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
Top Related