Graduate Student Workshop: Smart Searching for the Health Sciences June 8, 2009 Robin Featherstone Research & Instructional Services Librarian

Learning Objective Run a comprehensive search of the health sciences literature

Run a comprehensive search of the health sciences literature

Agenda Develop a search statement Select keywords and subject headings Complete a concept map Run the search in different health sciences databases Evaluate Revise

Develop a search statement

Select keywords and subject headings

Complete a concept map

Run the search in different health sciences databases

Evaluate

Revise

The search statement I am looking for articles about....

I am looking for articles about....

Selecting terms Subject Headings: MeSH, CINAHL Headings, Topics, Thesaurus Headings, etc... Database defined Bring together multiple terms Keywords User defined Have to take care to include all iterations

Subject Headings: MeSH, CINAHL Headings, Topics, Thesaurus Headings, etc...

Database defined

Bring together multiple terms

Keywords

User defined

Have to take care to include all iterations

Concept Map

Run the search Start with all of the terms in your first column Search one at a time OR them together Then move on to the next column Search one at a time OR them together AND the concepts together Add limits Let’s do the first search together in PubMed

Start with all of the terms in your first column

Search one at a time

OR them together

Then move on to the next column

Search one at a time

OR them together

AND the concepts together

Add limits

Let’s do the first search together in PubMed

Group Exercise Pair up Select a health sciences database : Ovid Medline Embase CINAHL PsycINFO Cochrane Library Scopus Run the same search

Pair up

Select a health sciences database :

Ovid Medline

Embase

CINAHL

PsycINFO

Cochrane Library

Scopus

Run the same search

Group Exercise cont... Report on your findings What worked? What didn’t ? What did you like about your database? What did you dislike?

Report on your findings

What worked?

What didn’t ?

What did you like about your database?

What did you dislike?

Evaluate your results Too few? Try adding more search terms Try broader terms Try removing limits Too many? Try removing some search terms Try narrower terms Try adding limits Irrelevant? Assess your search statement – is it too broad? Too focused? Assess your terms – are there more accurate search terms?

Too few?

Try adding more search terms

Try broader terms

Try removing limits

Too many?

Try removing some search terms

Try narrower terms

Try adding limits

Irrelevant?

Assess your search statement – is it too broad? Too focused?

Assess your terms – are there more accurate search terms?

Revise Based on a quick evaluation of your results, revise one of the following: Your search statement Your terms Your limits

Based on a quick evaluation of your results, revise one of the following:

Your search statement

Your terms

Your limits

Group Exercise Try revising your search and report on your findings Did you get better results? What did you learn about the database?

Try revising your search and report on your findings

Did you get better results?

What did you learn about the database?

“ Comprehensive” Results Run your search in all the major health sciences databases Next Steps Export results to a citation manager like RefWorks

Run your search in all the major health sciences databases

Next Steps

Export results to a citation manager like RefWorks

And, finally... Tips for success: Consult your subject librarians: Attend more grad student workshops: www.lib.uwo.ca/taylor/workshopsandtutorials.html

Tips for success:

Consult your subject librarians:

Attend more grad student workshops: www.lib.uwo.ca/taylor/workshopsandtutorials.html