PubMed Database Searching

Baylor Health Sciences Library

Created by Mary Sarkes

Baylor Health Sciences Library E-Resources

BHSL Website: http://library.bcd.tamhsc.edu/

Note: The library’s link appears under Clinical Links on the MyBaylor website.

The library may be accessed through BCD’s Exchange website.

PubMed

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?otool=txbcdlib

• Date Range: 1945-Present

• Over 23 million citations

– Medicine

– Dentistry

– Nutrition

– Nursing and allied health professions

– Links to integrated NCBI molecular biology and chemical databases

MEDLINE is the authoritative bibliographic database of the National Library of Medicine, delivering comprehensive scientific records to articles in the biomedical

and life sciences. Coverage is extensive and international in scope.

PubMed Keyword Searching

• In search box on main page:

hypertension

Searching by keyword means PubMed is looking through its

bibliographic records (title, abstract, author, journal name, etc.) for

the exact term you’ve entered.

PubMed Results Page

Next Step: Filters

Note: Brackets around

a title means article is

not in English

Focus Search Through Limits

• Click on Show Additional Filters

Focusing helps you…

a) Obtain a more manageable number of citations to review.

b) Retrieve more relevant articles.

Applied Filters

Note: Select the following Filters

Filter options also include types of article, search fields, ages and gender.

Results of focusing search.

More Than One Keyword?

• Use Boolean operators to connect keywords

– AND (combine terms and narrow search)

– OR (combine terms and expand search)

– NOT (exclude terms and narrow search)

Commands:

AND = (both)

OR = (either)

NOT = (without)

(A) AND (B) (A) OR (B) (A) NOT (B)

Capitalize

Commands

Combining Keywords

• Sample Search Question: – Need meta analyses examining hypertension and diabetes in women.

• In search box on main page:

hypertension AND diabetes

Search combines terms diabetes AND hypertension and retrieves information that contains both keywords.

Note: Command capitalized

Search Tip 1: Use filters, instead of keywords, for age groups or gender if they are a component of your search question.

Search Tip 2: Use filters, instead of keywords, for article types if they are a component of your search question.

More Than One Keyword Search cont.

Note: Filters from previous search were still in place…when needed, click Clear to deactivate and alter limits

Add the following Filters: -Publication Date (last 5 years) -Article Type: Meta Analysis -Gender: Female

Our results have now been

focused to meta analyses

examining hypertension and

diabetes in women.

Tips on Keyword Searching

• Use an * at the end of a search term to search multiple variations of a word

– e.g. -> catheter* retrieves catheterize, catheterization, catheters, etc.

• Use quotation marks when searching for an exact phrase

– e.g. -> “traumatic brain injury”

Subject Searching: MeSH Database

Found under More Resources on PubMed’s main page

Use MeSH Database to search by subject terms

Subject Searching: MeSH Database

• MeSH = Medical Subject Headings

• Focused and direct searching method that delivers relevant search results – Saves time

– Allows you to better understand the scope of literature in a subject area

Human indexers read an article, identify its main topics, and assign standardized

subject headings (MeSH terms) to the record.

Searching by subject terms means the database exclusively searches MeSH

headings and only retrieves records that contain the subject terms you’ve entered.

Next: Keyword vs. Subject Searching…

Keyword vs. Subject

Next: Using MeSH

Keyword (Pros) Keyword (Cons)

Useful when no subject heading exists Often yields too many results

Allows for flexible method of searching Articles retrieved may not be on-point

Useful when research topic is very new/obscure Multiple spellings for a word is a problem (e.g. anesthesia vs. anaesthesia)

Useful for in-process or ahead of print articles that do not yet have subject headings assigned

Acronyms and synonyms are a problem

Subject (Pros) Subject (Cons)

Efficient and precise searching method Requires users to learn database’s vocabulary

Results retrieved are highly relevant Only searches subject field

Produces manageable number of results User relies on indexers to properly assign subject headings

Allows use of subheadings to focus search

Useful if article has no abstract

MeSH Database

•Sample Search Question:

What is being done in nursing to prevent patient

accidental falls ?

