Search PubMed Cheatsheet

http://www.pubmed.gov

Citation matcher to PubMed Single Citation Matcher

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/citmatch

o The easiest way to find 1 particular article! Simply complete the fields that you
know and leave the rest blank
ATM (Automated • If no field tags, “quotes,” or truncation (*) are used when typing in word or
Mapping) phrase (i.e.: breast cancer), PubMed will attempt to map keywords to a medical
(MeSH) subject heading. If no MeSH synonyms are found, PubMed may map
to Journal titles which contain the search term(s).
• For phrases with no “quotes”, truncation (*), or field tags PubMed will search
both as a phrase (in phrase indexed fields like MeSH) and will also combine
the terms using “AND” (i.e:. breast cancer OR (breast AND cancer)). This
helps to mitigate the issue of no “true” keyword phrase searching.
* To see exactly how PubMed has translated your search, see the search details section in
the lower right-hand menu of the search results screen.
Field Tags On the main search screen, enter a search term qualified by a field tag such
as: title[ti], title/abstract[tiab], or Pubmed ID [PMID]. Using a field tag
disables the ATM (Automated Mapping). The complete list of field tags can be
found under Help (right corner), Search Field Descriptions & Tags section.
Combining Searches o PubMed processes boolean operators (always in capital letters), in a left-to-
AND right sequence. Search terms enclosed in parentheses are processed first, i.e.:
OR common cold AND (vitamin c OR zinc).
NOT o Click Advanced Search page to access previous searches or combine sets.
o Combine search set numbers as follows: #2 AND #3 - then click Go. Set
numbers must be preceded by the # character.
Truncation o Allerg*[tiab] will retrieve allergy, allergies, allergens, allergic, etc… Click on
Details to view how your search request has been translated.
o PubMed uses only the first 600 variants of an entry term
o ATM (Automated Mapping) is disabled with truncation.
Subject Searching: The The MeSH Database enables you to search PubMed using MeSH (Medical Subject
MeSH Database Headings) for a more precise, focused search as compared to Keyword searching.
*Important: new non-indexed articles will not be retrieved if only MeSH terms are searched
Neoplasms[mh] Retrieves articles indexed with this MeSH heading plus all MeSH
headings which fall under this (i.e. ‘breast neoplasms’)
Neoplasms[majr] Retrieves articles indexed with this MeSH heading which are also
tagged as a major topic as well as all the headings which fall under
this category provided they are also tagged as a major topic of the
article
Neoplasms[mh:noexp] Retrieves articles indexed with this MeSH heading but NOT the
MeSH headings which fall under this category
Neoplasms[majr:noexp] Retrieves articles indexed with this MeSH heading which are also
tagged as a major topic but NOT the headings which fall under this
category

Version 2 * Reprinted with permission from CADTH www.cadth.ca January 22, 2014
Pharmacological Action Pharmacological Action is a subset of MeSH. It uses the tag [pa] for all substances
identified as having the same pharmacological action (similar to a drug class).
o bladder cancer AND Antioxidants[PA]
o For a complete list: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/1000082?log$=activity
Advanced Search Click on Advanced Search on the PubMed home page to perform the following tasks:
o Browsing the indexes (in search builder)
o Previewing the number of search results
o Displaying your search history and combining searches strategies (see
“Combining Searches” above)
Clinical Queries Suggested PubMed search filters that limit retrieval to, etiology, diagnosis, therapy,
prognosis, or clinical prediction guides can be found in Clinical Queries on the
PubMed home page.
*Further information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK3827/#pubmedhelp.Clinical_Queries_Filters

Filters Filters are available on the left-hand margin of the search results page and clicking will
limit the search by the following examples:
* Filters/limits remain for o Publication dates
subsequent searches unless o Species: limits to humans or animals. Important: using the ‘Species’ limit removes
cleared! any new non-indexed articles.
o Article types: limits to articles that have been indexed with the corresponding article
type (i.e. RCT). Important: using the ‘Article types’ limit removes any new non-
indexed articles.
o Languages: limit to languages required (i.e.: English & French)
Additional Filters: Built-in PubMed search filters that limit retrieval to the following:
Topic-Specific Queries
AIDS[sb] Space life sciences – space[sb]
Bioethics[sb] Systematic reviews – systematic[sb]
Cancer[sb] Toxicology – tox[sb]
Complimentary medicine – cam[sb] Veterinary / animal health – veterinary[sb]
Click Show additional filters link on the left-hand margin of the search results page
and select Subject or search directly using topic and field tag (i.e.: Cancer AND AIDS[sb])
Additional Filters: Built-in PubMed Journal subsets that limit retrieval to journal sets:
Journal Subsets jsubsetAIM – Abridged Index Medicus (Core jsubsetN – Nursing journals
clinical journals)
jsubsetD – Dentistry journals jsubsetQ – History of medicine
jsubsetE – Bioethics journal or citations jsubsetQIS – non-Index Medicus journals in
history of medicine field
jsubsetH – Health administration journals jsubsetS – Space life sciences journals or citations
jsubsetIM – Index Medicus journals jsubsetT – HTA journals
jsubsetK – Consumer health journals jsubsetX – AIDS/HIV journals
Click Show additional filters link on the left-hand margin of the search results page,
and select Journal categories.
Saving/Emailing Search o Select the citations you wish to save, click on Send to: ▼on the right corner.
Results o To save an entire set, do not select individual citations.
o Save by selecting File from the Send To drop-down menu.
o Select Summary (text) or MEDLINE format from Format box and Sort by
preferred options.
o Summary (text) or MEDLINE formats are compatible with bibliographic
software packages such as EndNote and RefWorks.
o To email records, follow the same steps as above but select E-mail instead of
File from the Send To menu
Creating a My NCBI My NCBI accounts can be created to store records, filters, save and re-run searches,
Account linkouts, and set up email alerts to inform you when new content is added to PubMed.
o Click on My NCBI (upper right of the page)
o Click on Register for an account

Version 2 * Reprinted with permission from CADTH www.cadth.ca January 22, 2014