1. Searching in a database (e.g., CINAHL, Medline): Tips and Tricks on Finding the Articles You Need
What do I do
if...
If I don’t get 1. Looking up your 2. Use broader, less 3. “Exploding” 4. Remove 5. Use keywords 6. Truncate
enough terms or concepts in a specific subject your subject subheadings instead of subject keywords i.e.
results, try… relevant dictionary, headings i.e. heading(s) from subject headings diabet*
thesaurus, or “Anti-Bacterial
Bacterial headings if
Wikipedia to find Agents” instead of you used
synonyms or alternate “Amoxicillin” subheadings
words to describe
your term
If I get too 1. Use a more specific 2. Use the “focus” 3. Add relevant 4. Apply 5. Consider a 6. Use the Clinical
many results, subject heading i.e. feature, if available, subheadings to relevant limits limit such as Queries feature
try… “Amoxicillin” instead for one or more of subject headings to your search “Core Clinical available in
of “Anti-Bacterial your subject such as “drug i.e. date Journals” in PubMed, Medline,
Agents” headings therapy” or published, Medline, or “Peer or CINAHL
“diagnosis” human, Reviewed” in
Canada, etc. CINAHL
If I get results, 1. Use the “focus” 2. Select your key 3. Review the
but they feature (if available) concept and request subject headings
aren’t for one or more of that it show up in
u assigned to the
relevant, try… your subject headings the title of retrieved retrieved articles,
documents after trying strategy
#2 in the previous
box, and retry the
search