This section provides an overview of the guide’s purpose and how it supports your academic and clinical research in occupational therapy. Whether you're exploring foundational concepts or conducting graduate-level research, this guide connects you to high-quality resources and expert support. You’ll also find contact information for the Brother Edmond Drouin Library, who can assist with research strategies, database navigation, and citation help.
Accessing high-quality, peer-reviewed literature is a cornerstone of academic success and clinical decision-making in occupational therapy. This section connects you to essential databases—both subscription-based and open access—that provide access to journal articles, clinical trials, systematic reviews, and more.
Whether you're writing a research paper, preparing for fieldwork, or exploring best practices for client care, these databases will help you locate credible, up-to-date information to support your work.
Use these keywords and phrases to begin your research. Combine them with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) for more precise results.
Use Boolean Operators:
AND narrows your search: "stroke AND occupational therapy"OR broadens it: "autism OR ASD"NOT excludes terms: "dementia NOT Alzheimer’s"Use Quotation Marks for Phrases:
Apply Filters:
Start Broad, Then Narrow:
Use Database-Specific Tools:
Save and Organize:
A comprehensive, multidisciplinary database offering full-text access to thousands of peer-reviewed journals, magazines, books, conference papers, and reports. It supports research across a wide range of subjects including science, technology, humanities, education, business, and health. Features include advanced search tools, citation assistance, subject indexing, and access to both current and archival content, making it a valuable resource for academic research at all levels.
APA PsycINFO is a comprehensive database offering access to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health. It includes journal articles, books, and dissertations, providing essential resources for research and study in psychology and related fields.
An essential database for nursing and allied health research, offering full-text access to a wide range of peer-reviewed journals, evidence-based care sheets, and continuing education materials. Ideal for nursing students, educators, and clinicians, it supports coursework, clinical decision-making, and scholarly research across disciplines such as public health, physical therapy, nutrition, and more.
A core resource for health sciences programs, this database provides full-text access to authoritative biomedical journals indexed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Topics include clinical medicine, nursing, public health, and healthcare systems. Features Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for precise searching, supporting evidence-based research, academic study, and professional practice.
Provides access to over 32 million full-text scholarly articles from more than 10,000 academic journals. Coverage spans a wide range of disciplines including science, technology, engineering, medicine, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Journals are sourced from both major academic publishers and smaller presses. The EJC supports advanced search features and citation tools, and is available to students, faculty, and researchers at OhioLINK member institutions.
Access Walsh's full-text collection of OVID journals, including nursing. Select a specific collection by clicking "change" on the search screen.
The T&F Social Science & Humanities Library provides access to over 1,490 social science and humanities titles spanning across a broad range of academic disciplines.
The T&F Social Science & Humanities Library provides access to over 900 must-have online journals from Routledge, the pioneering social science and humanities publisher, and Psychology Press.
Indexes articles in a broad range of preclinical and clinical disciplines.
An authoritative database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. ERIC provides access to over 1.9 million records of journal articles, research reports, conference papers, curriculum guides, dissertations, and policy documents in the field of education. It includes links to more than 590,000 full-text documents and features an education-specific thesaurus with over 11,800 terms.
Engaging with scholarly journals is an essential part of academic and professional development in occupational therapy. Journals provide access to the latest research, clinical innovations, and theoretical advancements that shape the field. Whether you're writing a paper, preparing for fieldwork, or exploring evidence-based practice, these publications offer credible, peer-reviewed content to support your learning and practice.
The following journals are widely respected in the OT community and are excellent starting points for research:
