Graduate Student Workshop:

Smart Searching for the Health Sciences

June 8, 2009

Robin FeatherstoneResearch & Instructional Services Librarian

Learning Objective

Run a comprehensive search of the health sciences literature

Agenda

• Develop a search statement• Select keywords and subject headings• Complete a concept map • Run the search in different health sciences

databases• Evaluate• Revise

The search statement

I am looking for articles about....

Selecting terms

• Subject Headings: MeSH, CINAHL Headings, Topics, Thesaurus Headings, etc...

– Database defined – Bring together multiple terms

• Keywords– User defined– Have to take care to include all iterations

Concept Map

Run the search• Start with all of the terms in your first column• Search one at a time• OR them together

• Then move on to the next column• Search one at a time• OR them together

• AND the concepts together• Add limits

Let’s do the first search together in PubMed

Group Exercise

• Pair up• Select a health sciences database:

• Ovid Medline• Embase• CINAHL• PsycINFO• Cochrane Library• Scopus

• Run the same search

Group Exercise cont...

• Report on your findingsWhat worked? What didn’t?What did you like about your database?What did you dislike?

Evaluate your results• Too few?

– Try adding more search terms– Try broader terms– Try removing limits

• Too many?– Try removing some search terms– Try narrower terms– Try adding limits

• Irrelevant?– Assess your search statement – is it too broad? Too focused? – Assess your terms – are there more accurate search terms?

Revise

• Based on a quick evaluation of your results, revise one of the following: – Your search statement– Your terms – Your limits

Group Exercise

• Try revising your search and report on your findings– Did you get better results? – What did you learn about the database?

“Comprehensive” Results

• Run your search in all the major health sciences databases

Next Steps• Export results to a citation manager like

RefWorks

And, finally...

• Tips for success:– Consult your subject

librarians:

– Attend more grad student workshops: www.lib.uwo.ca/taylor/workshopsandtutorials.html