. VAT) for qualified members and £12.50 (incl. VAT) for physiotherapy assistant members.

For the databases we have in-house (which are not available on this website) we will undertake a free search on one database. These databases are Cinahl, Embase (Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine), HMIC and SportsDiscus. Please specify the database you want searched on your search request form. You can also search a number of free databases that are available on the internet and the CSP Library catalogue: http://csplis.csp.org.uk

Students

Please note that the full literature search service is not available to CSP student members, or non-members. Student members are required to develop their own database searching skills as part of the agreed programme outcomes laid down in the 2002 'Curriculum framework for qualifying programmes in physiotherapy', and are therefore asked to undertake this work as part of their studies.

Assistant members

Assistant members who are also studying on an undergraduate physiotherapy programme are reminded that any literature searches requested must be for their work as an assistant. Literature search requests to support their student work could be viewed as plagiarism by the university in question.

Non-members

Non-members are directed to the free databases that can be searched via the Internet or to the literature search service provided by the British Library. See more on their website: http://www.bl.uk

Further information

Please complete a Literature Search Request Form to request your search, this will ensure staff have all the information they need to carry out an effective search. The form should be returned to us with your payment.

The service standard for a literature search is 10 working days from the receipt of the form and payment. A free search will be done within the service standard of 5 days.

Please also see information paper LIS15: Guide to Literature Searching 2007

If you wish to discuss your search with staff please call +44 (0)20 7306 6666 and ask for the library or email enquiries@csp.org.uk.