PubMed@UCSF QuickGuide




INSIDE PUBMED@UCSF QUICKGUIDE


	Basics of Using PubMed@UCSF

	-	Basic Search

	-	View Results

	-	View Full Text

	Advanced Search Tips

	Alert Services

HELP & HOW-TO

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GALEN Home > Collections & Resources > Databases > PubMed@UCSF > QuickGuide: Basic Searching

PubMed@UCSF QuickGuide

PURPOSE

Brief introduction to searching PubMed@UCSF and using UC-eLinks.

WHAT IS PUBMED@UCSF?

PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's search interface for the MEDLINE database and selected additional databases. It is updated regularly and provides access to the records of millions of journal articles.

TIP: Link to PubMed@UCSF via GALEN (www.library.ucsf.edu/db/pubmed/) to see resources owned by the UCSF Library, and to access the full text of electronic journals via UC-eLinks.

HELP: The National Library of Medicine maintains a comprehensive online book about how to search PubMed, as well as numerous animated tutorials about different facets of the database.

Overview: Basics of Using PubMed@UCSF



	1. Enter Search Terms

	Tip: Use AND, OR, or NOT to build your search query. [search by author] [more advanced search tips]

	2. Use Medical Subject Headings to Refine Your Search (optional)


	Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) form a controlled vocabulary that allows you to locate articles on more precise topics than you can often find with a keyword search. To be even more precise, you can search by subheadings, which address specific facets of a single topic (e.g., "gene therapy/adverse effects" or "gene therapy/trends.") Tutorials - Introduction to MeSH Searching - Combining MeSH Terms - Adding Subheadings to MeSH Terms

	3. Limit Your Search (optional)


	Choose the Limits tab just below the search field. Then, select from any of the menus or fields in the area beneath the phrase, "Limit your search by any of the following criteria": [more about using limits]

	4. Get Search Results


	Choose the Go button next to the search field, or press the Enter key.

Viewing Search Results



	5. View a Single Abstract

	From the results page, choose the abstract icon or the authors' names to view the abstract of individual articles.

	6. Select and View Abstracts of Multiple Articles


	Select the checkbox next to the citations you wish to see. [more on displaying and sorting search results] Select Abstract from the Display menu. The display format will change from Summary to Abstract. [more on different citation formats] [how to email, save, and print results]

Viewing Electronic Full Text



	7. View Full Text, Locate, or Request Articles

	Display results in Abstract format as in step 6 above. The UC-eLinks button displays below the journal title. Choose UC-eLinks to: - Access the full text of journal articles that the UCSF Library subscribes to - Link to the UCSF Library Catalog to see if UCSF owns a particular journal in print or electronic format - Request journal articles that the UCSF Library does not own. [more on UC-eLinks]

Ready to Move On?



	Go to PubMed@UCSF or continue with this QuickGuide - [Advanced Search Tips] [Alert Services]

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