•Key Concepts:

1. Accidental Falls (main concept)

↓

(Prevention)

2. Nursing

Entering First MeSH Term (Refer to detailed image in next slide)

• Enter first term into search box: accidental falls – A match appears. (Make sure Display setting is on Full.)

• Prevention and control appears as subheading. Click box to left of term.

– Heading and subheading are now coordinated

• Restrict Search to MeSH Major Topic Heading

– Ensures subject terms are primary focus of search results

• Select: Add to Search Builder

1.

2.

3.

4.

1.

3.

2. 4.

Combining MeSH terms (Refer to detailed image in next slide)

• Now enter second term into search box: Nursing

– A list of subject terms ordered by relevancy appears. (Make

sure Display setting is on Full.)

• Select Nursing MeSH heading by checking box to left of term.

• Select: Add to Search Builder

• Search complete. Click Search PubMed

1.

2.

3.

4.

1.

2.

4.

Note: Make sure to delete first

term before entering second

Note: Set Display setting to Full

3.

Subject Searching: Results

Added Filters: English, Pub. last 3 years and Nursing Journals

Hint: If too few results are

found then rerun search w/o

restricting to Major topic

heading

Viewing PubMed Results: Abstracts

•Click on Display Settings (above

results) and select Abstract.

•Change the number of items

displayed and sort them.

•Click Apply.

Found a good article?

Click on Related

articles to find more

of the same.

Articles are ordered

by relevancy.

Found a good article?

Click on Publication Types, MeSH Terms to view the

article’s assigned subject headings.

Try these new MeSH Terms in your next search. (This is

especially useful if you are keyword searching.)

PubMed Clipboard • Check boxes to left of citations/abstracts

• Click on the Send to option, and select Clipboard.

• Click Add to Clipboard.

Collect selected citations and send to clipboard for later action

(e.g. print, save and email).

Items in Clipboard are saved for 8 hours

PubMed Clipboard cont.

On Results page…

In Clipboard…

Note: Use your web browser's Print command to print citations.

Here you can email your citations, send them to your

collections, or save them to a file.

The # of selected

citations sent to

Clipboard appears in a

green box above

results.

Click Items to go to

Clipboard page

Finding and Printing Full-Text Articles in PubMed

• Find and click the for full text access to article

Baylor holdings are checked for the item.

If electronic full-text is available, then hyperlinks are provided to that article.

No Electronic Full-Text…

•Advanced Option:

• Check print holdings: Baylor’s in-house journal collection is checked.

No luck there?

•Document may be ordered from another library via Get It For Me

Free service

Online request form available: http://library.bcd.tamhsc.edu/ill/

Print request form also available at Library’s Circulation Desk

My NCBI Account

• Benefits – Save collection of favorite citations

– Save search strategies

– Highlight search terms

– Create custom tabs

– Share favorite collections

Sign into My

NCBI account

Search History

• Click on Advanced to view your search history Viewing your Search

History helps you plan

your next search move…

Details

• Click See More for more search details

Viewing Search Details

helps you understand how

PubMed interpreted your

search.

This is an especially useful

tool during keyword

searching.

• In Filters panel go to Article types

– Select the appropriate study type…

Evidence-Based Literature in PubMed

Note: Scroll for additional Publication Types.

Click on more to see all Article type

options.

Evidence-Based Literature in PubMed cont.

Found under PubMed Tools on PubMed’s main page

Use Clinical Queries to find high-level evidence studies

Clinical Study Categories: Therapy Diagnosis Etiology Prognosis. Filters: Broad = sensitive search Narrow = specific search

Results of single search filtered into 3 clinical research areas:

Clinical Study Categories, Systematic Reviews, and Medical Genetics

Single Citation Matcher

Found under PubMed Tools on the database’s main page.

Use it to retrieve a specific citation

Enter article’s bibliographic information.

Automatic journal title suggestions are provided.

Helpful Search Hints

• Develop a clearly defined question – Use the PICO Method to formulate question:

• Problem/Patient – Intervention – Comparison - Outcome

– Write down the question

– Identify and circle key concepts

• Start out broad with search then focus through filters

• Keep a list of MeSH terms and keywords while searching

• Review your Search Details and Search History

PubMed Tutorials

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/disted/pubmedtutorial/

If you would like database training please contact the Baylor Health Sciences Library at

214 828 8151