The Medical Research Guide

The next step after coming up with an idea is conducting a literature search. In academic writing, a thorough literature search is essential to finding high-quality research to support your work. For most medical and biomedical topics, I primarily use PubMed and Ovid. Both platforms offer access to vast collections of peer-reviewed literature, with advanced search tools to help refine results. Mastering Boolean operators and MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms will further enhance your ability to conduct precise searches. This chapter will walk you through conducting efficient searches using these two platforms.

I. Introduction to Boolean Operators and MeSH Terms

Boolean Operators
Boolean operators allow you to combine or exclude keywords to refine your search:

• AND retrieves articles containing both terms (e.g., “angioplasty AND coronary artery disease”).
• OR retrieves articles with either term (e.g., “angioplasty OR stenting”).
• NOT excludes articles with a certain term (e.g., “drug-coated balloon NOT paclitaxel”).

Boolean logic helps narrow or broaden search results based on your needs, making it easier to locate relevant studies.

MeSH Terms (Medical Subject Headings)
MeSH terms are standardized subject headings used in PubMed and Ovid’s MEDLINE to index articles by topic. These terms align with concepts rather than keywords, so all relevant articles on a subject are indexed under the same heading. For example, searching for “myocardial infarction” will retrieve all relevant articles, even if some refer to it as “heart attack.”

II. How to Use PubMed for Literature Searches

1. Go to PubMed.
2. Use the search bar on the homepage to enter your keywords or MeSH terms.
3. For more precise searches, click on “Advanced” below the search bar.

The Advanced Search Builder allows you to structure multiple queries. Use the “Add Query” button to combine search strings with Boolean operators. Apply filters on the left side of the results page to narrow your search by publication type, date, and text availability.

Save your articles using the Clipboard feature or create a saved search in your PubMed account for future access.

III. How to Use Ovid for Literature Searches

1. Go to Ovid and log in through your institution.
2. Select MEDLINE from the available databases.
3. Use Ovid’s Thesaurus Search to find MeSH terms like “Coronary Artery Disease” and combine them with keywords such as “drug eluting stent” using Boolean operators.

Apply filters to refine your search by date or study type, and export the selected references to a citation manager like EndNote or Mendeley for efficient organization.

IV. Organizing and Saving Search Strategies

A good literature search typically takes about 10–15 hours. It’s important to save your search strategy, including the terms used, filters applied, and the total number of articles retrieved and selected.

Export your articles to a citation manager like EndNote to organize your references and remove duplicates. Keeping your search results organized ensures smooth writing and accurate referencing throughout your project.

V. Final Thoughts on Using PubMed and Ovid for Literature Searches

Combining PubMed and Ovid ensures a comprehensive literature search. PubMed is ideal for quick clinical searches, while Ovid offers advanced tools for in-depth research. Mastering Boolean operators and MeSH terms allows you to retrieve the most relevant studies efficiently and store them in a citation manager for seamless manuscript writing.

Key Takeaways

• Use MeSH terms and Boolean operators for precise searches.
• Combine PubMed and Ovid to capture a wide range of studies.
• Save your search strategy as it needs to be outlined in the manuscript.
• Organize references using citation managers like EndNote.
• Remove duplicates to streamline your final reference list.

By mastering these platforms and techniques, you’ll enhance the efficiency and accuracy of your literature search, ensuring a solid foundation for your manuscript.

References

1.National Library of Medicine. (2023). PubMed Help. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/help/

2.National Library of Medicine. (2023). Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html

3.Ovid Technologies, Inc. (2023). Ovid MEDLINE User Guide. Available at: https://www.ovid.com/product-details.ovid-medline.html