Occupational Therapy

Guide to research in the area of occupational therapy. Also helpful for the areas of physical therapy, nursing, health, physiology and kinesiology.

Selected Background Info Sources

Using Background Info

Gain good, grounded background info on your topic. 

Tip: start with your broad topic area and short simple search words
(stroke, amniocentesis, insulin injections, traumatic brain injury geriatrics)

Searching and using reference books

How to Use a Reference Article Effectively

  • First, find important words or concepts (see highlighted words in image below)
  • Then use those as search words to find other books, journals, videos and websites

(Click to enlarge the image below)

Graphic showing how to pull ideas and keywords out of an article

Reference Books Through Google Books

  1. First, click on the image below for tips on finding reference books (encyclopedias and handbooks) through Google Books

(Click to enlarge the image below)

image of an advanced search page in Google Books

  1. Then, click below to perform your search.

How to Effectively Read a Reference Article

Highlight Key Concepts

  • First, find important words or concepts (see highlighted words in example below)
  • Then use those as search words to find other books, journals, videos and websites

(Click to enlarge the image below)

GVRL Global Warming reference article

OT Research Worksheet

Try It!

Choose one scenario below and practice constructing a search from that scenario:

  1. What are some occupational therapy considerations for children with autism?
  2. How might occupational therapists help with the physical impairments that patients of traumatic brain injury face?
  3. What should occupational therapists be aware of when treating veterans with PTSD?
  4. Create your own scenario!

Why Start with Background Info?

An overview of your broad topic area grounds you in essential knowledge.  This will then help you springboard to more detailed, complex research.  Read background info to gain a better understanding of the following:

  • what the key issues are and how you may want to refine your topic
  • who are the stakeholders (the groups or individuals this topic concerns)
  • a context of how your topic relates to the other issues that surround it
  • a historical perspective on your topic
  • specialized vocabulary or search words that are used in your field (you will use these words for searches later in your research process)