March 2017
SEARCH FIELDS – making sure the database looks in the right place!
SEARCH FIELDS
Names of indexing
languages
Searching options for
indexing languages:
Individual terms
Searching options for
indexing languages:
Exploding terms – to include
narrower terms
Titles and
Abstracts
PubMed Note: Currently there is a problem with MeSH terms, and mapping may well occur unless you enclose all MeSH in quotes - even if the term is only a single word
e.g depression[mh] - maps to depression[mh] OR depressive disorder[mh]
“depression”[mh] searches only depression as a MeSH - which is what should happen
Embase (on the Elsevier CINAHL with full text PubMed Scopus
platform)
(Click on link for complete list (Click on link for complete list of (Click on link for complete list of
(Click on link for complete list of fields) fields) fields)
of fields)
Emtree CINAHL Headings MeSH – see note at bottom of None
page
Neoplasm/de MH neoplasms Neoplasms[mh:noexp] No thesaurus BUT recognises both
Emtree and MeSH terms as
- blocks explosion default Keywords
setting, and searches only the
NOTE: Enclose phrases in individual term
quotes
NOTE: Enclose phrases in quotes
Neoplasm/exp MH neoplasms+ Neoplasms[mh] Will find the term exactly as you
type it and will NOT search
- default explodes term. subheadings or explosions
Do NOT use truncation or Do NOT use truncation or Do NOT use truncation or
Wildcards with indexing terms Wildcards with indexing terms Wildcards with indexing terms
NOTE: Enclose phrases in If an indexing term is a phrase
quotes containing a Boolean operator,
e.g.“Bone and Bones”, the
phrase MUST BE enclosed in
quotes
Neoplasm*:ti TI neoplasm* Neoplasm*[ti] Title and abstract searching
available together or separately.
Neoplasm*:ab AB neoplasm* Neoplasm*[tiab]
Default on basic search is
Article Title, Abstract,
May be combined, and Titles and abstracts must be Abstracts cannot be searched Keywords
separated by a comma searched separately separately, but only in
combination with titles Drop down menu gives individual
Neoplasm*:ti,ab NOTE: Enclose phrases in options
quotes
NOTE: Enclose phrases in NOTE: Enclose phrases in quotes
quotes
March 2017
SEARCH FIELDS Embase
(on the Elsevier platform)
(Click on link for complete list
of fields)
Extended options Neoplasm
Not specifying a field name
searches the word in ALL
searchable fields.
NOTE: Turn off Mapping
NOTE: Truncated words will
be searched in all fields and
not processed using automatic
term mapping.
Neoplasm*
can be used to avoid mapping
NOTE: Enclose phrases in
quotes
CINAHL with full text
(Click on link for complete list of
fields)
TX neoplasms
Searches ALL text (including
full text where available)
NOTE: Enclose phrases in
quotes
PubMed Scopus
(Click on link for complete list of (Click on link for complete list of
fields) fields)
Neoplasm*[tw] Choose All Fields from drop
Searches all words and numbers down menu
in the title, abstract, MeSH terms,
MeSH Subheadings, Publication NOTE: Enclose phrases in quotes
Types, Substance Names,
Personal Name as Subject,
Corporate Author, Secondary
Source, and Key Words.
Neoplasm[all]
Untagged terms and terms
followed by [all] are processed
using Automatic Term Mapping.
Terms that do not map are
searched in all search fields
except for Place of Publication
and Transliterated Title
NOTE: Terms enclosed in double
quotes or truncated will be
searched in all fields and not
processed using automatic term
mapping.