The Current Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL) Database: The Advanced Search

- ENTERING YOUR SEARCH -

The Advanced Search gives you more options for structuring your search.

The AND command is the default for all searches--it's just not visible in the Basic Search.  Here, it is and you also can choose the OR and NOT commands by clicking the AND buttons.

AND

Finds all of the keywords in your search results.

OR

Finds one or the other of these keywords that mean the same thing, for example, neonatal OR newborn, in all of your search results.

NOT

Avoids unwanted keywords, for example, alkaloids NOT caffeine.

Click on the Add Fields link to add another line to your search screen if you need it.

Another Advanced Search Example

- TRY THIS ADVANCED SEARCH -

FILTERS: Use all of the ones described on the right side of this page.

LINE 1: infection control

LINE 2: AND hand washing

LINE 3: OR handwashing

- BEFORE YOU RUN YOUR SEARCH -

There is a multitude of filters to choose from when running an advanced search in CINAHL.  A minimalist approach is best.  Here's what is recommended for most searches:

1.  On the right side of the Advanced Search box shown above, leave All Fields on.

2.  Under Limit Your Results (scroll further down the Advanced Search screen), do not check the Full Text box!  The full text of many CINAHL articles will be in one of our other databases.  Clicking this box turns off the system that finds the free full text no matter which of  our more than 200 databases it's in.

3.  Do check the boxes for Peer Reviewed and Research Article.

4.  If you want to limit your search results to a particular time period, scroll a bit further down the screen, and under Publication Date, choose one of the three time periods or create you own.

- TO RUN A NEW ADVANCED SEARCH -

Click the Advanced Search link in the upper right-hand corner of a search results screen.