This document provides guidance on conducting effective literature searches through the Medical Library at Cambridge University. It discusses how to clarify the research question, select appropriate databases and search strategies, manage references, and translate the topic into an effective search. Steps are outlined for developing keywords, applying Boolean logic, searching specific databases, and using filters. The document aims to help researchers fully explore the existing literature and get the most from library resources.

1. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
MEDICAL LIBRARY
Diving for pearls…..
How to get the most from your literature
search and the Medical Library.
Isla Kuhn
Deputy Medical Librarian

2. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
MEDICAL LIBRARY

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MEDICAL LIBRARY
• how to clarify the question(s) on which you need to
find literature
• selecting the databases and other resources you
will need to search
• devising the most comprehensive literature search
strategy so you know you’ve not missed any relevant
studies
• keeping up to date with new information appearing
between the initial search and write-up
• issues around management of process and results
• management of references (using software such as
Endnote), and getting hold of the full text article

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MEDICAL LIBRARY
1 clinical trial.pt.
2 randomized.ab,ti.
3 placebo.ab,ti.
4 dt.fs.
5 randomly.ab,ti.
6 trial.ab,ti.
7 groups.ab,ti.
8 or/1-7
9 Animals/
10 Humans/
11 9 not (9 and 10)
12 8 not 11
13 dorsalgia.ab,ti.
14 exp Back Pain/
15 exp Low Back Pain/
16 backache.ab,ti.
17 (lumbar adj pain).ab,ti.
18 coccyx.ab,ti.
19 coccydynia.ab,ti.
20 exp Sciatica/
21 sciatica.ab,ti.
22 spondylosis.ab,ti.
23 lumbago.ab,ti.
24 or/13-23
25 exp Spine/
26 discitis.ab,ti.
27 exp Spinal Diseases/
28 (disc adj degeneration).ab,ti.
29 (disc adj prolapse).ab,ti.
30 (disc adj herniation).ab,ti.
31 spinal fusion.sh.
32 spinal neoplasms.sh.
33 (facet adj joints).ab,ti.
34 intervertebral disk.sh.
35 postlaminectomy.ab,ti.
36 arachnoiditis.ab,ti.
37 (failed adj back).ab,ti.
38 or/25-37
39 exp activities of daily living/
40 activities of daily living.tw.
41 day to day activ$.ti,ab.
42 daily activit$.ti,ab.
43 ordinary activit$.ti,ab.
44 normal activit$.ti,ab.
45 stay$ active.ti,ab.
46 exp Bed Rest/
47 bed rest.mp.
48 or/39-47
49 24 or 38
50 12 and 49
51 48 and 50

5. MEDICAL LIBRARY From topic to search
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• Topic -> question -> keywords/synonyms
Effect of chocolate in prevention of heart disease
...”Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing risk of heart disease?” ….
Keywords / PICO

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From Topic to Results
Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?
P –problem / patient?
I – Intervention?
C – Comparison?
O – Outcome?

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MEDICAL LIBRARY
From Topic to Results
Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?
P – heart disease
I – chocolate
C –
O – risk
Synonyms?

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MEDICAL LIBRARY
From Topic to Results
Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?
P – heart disease / heart failure / cardiovascular disease / coronary disease
I – chocolate / cocoa / cacao
C –
O – risk / prevention /

9. MEDICAL LIBRARY Boolean Logic
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AND – to narrow the search by combining different topics
eg
“physiotherapy” and “stroke”
Both terms must be present in the results.
Physiotherapy Stroke

10. MEDICAL LIBRARY Boolean Logic
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
OR – to broaden your search, by combining similar terms
eg
“exercise” or “physical activity”
Either term can be present in the resulting set of articles.
Exercise Physical activity

11. MEDICAL LIBRARY Boolean Logic
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
NOT – to restrict your search so that it does not contain a particular term
eg
“physical therapy” not “manual therapy”
The first, but not the second, term must be present.
Manual
Therapy
Physical
Therapy

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From Topic to Results
Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?
heart disease OR heart failure OR cardiovascular disease OR coronary
disease
AND
chocolate OR cocoa OR cacao
AND
risk OR prevention

13. MEDICAL LIBRARY Question:
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1st theme OR OR OR
AND
2nd theme OR OR OR
AND
3rd theme OR OR OR
AND
4th theme? OR OR OR

14. MEDICAL LIBRARY Mind map your question?
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Research
question
synonym
1st
theme
4th
theme
3rd
theme
2nd
theme
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym
synonym synonym

