DIALOGBRIEFING Training Advanced Searching on DataStar Web

2 Objective Effective searching using advanced search skills

3 Session Formats Presentation Online demonstrations Questions and answers

4 Agenda Introduction Citations Multifile Searching Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Using Limits Additional Indexing Conclusion

5 Agenda Introduction Citations Multifile Searching Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Using Limits Additional Indexing Conclusion

6 Viewing Titles A typical database citation consists of title, journal, date and author references, e.g. (MEZZ) Link to fully indexed abstract Indications for requesting laboratory tests for concurrent diseases in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a systematic review. Clinical chemistry {Clin-Chem} 2003 Sep, VOL: 49 (9), P: , Refs: 31, ISSN: van-Dijk-Mariska-A-J, Reitsma-Johannes-B, Fischer-Johan-C, Sanders-Gerard-T-B.

7 Searching Author Names An author citation is always searched using the surname first followed by a hyphen and the first and/or second initial or first name (where applicable), e.g. Borg-A Borg-A-J Borg-Anders

8 Searching Author Names If you are not sure how an author name is indexed in a database you can truncate your search, e.g. Asaf-F$ Asaf-$ By replacing the $ with a ? you can obtain a list of related terms, e.g. Asaf-F? Asaf-?

9 Searching Journal Names Journals and other publications are presented with bibliographic content in the Source field, e.g. The Journal of asthma {J-Asthma} 2003 Jun, VOL: 40 (4), P: , ISSN: All the elements of the publication are searchable - the journal title - the abbreviated journal title - date, volume, page and ISSN

10 Searching Journal Names It is important to omit any punctuation when searching a citation as DataStar does not recognise punctuation marks Each database may index a journal name differently Use the ? feature, e.g. to verify journal entries and obtain a list of journal names asthma? journal-of-asthma? (note the use hyphens for multiple words)

11 Searching Journal References To obtain a precise reference, use Boolean Logic to combine elements from a citation in the Source field, e.g. for Prenatal diagnosis {Prenat-Diagn} 2003 May, VOL: 23 (5), P: , ISSN: Prenatal Diagnosis AND 2003 Prenat-Diagn AND (P NEXT 372-4) BMJ NEXT VOL NEXT 327 NEXT AND (2003 MAY)

12 Searching Author and Journal Citations You can also combine Author and Source information by searching each separately and combining sets, e.g. 1Kang-Song-K (Author) 2American journal of clinical oncology (Source) 31 AND 2

13 Agenda Introduction Citations Multifile Searching Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Using Limits Additional Indexing Conclusion

14 Multifile Searching DataStar Web is designed to facilitate searches in individual databases and database groups Both types of searching are available in different forms through the two search modes: Easy Search and Advanced Search

15 Multifile Searching Repeating searches using indexed terms is only possible where databases have common indexed paragraphs Where there are no common paragraphs, compatible search strategies should be use. Where databases do not have common indexing, a better approach will be to carry out unique searches in each database It is still possible to remove duplicates from these searches

16 Multifile Searching Removing Duplicates –It is possible to remove duplicates from repeated sets or sets with unique search strategies carried out in different databases –Click –This will create a set with dropped duplicates and a set of unique records – Removing Duplicates gives you the option of choosing which sets you want to de-duplicate

17 Multifile Searching Splitting Sets –After removing duplicates click to see how many records come from each database –The split result shows the titles corresponding to each of the de-duplicated lists from the databases used –The breakdown indicates which database the greatest number of results from the search

18 Agenda Introduction Citations Multifile Searching Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Using Limits Additional Indexing Conclusion

19 Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Databases such as Medline and Embase are indexed with a controlled vocabulary that defines the scope of each article This means that free text searching alone does not produce the best results in many cases The database indexing can be utilised to make searches more relevant and precise The indexing comes from a Controlled vocabulary called MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) in Medline and EMTREE (Excerpta Medica Biomedical Thesaurus) in Embase

20 Benefits of MESH / EMTREE Thesaurus There is no need to use synonyms or alternative spellings of medical terms Controlled search terms mean more precise results Fast and accurate retrieval The Thesaurus is expandable and includes related terms and broader and narrower categories

