SEARCH TIPS

GENERAL SEARCH TIPS
 Identify key concepts in research statement or
question
 Build search strings using Boolean Operators (and other
search tools)
 Choose which database(s) to search
 If you need assistance, Ask-a-Librarian
 Set Limits to narrow your results
 Contact a librarian if you need help!

STEP 1: SELECT KEY CONCEPTS TO BUILD
SEARCH WITH.
 What effect does nutrition have
on learning?

STEP 1: SELECT KEY CONCEPTS TO BUILD
SEARCH WITH.
 What effect does nutrition have
on learning?

STEP 1: SELECT KEY CONCEPTS TO BUILD
SEARCH WITH.
 I’m looking for articles on
hyperhidrosis (aka excessive
sweating or perspiration).

STEP 1: SELECT KEY CONCEPTS TO BUILD
SEARCH WITH.
 I’m looking for articles on
hyperhidrosis (aka excessive
sweating or perspiration).

STEP 1: SELECT KEY CONCEPTS TO BUILD
SEARCH WITH.
 I need articles on epidural and
subdural hematomas but not
subarachnoid hematomas.

STEP 1: SELECT KEY CONCEPTS TO BUILD
SEARCH WITH.
 I need articles on epidural and
subdural hematomas but not
subarachnoid hematomas.

STEP 2: BUILD A SEARCH STRING
AND—OR—NOT & other search tools

The AND Operator
Measles: Mumps:
20,604 Results 7,900 Results
Measles AND Mumps:
3,665 Results
PubMed search results 06/29/09

The OR Operator
Measles: Mumps:
20,604 Results 7,900 Results
Measles OR Mumps:
24,838 Results
PubMed search results 06/29/09

The NOT operator
Measles:
20,604 Results
Mumps:
Measles NOT Mumps: 7,900 Results
4,234 Results
Note: Beware of using NOT because you can “not” yourself out of good
search results!
PubMed search results 06/29/09

Use other search operators
such as:
• Quotation marks to search as a phrase
ex. “heart attack” searches as a phrase
and not for individual instances of the words
heart or attack
• Truncate words
ex. “inject*” searches injects, injected,
injecting, injection, etc.

CONSTRUCTING THE SEARCH
STRINGS
 What effect does nutrition have on
learning?
• nutrition AND learning
• nutrition AND (learning OR education)

CONSTRUCTING THE SEARCH
STRINGS
 I’m looking for articles on hyperhidrosis
(aka excessive sweating or perspiration).
hyperhidrosis OR ((sweat* OR perspir*)
AND (excessive OR abnormal OR
profuse))

CONSTRUCTING THE SEARCH
STRINGS
 I need articles on epidural and subdural
hematomas but not subarachnoid
hematomas.
((epidural OR subdural) AND
hematoma) NOT “subarachnoid
hematoma”
Note: Beware of using NOT because you can “not” yourself out of good
search results!

STEP 3: SELECT A DATABASE (AND/OR
CAREFULLY SEARCH THE INTERNET).
 Select a database by:
 Asking a librarian for help
 Going to the Databases and
Resources page http://www.uab.edu/lister
and/or
CAREFULLY search the internet

Items to consider when
evaluating internet
based information

Who runs the site?
Clear ownership

How is the site funded?
Conflict of Interest

What is the purpose of the site?
Clear statement of purpose and mission

Where does the
information come from?
References clearly listed

How is content selected?
Clear statement on selection and
inclusion/exclusion of information

How current is the information?
Date posted or last update displayed

Does the website provide contact
information?
In this case, by online form

And with what we just
went over in mind …

Wikipedia:
A great place to start…
…but not the place to finish.

Anyone (essentially) can edit a
Wikipedia entry
From the revision history of the Universal Health Care
Wikipedia entry

Wikipedia entries often
have links to credible and
scholarly resources
References section from Wikipedia Universal Health Care entry

STEP 4: SET LIMITS
In the process of searching, introduce limits:
• Publication Dates
• Language(s)
• Discipline (nursing, medicine, etc.)
• Type of article (opinion, clinical trial, review, etc.)
• Free full text
• Etc.
Limits can have great impact on searches:
Use them wisely; Start with a broad search (Don’t “limit” yourself out of
good resources)

Seek the help and assistance of a
Lister Hill Library Librarian!
http://www.uab.edu/lister

Ask-a-Librarian
http://www.uab.edu/lister/qpask/
And follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UABLHL

Nursing Liaisons
http://www.uab.edu/lister/research/nursing/