Here are some tips to help you make the most out of your PubMed searches:
- Use the basic search box on the homepage for a simple search with only two or three keywords.
- Use the advanced search option for a complex search:
- Enter search terms for the first concept (combining terms with Boolean OR) in the default search field – “All fields” to include word variations and controlled vocabulary automatically. Then click “Search”.
- Repeat these steps for each subsequent concept, replacing the search terms accordingly.
- After searching all the concepts, go to the “History and Search Details” section. You will see all the searches you’ve done.
- Combine searches for different concepts. On Search #1 line, click the three dots under “Actions” and select “Add with AND” to add the first query in the query box. Then click the three dots under “Actions” on Search #2 line and select “Add with AND” to add the second search. Repeat this step to add other searches. After adding all the searches, then click “Search” to view the combined search result.
- Phrase Searching. Use double quotation marks to search for a specific phrase.
- Wildcard search. To search for all terms that begin with a word, enter the word followed by an asterisk (*): the wildcard character. At least four characters must be provided in the truncated term.
- Search field tags (e.g., title, author, journal). For example, [tiab] will search for the term in the title and abstract.
- Limits and Filters. Use limits to refine your search, such as publication date, article type, age group, or language.
- Use PubMed Clinical Queries to find clinical studies.
- Useful features after logging into PubMed.
- Save searches. Search history items expire after 8 hour of inactivity. After logging in, on the search result page, click “create alert” to save the search. To retrieve or edit saved searches, click your username, then go to “Dashboard”.
- Add interesting articles in your Collection for later review. Select articles first, then select “Send to”. In the dropdown menu, select “Collections”. You can find your Collections in your Dashboard.
Experimenting with different combinations of these tips can help you optimize your PubMed searches. For more tips about revising and refining your searches, please visit the library Introduction to Literature Search Guide.
PubMed User Guide
PubMed video tutorial by Netter Library
