PHA 520 Fall 2013

1. PUBMED BASICS
Jessica Cole, MLIS, AHIPPHA 520
September 30, 2013

2. • Free MEDLINE access (Nat’l Library of Medicine database)
• 23 million references from 5600+ journals
• Coverage: Medicine, dentistry, nursing, healthcare
systems, pre-clinical sciences+
• Some free articles - Linkout to your library’s articles
(Enter through library proxy for full text links)
• Handles searches from very basic to complex
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/pubmed.ht

3. PMID # - Quickly
Retrieve in Search Box
Publication Type -
Critical Analysis: Levels
of Evidence
MeSH - Controlled
Vocabulary/“Aboutness”
Full Text?
NAU:
Similar Citations

4. 1) Decide which filter
categories to display by
clicking show additional
filters, checking boxes, &
clicking Show.
2) Then limit your results
by clicking on one or more
of the choices underneath
the filter categories. A
checkmark appears to the
left when filter is used.
Remember to “Clear”
filters when finished or
PubMed will keep them
active in your next
session/search.

5. Use Filters to Limit to Review
Articles for General Background
Information
A checkmark
appears next
to a filter that
has been
activated.
You can
apply more
than one
limit at a
time.

6. Search Tips
 TOO MANY RESULTS?
 Add more search terms with AND (i.e. migraine AND pregnancy)
 Use filters to limit results (i.e. Humans & English)
 NOT ENOUGH RESULTS?
 Broaden search with OR (sore throat OR strep throat)
 Find one “good” reference and view Related Citations
 DO:
 Experiment! (Keywords, Boolean operators, filters)
 Save “good” references as you go so you can find your way back to
them (i.e. Use Clipboard/email yourself articles, save PMID#)
 DO NOT:
 Don’t use filters to limit results to Full Text availability – this is not
always accurate, and you can request articles through Cline Library