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Health Sciences Literature Searching: MeSH in PubMed

A guide to help you search the Health Sciences literature

Jump to:

Use the following links to jump to a chosen step in the process of using MeSH to narrow your search:

1: MeSH headings

2: Searching

3: Retrieving a term

4: Selection

5: Search builder

6: Refine Your Search

MAIN IDEA

PubMed's MeSH is a thesaurus of controlled vocabulary terms that allow you to search the database more effectively.

What is MeSH?

MeSH is short for Medical Subject Headings. These terms are managed by the National Library of Medicine to be used as controlled vocabulary terms.

Click here to watch a video tutorial on MeSH.

Step 1: Getting started

Graphic of More Resources menu.

On PubMed's front page, click "MeSH Database" under the heading "More Resources".

Step 2: Searching

Graphic of MeSH search bar.

"Teen pregnancy" is the key concept we entered into the MeSH search bar.

Step 3: Retrieval

Graphic showing first section that defines closest matching MeSH term.

The first section defines the closest matching MeSH term to our entry.

CAUTION

stop sign icon.

 

Graphic shows alternative topics if database isn't sure of best term.

If the database isn't sure what the best term is it will provide a list of candidates. Click the one you think fits best.

Step 4: Selection

Graphic shows adding terms to the 'search builder' box.

 If that is the term you want, click "Add to Search Builder" and "Search PubMed".

CAUTION

Stop sign icon.

 

New topics or articles may not come up because MeSH terms take time to develop.

 

Step 5: Search Builder

The search builder helps you combine multiple MeSH terms in your search at the same time. Repeat Steps 2 &3 to find another term.

Graphic shows how to use AND OR NOT in search builder.

After finding the right term, pick either AND, OR, or NOT from the drop-down menu to combine the terms in the search. Click "Search PubMed" to finish.

NOTE

AND narrows the results. OR expands the results. NOT excludes the second term from your results.

You can add as many terms as you like to the search builder but it is better to keep the number of terms low so the results are easier to manage.


Graphic shows how to delete terms in search builder.

 

To undo adding to the search builder, click in the text box and delete the terms you don't want.

Graphic shows Advance search option in Search Builder.

The search builder can also be accessed by clicking "Advanced" beneath the search bar.

Graphic shows that although Advanced Search looks different, it works the same.

It looks different than the Search Builder embedded in MeSH but works exactly the same.

Click here to watch a video tutorial on PubMed's search builder.

How do you refine MeSH searches?

If you still receive too many search results, you can click here to refine your MeSH search further.

Subject Guide

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David Nolfi
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