15. MEDICAL LIBRARY Putting the theory into practice
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http://wok.mimas.ac.uk
http://tinyurl.com/campubmed

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From Topic to Results
Is consuming chocolate effective in reducing the risk of heart disease?
“heart disease*” OR “heart failure*” OR “cardiovascular disease*” OR
“coronary disease*” OR “Cardiovascular Disease”[Mesh]
AND
Chocolate* OR cocoa OR cacao OR “Cocao”[Mesh]
AND
Risk* OR prevent* OR “Risk”[Mesh] OR “Primary Prevention”[Mesh]
Truncation Phrases

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1. “heart disease*”
2. “heart failure*”
3. “cardiovascular disease*”
4. “coronary disease*”
5. “Cardiovascular Disease”[Mesh
6. 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5
7. Chocolate*
8. cocoa
9. cacao
10.“Cocao”[Mesh]
11.7 or 8 or 9 or 10
12.Risk*
13.prevent*
14.“Risk”[Mesh]
15.“Primary Prevention
16.12 or 13 or 14 or 15
17.6 and 11 and 16

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1 clinical trial.pt.
2 randomized.ab,ti.
3 placebo.ab,ti.
4 dt.fs.
5 randomly.ab,ti.
6 trial.ab,ti.
7 groups.ab,ti.
8 or/1-7
9 Animals/
10 Humans/
11 9 not (9 and 10)
12 8 not 11
13 dorsalgia.ab,ti.
14 exp Back Pain/
15 exp Low Back Pain/
16 backache.ab,ti.
17 (lumbar adj pain).ab,ti.
18 coccyx.ab,ti.
19 coccydynia.ab,ti.
20 exp Sciatica/
21 sciatica.ab,ti.
22 spondylosis.ab,ti.
23 lumbago.ab,ti.
24 or/13-23
25 exp Spine/
26 discitis.ab,ti.
27 exp Spinal Diseases/
28 (disc adj degeneration).ab,ti.
29 (disc adj prolapse).ab,ti.
30 (disc adj herniation).ab,ti.
31 spinal fusion.sh.
32 spinal neoplasms.sh.
33 (facet adj joints).ab,ti.
34 intervertebral disk.sh.
35 postlaminectomy.ab,ti.
36 arachnoiditis.ab,ti.
37 (failed adj back).ab,ti.
38 or/25-37
39 exp activities of daily living/
40 activities of daily living.tw.
41 day to day activ$.ti,ab.
42 daily activit$.ti,ab.
43 ordinary activit$.ti,ab.
44 normal activit$.ti,ab.
45 stay$ active.ti,ab.
46 exp Bed Rest/
47 bed rest.mp.
48 or/39-47
49 24 or 38
50 12 and 49
51 48 and 50

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MEDICAL LIBRARY
1 clinical trial.pt.
2 randomized.ab,ti.
3 placebo.ab,ti.
4 dt.fs.
5 randomly.ab,ti.
6 trial.ab,ti.
7 groups.ab,ti.
8 or/1-7
9 Animals/
10 Humans/
11 9 not (9 and 10)
12 8 not 11
13 dorsalgia.ab,ti.
14 exp Back Pain/
15 exp Low Back Pain/
16 backache.ab,ti.
17 (lumbar adj pain).ab,ti.
18 coccyx.ab,ti.
19 coccydynia.ab,ti.
20 exp Sciatica/
21 sciatica.ab,ti.
22 spondylosis.ab,ti.
23 lumbago.ab,ti.
24 or/13-23
25 exp Spine/
26 discitis.ab,ti.
27 exp Spinal Diseases/
28 (disc adj degeneration).ab,ti.
29 (disc adj prolapse).ab,ti.
30 (disc adj herniation).ab,ti.
31 spinal fusion.sh.
32 spinal neoplasms.sh.
33 (facet adj joints).ab,ti.
34 intervertebral disk.sh.
35 postlaminectomy.ab,ti.
36 arachnoiditis.ab,ti.
37 (failed adj back).ab,ti.
38 or/25-37
39 exp activities of daily living/
40 activities of daily living.tw.
41 day to day activ$.ti,ab.
42 daily activit$.ti,ab.
43 ordinary activit$.ti,ab.
44 normal activit$.ti,ab.
45 stay$ active.ti,ab.
46 exp Bed Rest/
47 bed rest.mp.
48 or/39-47
49 24 or 38
50 12 and 49
51 48 and 50

20. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
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Advice to rest in bed versus advice to stay active for acute
low-back pain and sciatica
The objective of this review is to determine the effects of advice to rest in bed or stay active for patients
with acute low-back pain or sciatica.
The following comparisons will be made:
• Bed rest versus staying active
• Bed rest versus other treatments (besides staying active)
• Shorter periods of bed rest versus longer periods of bed rest
• Staying active versus other treatments (besides bed rest)
• Comparison between different forms of advice to stay active (e.g. avoiding bedrest, staying active)
http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD007612/pdf_fs.html

21. MEDICAL LIBRARY From topic to search: filters
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• http://www.sign.ac.uk/methodology/filters.html Observational Study Filters
Medline
1 Epidemiologic studies/
2 Exp case control studies/
3 Exp cohort studies/
4 Case control.tw.
5 (cohort adj (study or studies)).tw.
6 Cohort analy$.tw.
7 (Follow up adj (study or studies)).tw.
8 (observational adj (study or studies)).tw.
9 Longitudinal.tw.
10 Retrospective.tw.
11 Cross sectional.tw.
12 Cross-sectional studies/
13 Or/1-12
Embase
1 Clinical study/
2 Case control study
3 Family study/
4 Longitudinal study/
5 Retrospective study/
6 Prospective study/
7 Randomized controlled trials/
8 6 not 7
9 Cohort analysis/
10 (Cohort adj (study or studies)).mp.
11 (Case control adj (study or studies)).tw.
12 (follow up adj (study or studies)).tw.
13 (observational adj (study or studies)).tw.
14 (epidemiologic$ adj (study or studies)).tw.
15 (cross sectional adj (study or studies)).tw.
16 Or/1-5,8-15

22. MEDICAL LIBRARY From topic to search: filters - translated
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• http://www.sign.ac.uk/methodology/filters.html Observational Study Filters
Medline (via Pubmed)
#1 “Epidemiologic studies”[Mesh]
#2 “case control studies”[Mesh]
#3 “cohort studies”[Mesh]
#4 Case control[Text Word]
#5 (cohort stud*))[Text Word]
#6 Cohort analy*[Text Word]
#7 (Follow up AND (study or studies))[Text
Word]
#8 (observational AND (study or studies))[Text
Word]
#9 Longitudinal[Text Word]
#10 Retrospective[Text Word]
#11 Cross sectional[Text Word]
#12 “Cross-sectional studies”[Mesh]
#13 #1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5 OR #6 OR
#7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12
Medline
1 Epidemiologic studies/
2 Exp case control studies/
3 Exp cohort studies/
4 Case control.tw.
5 (cohort adj (study or studies)).tw.
6 Cohort analy$.tw.
7 (Follow up adj (study or studies)).tw.
8 (observational adj (study or studies)).tw.
9 Longitudinal.tw.
10 Retrospective.tw.
11 Cross sectional.tw.
12 Cross-sectional studies/
13 Or/1-12

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http://library.medschl.cam.ac.uk/resources-training-support/databases/

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From strategy to references
• Reference Manager (or EndnoteWeb, or Zotero, or Mendely, or…?)
(to manage your references)
• LibrarySearch and/or e-journals@cambridge
(to get hold of the articles)

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From strategy to references
http://tinyurl.com/campubmed
http://wok.mimas.ac.uk
And other tools to help:
• Non-journal material (eg NGO websites, books, statistics, grey literature)
• RAVEN (perhaps other passwords?)
• Endnote (or endnoteweb or zotero or mendeley…etc)
• CASP Critical Appraisal Checklists / other critical appraisal tools
• Qiqqa or PDF X-change

26. MEDICAL LIBRARY Keeping up to date
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• alerts
• journal TOCs
• citation tracking
• Email alerts
• RSS fees

27. MEDICAL LIBRARY Management of process & results
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• What is the data you need to record?
• Where will you record it? Where will you store it?
• How will you record it?
• How will you share it?
When should all this start?
– more info on data management

28. MEDICAL LIBRARY Searching – Do’s & Don’ts
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• Don’t try to do the whole search in one line
• Don’t imagine that your first attempt will get all the articles you need
• Don’t give up!

29. MEDICAL LIBRARY Searching – Do’s & Don’ts
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
• Do think of alternative ways of talking about your topic
• Do learn from your hits and your misses
• Do remember that you still have to critically appraise each article
• Do ask for help

30. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
MEDICAL LIBRARY

31. MEDICAL LIBRARY Help!
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Isla Kuhn
Deputy Medical Librarian
Medical Library
Box 111
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
ilk21@cam.ac.uk
@ilk21
(01223) (3)36750
http://library.medschl.cam.ac.uk
Thank you.