Frequently asked questions 5 – How and where to find search terms?
Questions: The words you use as search terms can come from: It is worth the time and the effort to pay attention to choosing your search terms, as well as thinking about how to combine them. That will save you time (and nerves) later. One might want just to write them down, someone else likes […]
Frequently asked questions 4 – How to import PubMed citations to RefWorks
Question: It is quite simple; By: Tuulevi Ovaska, Head of Services, Kuopio University Hospital Medical Library, University of Eastern Finland Library
Frequently asked questions 3 – Combining search terms
Questions: Boolean logic organizes concepts together in sets. When searching databases or online catalogs, these sets are controlled using Boolean operators OR, AND and NOT. Use OR to combine synonyms, close terms and alternatives. For example: Though it seems very simple, it is sometimes confusing, as Boolean OR is actually AND-OR, meaning either-or or both. […]
Frequently asked questions 2 – Truncation
Questions about truncating search terms when searching databases: You do not always have to truncate your search terms but… Examples: Different databases use different truncation marks. The most common are asterisk * and question mark ?. Check the database’s manual/FAQ if * does not seem to work. In PubMed, Cochrane Library and Scopus truncate using *. In Josku truncate using […]
Frequently asked questions 1 – What is the difference between MEDLINE and PubMed?
Question: There is a fact sheet of NLM (National Library of Medicine, USA) called MEDLINE, PubMed, and PMC (PubMed Central): How are they different? that explains the difference in detail. Shortly: MEDLINE is the National Library of Medicine (NLM) journal citation database. MEDLINE database is searchable from NLM as a subset of the PubMed database but […]