The PubMed Database: The Advanced Search
- THE ADVANCED SEARCH -
Click the Advanced link underneath the basic search box.
Video tutorial (10:19) PubMed Advanced Search.
Honestly, if you want to use the AND, OR, and NOT commands (also known as Boolean operators) it's easier to just type it into the basic search like this: (neonatal OR preterm) AND breastfeeding.
Here's a brief video tutorial, Using Boolean Operators.
The most useful feature of the advanced search is the ability to restrict a search to particular fields such as title, author, etc, number one above. Also, down below the advanced search is where you can find the search history (not shown here) for your session if you want to rerun a previous search
But if you want to try the advanced search, here's how to do that.
SETTING UP AN ADVANCED SEARCH
- THE PUBMED ADVANCED SEARCH BUILDER -
1. All Fields: Leave this selection on for most searches. The drop down menu has an extensive list of other fields to search, for example, if you know the author of an article and want to do a name search.
2. Enter a search term: Enter only one keyword or keyword phrase at a time. You really are building a search one piece at a time here.
3. AND: When you mouse over the down arrow here, you get two other Boolean operator choices--OR, plus AND NOT. Each time you enter a keyword or keyword phrase, choose one of these to add it to your search.
4. Query box: Add your first keyword or keyword phrase with AND by clicking the AND button. Use the other operators as needed. Your completed search will appear bit by bit in the Query box.
5. Search: Now that you have built your search you can actually use it by clicking Search.
TO RUN ANOTHER ADVANCED SEARCH
- TO START OVER -
To run another advanced search, click the back arrow in your browser.
- HINT -
Once you run an advanced search you can use PubMed's filters to further narrow your search results. See the Basic Search section of this guide for further information about them.
PRACTICE SEARCHES
- TRY THESE ADVANCED SEARCHES -
Just copy and paste them into the basic search!
- (teens OR adolescents) AND mental health AND humor
- loneliness and (depression OR anxiety) and (elderly OR aged)
- leadership AND nursing AND (challenges OR strategies) AND patient outcomes