Medline via PubMed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi

Search Tips:

You must capitalize connectors:

· AND

· OR

· NOT

Entering Search Terms:

· Author: last name plus initials (no punctuation)

Example: smith ja

· Journal: you can search using the full title of the journal:

Dermatologic Clinics or you can use the abbreviation: Dermatol Clin

· Keyword: enter your search term in the search box

Example: heart attack

candy AND decision making

► After each search click on Details (located in the tool bar under the search box).
You will see how PubMed structured the query.

Example: nicotine AND pregnancy.

Clicking on Details will give you this information:

PubMed Query

(("nicotine"[MeSH Terms] OR nicotine[Text Word]) AND ("pregnancy"[MeSH Terms]
OR pregnancy[Text Word]))

· Subject: click on MeSH Browser (under PubMed Services in the left menu box)

MeSH (Medical Subject headings also called descriptors) is the controlled vocabulary used
for indexing articles in PubMed. MeSH helps you to focus your search!

MeSH vocabulary is organized by 15 main branches:

· Anatomy

· Organisms

· Diseases

· Chemical and Drugs

· Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment

· Psychiatry and Psychology

· Biological Sciences

· Physical Sciences

· Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena

· Technology and Food and beverages

· Humanities

· Information Science

· Persons

· Health Care

· Geographic Locations

Each descriptor has a tree number – shows hierarchical position

Example:

Eye [A01.456.505.420]

Eyebrows [A01.456.505.420.338]

Eyelids [A01.456.505.420.505]

Eyelashes [A01.456.505.420.504.421]

*The longer the number, the more specific the term!

*NLM MeSH browser does NOT search or retrieve MEDLINE records!

Limiting your search

· Click on “Limits” located under the search box. This screen gives you many choices
to limit your search by selecting specific criteria.

To locate the full, correct title of a journal when you have an abbreviation:

Click in PubMed on Journal Browser (located under PubMed Services in the left menu).
Click on the pull-down menu beside the search box and select Medline abbr.

↑

Type the journal abbreviation in the search box.

Click on Go.