Transcript Document

An Easy MEDLINE Search
For when you need the latest reviews
on lung cancer for tomorrow’s
presentation …
In 17 simple steps, with tips
© Tips from RMH Library, 2006
Step 1: Go to: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/clinicians/
Step 2a: Choose MEDLINE under “Quick Links”. If you are onsite at RMH, no
login/password is needed. If you are offsite, please contact the Library on 9342 8617: you will be
registered as a Library user, and be given the login ID and password
….OR … (see next slide)
Step 2b: Go to: http://www.mh.org.au/Royal_Melbourne_Hospital/LIBRARY/City_Campus/
selecting “Login to Library Online Resources”
Tip: The advantage is that you will see “RMH Library holds this title” (in PRINT, not
in electronic format) and the years, if it is available
Step 2c: At “Online Databases”, select “Ovid Databases”
Step 2d: You will be prompted to enter your Library barcode, click “Next”, then
choose a database (in our example, we are using MEDLINE 1966-current)
Step 3: Once in MEDLINE, type “lung cancer” in the box, and click “Search”
Note: Your term will be matched to the preferred Subject Heading (MeSH
term) “Lung Neoplasms”
Step 4: Tick the “Explode” and “Focus” boxes* (But beware: the latter may
over-restrict your results)
Step 5: Click “Continue”
Step 6: Tick “Include All Subheadings” – unless you wish to target aspects. In which
case tick individual boxes (any number), not “Include All…”
Step 7: Click “Continue”
Step 8: Under “Limits”, tick “Review Articles”, “Humans”, “English
Language”, and select a range of years
Step 9: Click “Search”
Step 10: 594 are too many to look through. Select additional limits – eg.
“Abstracts”, “Core Clinical Journals (AIM)”, and reduce the year range
Step 11: Click “Search”
Step 12: Click “Display” to view the seven articles retrieved, or scroll down the page
Tip: If seven are too few, click on Set no.2’s “Display” button, then click “Main Search
Page”. There, re-apply the limits in a different way – eg. this time, don’t tick
“Abstracts”, and don’t limit the year to 2006 only
Step 13: View as “Abstracts”, or “Full Text” (if available)
Note:“Complete Reference” shows the MeSH terms (MEDLINE Subject
Headings) used
Step 13a: Tick the articles you wish to keep
Note: No need to complete this step if you want them all
Tip: You can modify your search by re-using the MeSH terms that appear in
relevant articles (click on them, then return to “Main Menu”, one at a time),
then combine them - or:
Tip: You can use the “Find Similar” or “Find Citing Articles” icons
Step 13b: If you end up with more than one set to print, use an “OR”
statement to combine them. This will also remove duplicates
Tip: If you lose part of your Search History - click “Expand” (set 1 is
missing below) – and it will re-appear
Step 14: Go to “Results Manager” by scrolling to the bottom of the page
Step 15: Make your selection in “Results”, “Fields” and “Results Format”
Tip: Choosing “BRS/Tagged” in “Result Format” enables importing into EndNote
Step 16: Email the results to yourself (see next screen), or save, or preview & print
Step 17: Fill in your email address, and click “Send Email”
Tip: If you’d like to run the same search on a regular basis you can “Save
Search/Alert”. It can then be run automatically, or on demand
You will need to set up a personal account. Instructions are given as you go
Tip: You can also run the same search on another database, using the
“Change Database” icon
Just tick the box/es, and “Continue” – however, be aware that transferred
Subject Headings are not always valid in other databases
Click “Open & Re-Execute”, and the search will automatically re-run
Voilá: your MEDLINE search - now run in CINAHL
Note: Sets 2-4 state “Limit not valid in CINAHL; records were retained” –
check the available limits and re-apply as required