21 Thesaurus Mapping Embase, Medline and CINAHL have a Thesaurus Mapping function that maps a free text search to the online Thesaurus To enable Thesaurus Mapping, tick the box above the search bar Perform a free text search making sure that you allow for a reasonable date range (e.g. 6 months or 12 months) A ranked list of terms is retrieved from MESH and EMTREE in order of relevance

22 MESH and EMTREE ‘Enter a Term’ Thesaurus Mapping is the most useful way of obtaining the preferred vocabulary from MESH and EMTREE You can also make use of the ‘Enter a Term’ function to verify a correct descriptor, for e.g. - searching for the drug name ‘Retrovir’ in Embase using Thesaurus Mapping retrieves the conditions this drug is designed to treat first - by searching for ‘Retrovir’ in the Thesaurus directly, the generic INN name for the drug is confirmed as ‘Zidovudine’

23 Thesaurus Structure MeSH and EMTREE are arranged in a hierarchical tree structure, with broader, narrower and related categories – like a family tree The Thesaurus contains many synonyms which can be used as pointers to the correct descriptor term This hierarchical structure allows you to search on a term plus all the narrower, more specific terms in one step: this is known as ‘Exploding’

24 Exploding Exploding means searching a broad descriptor that contains one or more narrower terms By clicking on the Thesaurus term, the broader and narrower categories are displayed, e.g. –Retinitis is categorised under the broader term ‘Eye Inflammation’ (in Embase) –It also contains several narrower terms such as Exudative-Retinitis, Chorioretinitis etc

25 Exploding Clicking ‘Explode’ automatically incorporates the narrower related terms into your search If you search the broader term on its own, e.g. Lung Neoplasms in Medline, the search will be restricted to the more general topic and does not automatically retrieve articles on Carcinoma-Bronchogenic You can also choose to select the narrower terms manually from the list if you do not wish to include all the narrower terms

26 Major Descriptors By ticking the ‘Major’ option in the Thesaurus heading, searches will be restricted to those articles containing major descriptors Major descriptors are assigned to articles where the subject matter denoted by the descriptor is central to the article Choosing Major thus focuses on the most significant articles

27 Medline Subheadings Subheadings are incorporated into the MESH Thesaurus and are designed to focus a search on specific areas of medical research, e.g. –diagnosis –therapy –etiology –drug therapy etc. A definition of each subheading is provided in the Scope Notes below the list of terms

28 Embase Subheadings In Embase, subheadings are called Links These are added to Emtree descriptors Links were added in 1988 and can only be searched from that year There are 77 links divided into 2 types:- –drug links - assigned to drug or chemical descriptors –medical links - assigned to medical descriptors –Drug Therapy (DT) is assigned to both In drug links were added to include routes of drug administration –These were previously only medical descriptors and should be searched as such pre 2000

29 Subheadings Medline only displays those Subheadings that are relevant to the selected Thesaurus term Embase displays all available subheadings but divides them into two distinct sections: Medical Links and Drug Links When adding Subheadings to a search, it is preferable to search on one descriptor at a time rather than combining terms from the Thesaurus Search sets can be combined later once the Subheadings have been added

30 Quick Subheadings Medline and Embase contain ‘Quick’ Subheadings in which related topics are combined, e.g. - Quick Therapy (Medline) includes therapy, drug therapy, diet therapy, nursing, prevention and control, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery and transplantation Embase provides Quick subheadings for both medical and drug links, e.g. - Quick Toxicology includes toxicology, adverse effects, side effects

31 Agenda Introduction Citations Multifile Searching Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Using Limits Additional Indexing Conclusion

32 Limits Searches can be refined by using Limits Simply tick the relevant boxes on the search page

33 Publication Year v Date of Entry The year of publication for a journal article can be different from the date it was added to the database Use the Publication Year field (where available) OR Use the Limit option to restrict your search to a particular publication year The Limit option also allows you to search –From a specific year(greater than) –To a particular year(less than) –Exclusive to a particular year(equal to) –Excluding a particular year(not equal to)

34 Agenda Introduction Citations Multifile Searching Free Text Searching v Controlled Vocabulary Using Limits Additional Indexing Conclusion

35 Additional Indexing Searches can also be restricted to particular categories including –Age Groups –Publication Type –Language These categories are searched separately and added to an existing or forthcoming search set

36 Finally Use the NHS Core Content web site –nhs.dialog.com Use the Knowledge Centre –