Improving your
Ovid Medline Search

General Tips

• Use one concept per line & then combine your concepts
  Example:
  • Line 1: Hypertension
  • Line 2: Diabetes
  • Line 3: 1 and 2
• Always use MeSH terms. Sometimes you may want to add keywords also, but do not rely on keyword searching in MEDLINE.
• If you're looking for something general, you will often want to use the explode and the focus together.
• Be creative. If you don't find much, chances are you haven't found the right MeSH term. If all else fails, look in the green Medical Subject Heading books.

To Narrow Searches

• Look for better MeSH terms
• Limit years
• Limit to human
• Limit to journal type (ex: Review)
• Use the Focus
• Add another MeSH term (AND-ing)
• Add a keyword (AND-ing)
• Limit to age groups
• Limit to animal group
• Limit to journal name (ex: New England Journal of Medicine)
• Limit to Full-text
• Limit out terms (NOT-ing)
• Use sub-headings

To Broaden Searches

• Look for better MeSH terms
• Take off any limits you have set (years, journal types, etc.)
• Don't use the Focus
• Use the Explode
• Don't use sub-headings
• Add MeSH terms as synonyms (OR-ing)
• Add keywords as synonyms (OR-ing)

For assistance, please call the Health Sciences Library (816) 235-1880.