1. Searching Secondary
Databases: Basic Steps
Samuel King
Library and learning Resources

2. What is a “secondary
database”?
It is a database used to “locate” other
resources where you can find required
information.
Example: Medline is a database where you
can find lists of periodical articles on
topics related to healthcare.
REMEMBER: you can only “cite” the actual
article and the journal it appears in. You
can NOT cite the secondary database. It is
only a resource for locating the article.

3. STEP 1 = ?
STEP 2 = ?
STEP 3 = ?STEP 4 = ?
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

4. STEP 1 = ?
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

5. SEARCH
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

6. Subject Searching – Why?
Many secondary databases have “subject
headings”. Why search by “subject
heading” rather than “text word”?
Subject headings are more effective
because they enable you to search a topic
without having to remember all possible
synonyms an author might have used for
that concept.
Ultimately, one should master both “text
word” and “subject” searching.

7. Subject Searching – Why?

8. Subject Searching - Examples
Subject searching - provide a structured language
for you to use when searching for specific
topics in the literature.
Examples:
1. Medline
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Developed at The National Library of Medicine
2. CINAHL
CINAHL subject headings

9. SEARCH
STEP 2 = ?
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

10. SEARCH
COMBINE
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

11. Boolean Operators
Combine search results using:
AND
OR

12. When do you use …
AND

13. AND MEANS “TOGETHER”
A B
AND A AND B

14. AND
All terms connected with AND must
appear in each citation retrieved.

15. When do you use…
OR

16. OR Means “Either”
A B
OR A or B

17. OR
If two or more terms are joined by OR,
at least one of the terms must appear
in each result.
NOTE: All the terms do not have to appear.

18. SEARCH
COMBINE
STEP 3 = ?
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

19. SEARCH
COMBINE
LIMIT
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

20. Limit your combined results…
By language, year of publication, human,
age, etc.
Using the database “Limit” command.

21. SEARCH
COMBINE
LIMITSTEP 4 = ?
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

22. SEARCH
COMBINE
LIMITDISPLAY/PRINT
RESULTS
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

23. Display and Print…
Select the citations to be displayed.
Choose the “citation and abstract” version
to print.
Print your selected results (include the
search strategy in OVID).

24. SEARCH
COMBINE
LIMITDISPLAY/PRINT
RESULTS
BASIC SEARCH
STEPS

25. Reference Question
You have a patient who has asthma and
need literature on the following topics:
1. The use of antibiotics to treat asthma
2. The use of steroids to treat asthma
The following presentations demonstrate
this search using the Medline and
CINAHL databases.