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Drexel Library

Database Searching in the Health Sciences

Running the Search

Each database is set up slightly differently, and in many cases that also includes how to construct and run a search. For example, not every database has controlled vocabulary, which means you would use keyword searching.

Once you have the search strategy build out, the next step is to translate the searches into the specific strategies for each database.

PubMed

Controlled Vocabulary Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Nesting Wildcards Proximity Operators
  • Automatic term mapping (ATM) is used when keywords have no quotes or truncation
  • Use [tiab] field tags to search within titles & abstracts
  • To search for an exact phrase use double quotations (" ")
 •    Parentheses () are used to nest concepts together to override the default left to right search
  • Use an asterisk * at the end of a word or exact phrase for truncation
  • Must have at least 3 letters in root word
  • Search for multiple terms appearing in any order within a specified distance of one another in the [Title], [Title/Abstract], or [Affiliation] fields. Use the following format: "search terms"[field:~N]

Example Search

("COVID-19/prevention and control" OR "SARS-CoV-2"[Mesh] OR "SARS-CoV-2"[Mesh] OR “sars cov-2 [tiab]” OR “covid 19 [tiab]”) AND ("Cross Infection"[Mesh] OR “Health Care Associated Infection*” OR “Hospital Infection*” OR “Nosocomial Infection*”) AND ("N95 Respirators"[Mesh] OR “N95 mask*” OR respirator* OR "N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator*" OR  "N95 FFR*")

CINAHL

Controlled Vocabulary Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Nesting Wildcards Proximity Operators
  • Yes, CINAHL Subject Headings
  • MH field code
  • Default does not include all terms below specified term
  • Use + field code to explode 
  • Use double quotes (" ") to search exact phrases
  • Use TX field code to search all text
  • To search just title and abstract must conduct searches using both TI and AB and combine them with OR
  • AND
  • OR
  • NOT

Must be capitalized in EBSCOhost databases
  • Parentheses () are used to nest concepts together to override the default left to right search
  • Use an asterisk * at the end of a word or exact phrase for truncation
  • Must have at least 3 letters in root word
  • The proximity operators are composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words). 
  • Near Operator (N): N5 finds the words if they are a maximum of 5 words apart from one another, regardless of the order in which they appear.
  • Within Operator (W): W8 finds the words if they are within 8 words of one another, in the order in which you entered them.

 

Embase

Controlled Vocabulary Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Nesting Wildcards Proximity Operators
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Cochrane Library

Controlled Vocabulary Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Nesting Wildcards Proximity Operators

PsycINFO

Controlled Vocabulary Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Nesting Wildcards Proximity Operators

Web of Science

Controlled Vocabulary Keyword Searching Boolean Operators Nesting Wildcards Proximity Operators