This document provides an overview of searching basics for medical research. It outlines strategies for developing effective search queries, including using PICO to frame clinical questions and Boolean operators and truncation/wildcards to combine and expand search terms. Resources like databases, textbooks, and search engines are recommended for different information needs, and tips are provided for evaluating evidence and knowing when to ask for research assistance.

1. Searching Basics
Susan Fowler, MLIS
Medical Librarian
Fowler@wustl.edu
314‐362‐8092
pg: 314‐360‐1069

2. Outline
• Search Strategy
• Resources
• PICO
• Research Methods
• Boolean
• Truncation and Wild cards
• Quotes
• More help

3. Search Strategy
It takes a little extra time at the outset, but if you plan your
search first the process will be much more effective.
1. Consider the topic of your search and the type of
information you wish to find. What will be the best
resource to meet your need?
2. Break your search query down into individual ideas
3. Choose types of research methods
4. Search each concept separately
5. Combine concepts using Boolean operators
6. Narrow your search results by applying limits

4. Resources
• Basic Reference Question = Search engine
like Google
• Background or Introduction to a topic =
textbook
• Research Article = database

5. PICO
PICO can be used to help break down your question
• Patient or Population ‐ How would I describe a group
of patients similar to mine?
• Intervention ‐ Which main intervention, prognostic
factor, or exposure am I considering?
• Comparison ‐ What is the main alternative to compare
with the intervention?
• Outcome ‐ What can I hope to accomplish, measure,
improve or affect?

6. Choosing Appropriate Evidence
Higher Percentage of
Quality the Literature
Meta‐
analyses
Systematic
reviews
Randomized
controlled trials
Cohort studies
Case‐control studies
Case series and case reports
Animal and laboratory research

7. Research Methods Defined
meta‐analysis: a quantitative approach in which individual study findings
addressing a common problem are statistically integrated and analyzed to
determine the effectiveness of interventions.
systematic review: a process by which a body of literature is reviewed and
assessed using systematic methods which are intended to reduce bias in
the review process and improve understandability.
randomized controlled trial: an experiment in which investigators randomly
allocate participants into (eg treatment and control) groups to receive or
not to receive one or more interventions that are being compared.
cohort study: an observational study in which a cohort is followed over time.
case‐control studies: retrospective research design that compares individuals
with a specific condition to those without it.
case report: a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment,
and follow‐up of an individual patient.
case series: a report on a series of patients with an outcome or condition of
interest.

8. Boolean
George Boole (1815 –1864) was an English
mathematician and philosopher.
•Invented Boolean logic which is the basis
of modern digital computer.
-AND
-OR
-NOT

9. Boolean
strawberry AND AND chocolate
Strickland, Jennifer and Henderson, John R. (October 10, 2005). Boolean Logic. Retrieved September 22, 2007, from
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/course/expert.html.

10. Boolean
strawberry OR OR chocolate
Strickland, Jennifer and Henderson, John R. (October 10, 2005). Boolean Logic. Retrieved September 22, 2007, from
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/course/expert.html.

11. Boolean and Nesting
(strawberry OR NOT chocolate
Strickland, Jennifer and Henderson, John R. (October 10, 2005). Boolean Logic. Retrieved September 22, 2007, from
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/course/expert.html.

12. Truncation and Wild Cards
• Truncation is a searchable shortened form of a word.
– adolescen* will include
• adolescence
• adolescent
• adolescents, etc…
• Wild card characters are useful because of alternate spellings and
other quirks in the English language.
– behavio?r, will include
• behaviour
• behavior
– Wom*n, will include
• women
• woman

13. Quotation Marks
Using quotation marks for a phrase forces the database to
return results where those words appear together.
Without Quotations = 57,360 results With Quotations = 13,180 results

14. 20 Minutes
If 20 minutes have passed and you still have not found what you
are looking for, stop and ask for help.
• 660 S. Euclid • St. Louis Children’s Hospital
314‐362‐7085 Lauren Yaeger, 314‐454‐2768
Susan Fowler, 314‐362‐8092 yaegerl@wustl.edu
Pg: 314‐360‐1069
fowler@wustl.edu
• BJ North, Rothschild
Medical Library
Reka Kozak, 314‐454‐7208
kozakr@wustl.edu