PubMed QuickGuide
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 the Library website (www.library.ucsf.edu/db/pubmeducsf) 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
- 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
- 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"
- 4. Get Search Results
Choose the Go button next to the search field, or press the Enter key.
Viewing Search Results
- 1. View a Single AbstractFrom the results page, choose the abstract icon
or the authors' names to view the abstract of individual articles. - 2. 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
View Full Text, Locate, or Request Articles
Display results in Abstract format as shown above.
The UC-eLinks button 
displays below the journal title.
Choose UC-eLinks to:
[more on UC-eLinks]