PHR403 LIBRARY &
DRUG INFORMATION
Practical
Assignment 4
December 10, 2013
Fall Semester 2013-14
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Amani Ramadan Gomaa, PharmD
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Searching MEDLINE
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OBJECTIVE
• The aim of this assignment is to practice
searching skills in MEDLINE.
By the end of this session you should be able to
1. Form search term string by combining search terms
using Boolean operators.
2. Perform a search using keywords and MeSH terms
3. Narrow search results using filters(limits) and field
tags
4. Save the search result in a file
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Keyword(s) & Synonym(s)
Keyword(s)
• A significant word used as a reference point
for finding information
Synonym(s)
• Synonyms for the terms are words that have
the same or nearly the same meaning.
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Search Query
• The actual word (Search term) or
string of words (Search term string)
that a search engine user types into
the search box
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Boolean Logical Operators
E H
E
H
E
H
E
AND
E
OR
E
H
H
NOT
H
•These operators must be typed in UPPER CASE (AND, OR, and NOT)
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Search Processing
•All operators are processed in a left-to-right sequence.
“Nesting” (enclose search terms in parentheses) can be used to change the order in
which the operators in a search statement are processed.
CP
CP
AS
AS
C
Cardioprotection AND Aspirin OR Captopril
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C
Cardioprotection AND (Aspirin OR Captopril)
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Wildcard/ Truncation search
 This search is based on a root word and all of its
variations that might prove valuable will be searched.
example: using “flavor” as a root word to find all terms
that begin with flavor: [flavored, flavorful, etc.]
 Place an asterisk at the end of a term to search for all
words that begin with it, e.g., flavor*
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Field Qualifiers (Tag)
 Add a “tag” [field
qualifier] after the search
term to narrow the search
to specific field enclosed
in brackets.
 The tag qualifiers can be
in upper or lower case.
example:
Multiple sclerosis
[tw] – text word
Miller DK [au] author
12/15/2013Hypertension [ti] Amani
- Ramadan Gomaa, PharmD
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Filters
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Search results
• Citations are initially displayed 20
items per page with the most recently
entered citations displayed first
Title
Authors
Pagination
Journal title abbreviation
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Publication date
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Task (1):
Use the following question to practice search
in MEDLINE
A patient developed hepatitis 2
weeks after initiation of a 7-day
course of oral ciprofloxacin.
The doctor wants to know if
you can find any case reports
or review articles published (in
English) in the last 10 years on
this topic.
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Now,
we will practice
I- Keyword Search
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PHR 403
Plan Your Search
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Identify relevant keywords and limits
A patient developed hepatitis 2
weeks after initiation of a 7-day
course of oral ciprofloxacin
The doctor wants to know if
you can find any case reports
or review articles published (in
English) in the last 10 years
on this topic.
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Identify relevant keywords and limits
A patient developed hepatitis 2
weeks after initiation of a 7-day
course of oral ciprofloxacin
The doctor wants to know if
you can find any case reports
or review articles published (in
English) in the last 10 years
on this topic.
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• Keyword (search term)
• Synonym
(s)
Keyword (s)
• (1)
(1) Hepatitis
• (2)
(2) Ciprofloxacin
Limits : :
• Limits
Synonym (s)
Languages : English
Article types: Review , case study
Publication dates: last 10 years
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• Keyword (search term)
Keyword (s)(s)
• Synonym
Synonym (s)
• (1)
(1) Hepatitis
Liver injury
Hepatotoxicity
• (2)
Inflammation of the liver
• Limits :
Liver damage
(2) Ciprofloxacin
Quinolone
Fluoroquinolone
Cipro
Limits :
Languages : English
Article types: Review , case study
Publication dates: last 10 years
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(I-b) Combine search terms (keywords) together
using Boolean Operators to form a search term
string then use it to perform a search in the
PubMed database.
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Broad search results using OR
Keyword-1 OR Keyword-2
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Narrow search results using AND
Keyword-1 AND Keyword-2
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Narrow search results by adding a “tag”
(field qualifier)
Keyword-1[ti] AND Keyword-2[ti]
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(I-c) Combine search terms (keywords &
Synonyms) together using Boolean Operators to
form a search term string 2 then use it to perform a
search in the PubMed database.
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(Keyword-1 OR Synonym-1) AND
(Keyword-2 OR (Synonym-2)
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Repeat your PubMed Search for search
term string(2) using selected filters (limits)
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Now,
we will practice
(2) MeSH Search
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learn how to search Mesh database
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
In the dropdown menu, choose MeSH database.
If you turn on MeSH database, your keyword search terms will automatically
mapped to a single MeSH term.
In MeSH database, type one keyword at a time so you can check whether there is
a MeSH term that relates to it.
Click on the MeSH term that you need. You will see the following items:
Subheadings
Restrict to MeSH Major Topic.
Do not include MeSH terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy.
Entry Terms (These are alternative terms to your keyword.)
MeSH trees
You can click on the boxes that you need on these items to limit the search result.
After selecting the items, go to ‘PubMed search builder’ on the upper right of
your monitor and click on ‘Add to search builder’.
Repeat the same procedure for all the keywords separately.
Finally click on ‘Search PubMed’.
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Do NOT forget to
remove limits before
a new search
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Clear filters
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Searching – MeSH terms and subheadings
in MEDLINE
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In the dropdown menu, choose
MeSH database.
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In MeSH database, type one
keyword at a time
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Click on the MeSH term that you
need
After selecting the items, go to ‘PubMed
search builder’ on the upper right of your
monitor and click on ‘Add to search
builder’.
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MeSH
Tree
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Click on the MeSH term that you
need.
You will see the following items:
Subheadings
Restrict to MeSH Major Topic.
Do not include MeSH terms
found below this term in the MeSH
hierarchy.
You can click on the boxes that
you need on these items to limit
the search result.
Entry Terms (These are alternative
terms to your keyword.)
MeSH trees
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Repeat the same procedure for all
the keywords separately
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Click on the MeSH term that you
need.
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You will see Subheading, Entry terms &
tree
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select the relevant term, click on
‘Add to search builder’.
Finally click on ‘Search PubMed’.
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MeSh term “Hepatitis”
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MeSh term “Drug-Induced Liver
injury”
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Repeat your PubMed Search for search
term string(2) using filters (limits)
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Save results to file
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What to do if you get
Too few citations
Too many citations
Expand search
• Click the Related citations
• Remove specific terms from
the search box.
• Try using alternative terms
to describe the concepts
you are searching
Narrow search
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• Replace general search
terms with more specific
ones
• Add additional terms to
your search.
• Use the sidebar filters to
restrict your results by
publication dates, species,
article types, etc.
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Task (2):
Now, the doctor wants to know your opinion;
“Is ciprofloxacin a possible cause of hepatitis?”
Read the abstract of the article(s) you choose as the most relevant and synthesis your
response.
Response :
…………………………………………..…………………………………………..………
…………………………………..…………………………………………..………………
…………………………..…………………………………………..………………………
…………………………..…………………………………………..………………………
…………………………..…………………………………………..………………………
…………………………..…………………………………………..………………………
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