This presentation discusses how to develop a good search strategy. It is intended to be used with videos on the VCU Nursing Research Guide.

1. THE SEARCH PROCESS
Step 2: Formulating Your Search Strategy

2. The Search Process
2.
5. Evaluate
the Results
6. Good Results = Use the Data
• Bad = Start Over
3. Choose the appropriate
database(s) or resource for
your topic
4. Perform the
Search
1. Problem/ Construct
Question
Image: http://evidencebasedhealth.blogspot.com/
Formulate Your Search
Strategy
• Synonyms for Search Terms
• Subject Heading vs. Keyword
• Boolean Operators & Limits

3. KEYWORDS VS. SUBJECT
HEADINGS
Subject Headings = Controlled Vocabulary

4. DESCRIBE THE
FOLLOWING ITEM

5. Person 1
• Aluminum Can
• Coke Can
• Can with
Condensation
• Soda Can
Person 2
• Pop Can
• Soda Can
• Can That is Sweating
• Red Aluminum Can
Person 1
• Aluminum Can
• Coke Can
• Can with
Condensation
• Soda Can
• Red Can
Person 2
• Pop Can
• Soda Can
• Can That is Sweating
• Red Aluminum Can
Describe This Can ……

6. Keyword
• Also called natural language searching
• Search for words or phrases found in title, abstract, or
other parts of articles
• Keyword searching used for
• New terminology
• Rare terms
• Other terms that have no related subject heading
• Spelling variations
• Truncation - Train*
• Trained, Trainer, Training, etc.
• Grouping Using “Guided Imagery”
• Use Quotation Marks
• Without Quotes – AND Terms Together
Perspective
Synonyms

7. WHERE THE
DATABASE SEARCHES
FOR KEYWORDS
In the Citation

8. All searched when searching by
keyword

9. All Places that are searched when
doing a keyword search in PubMed

10. SUBJECT HEADINGS/
CONTROLLED
VOCABULARY
MeSH - PubMed
CINAHL Headings - CINAHL

11. Pepsi Coke
Pop
Soda Soda
Pop
Subject Headings/ Controlled Vocabulary
• Controlled Vocabulary – Thesaurus
• Help to return results that directly
apply to subject of the search
• Hierarchy – Tree Structure
• Broad –Specific
• Minor / Major Heading
• Major Heading - Focuses your search
results to returning articles that
specifically address the topic
• PubMed – have stars beside them
• CINAHL – Divided into Major & Minor
Headings
• Scope Note – Term Definition
Soft
Drink

12. Examples of Hierarchy
PubMed CINAHL

13. May need to move backward in order to move
forward……

14. Good Choice
• Broad
• Commonalities
between people
Issue: Breastfeeding practices of
adolescent mothers in Vietnam.
Too Broad
10
Articles

15. WHERE THE
DATABASE SEARCHES FOR
SUBJECT HEADINGS
In the Citation

16. Subject Heading Field in CINAHL

17. Subject heading field in PubMed

18. BOOLEAN OPERATORS
AND, OR, NOT

19. Boolean Operators - AND
• Combines concepts
• Relationship
• Retrieves records that
contain BOTH terms
entered
Soda Pop Weight
Gain

20. Boolean Operators - OR
• Combines synonyms or
like concepts
• No Relationship
Necessary
• Retrieves records that
contain EITHER term
entered
Coke Pepsi

21. When Searching………..
Combining Terms Together
Group 1
Combine
Terms with OR
Group 2
Combine Terms
with OR
AND AND
Group 3
Combine Terms
with OR

22. Fibromyalgia Therapeutic Touch Guided Imagery
"Fibromyalgia“
[Subject Heading]
OR
"Fatigue Syndrome,
Chronic“
[Subject Heading]
OR
Fibromyalgia
[Keyword]
OR
Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome
[Keyword]
“Therapeutic Touch “
[Subject Heading]
OR
Therapeutic Touch
[Keyword]
OR
Massage
[Keyword]
"Imagery
(Psychotherapy)“
[Subject Heading]
OR
Guided Imagery
[Keyword]
OR
Hypnosis
[Keyword]
Good Search – Combination of Subject
Headings and Keywords
AND AND

23. Keep in Mind……
Break Your Search into Concepts –
Don’t Marry Early/ Let Them Date!!!!
Start Your Search Broad and Then Focus –
Don’t Put Blinders on the Horse Too Soon !!
Be sure to come up with alternative or
related terms for your topic
Always search in at least two databases.

24. WAYS TO INCREASE
OR DECREASE
RESULTS
Exploding, Subheadings, Limits

25. Explode Option:
 Increases Number
Includes Chosen Term
and All of those Below it
in the tree
PubMed – Done
Automatically
CINAHL – Must
Choose to Explode A
Term

26. Subheadings

27. Using Limits
• Language
• Age Group
• Time Period/ Date
• Gender/Sex
• Publication Type
• Systematic Reviews
• Meta Analysis
• Randomized Control Trials
• Practice Guidelines
• Reviews

28. Not Finding Enough?
Ways to Expand Your Results
Finding Too Many Articles?
Ways to Focus Your Results
(Ways to Get More Articles)
Try To :
• Explode Your Terms
• Keyword Searching
• Look At Related or Citing
Articles
(Ways to Get Fewer Articles)
Try Using:
• Major Concept/Subject
• Subheadings
• Limits
Other Things to Think About…..