Searching the Veterinary
Medicine Literature
DVTH Clinical Instructors
Aug 30-31, Sept 27 2012
Lorraine Toews MLIS
Librarian, Veterinary Medicine ,UC Health Sciences Library
Libguides.ucalgary.ca/vetmed
Welcome!
Please answer a few questions
before we begin:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L8DQR3B
Overview




Authentication
Searchable questions - PPICOS
PubMed, CAB Abs, Google Scholar pros / cons
Search strategies | mechanics
 Broaden & focus
 Search demonstrations
 PubMed default & Clinical Queries
 CAB Abs Multi-Field, Subject Heading
 Google Scholar
 Vet E-books
 E-Journals list
 Other?
Off-Campus Authentication
Barcode: first 9 digits of barcode on back
(leave off last digit)
Password/PIN: UCID number leave off zeros at front of
number
http://thoth.lib.ucalgary.ca/loginhelp.html
Literature Search
Process
 Define your search question
• Identify key concepts
• Identify synonyms for each concept
 Identify limits - language, publication date, etc
 Select relevant database(s) to search
 Create search strategy for the database
Literature Search
Process
 Run your search
• Subject headings or Textword terms
• Limit search
 Evaluate results, revise search
• Broaden
• Focus
• Choose a different database
 Print, email, save results
Ask
Searchable Questions
Ask a Searchable
Question
Among dairy cattle, is the
complement fixation test vs the
Elisa test more accurate in
screening for Johne’s disease?
PPICOS Questions
Concepts
P = Population | Species
P = Problem
Definition
• Disease, condition
• Presenting symptom
I = Intervention
• Treatment
• Adverse drug reaction
• Diagnostic or screening test
• Environmental exposure
C = Comparison Intervention
Alternative intervention – gold
standard treatment, diagnostic test
O = Clinical Outcome
What accomplish? Measure?
Improve? Affect?
S = Study design
RCT? Systematic review?
Synonyms for Concepts
Concepts
Search terms
P = Population
P = Problem
Dairy cattle
I = Intervention
ELISA OR enzyme linked
immunosorbent assay
C = Comparison
Intervention
Cft OR complement fixation test
O = Clinical Outcome Johne’s disease OR paratuberculosis
Define Search Limits
 Publication Date
 Language
 Type of document – review, RCT
 Age group
 Gender
 Geographic Location
Select Appropriate
Databases for
Your Topic and Task
Veterinary Medicine
Interdisciplinary
Veterinary Medicine
Databases
 CAB Abstracts – vet med, agriculture
 PubMed | MEDLINE – vet med, human medicine
 Wildlife & Ecology Studies – wildlife
 Agricola – agriculture
 Google Scholar – background, scoping search
 Scopus – interdisciplinary, cited reference
libguides.ucalgary.ca/vetmed
A Cautionary Note
PubMed & CAB Abstracts ….
• Not designed as clinical decision resources
• Not work like Google
• Quality varies - indexing, search functionality
• Effort to learn search skills > quality of results
CAB Abs vs PubMed
CAB Abstracts
Content
Comprehensive index of
veterinary medicine journals*
Indexes many vet medicine
conference proceedings
PubMed
Indexes 110 vet med
journals + human
medicine journals
Not index conference
proceedings
Quality of Indexing
Less depth, less consistency
than PubMed
Consistent, in-depth,
granular indexing
Search interface
More complex than PubMed
Easier, more intuitive
Evidence-based
medicine
No Clinical Queries
Clinical Queries feature
Access
Subscription required
Free
Some Vet Med
Journals in CAB not in PubMed
Bovine
Bovine Practitioner
Cattle Practice
Livestock Science
UK Vet: Livestock
Equine
Australian Equine Veterinarian
Equine Veterinary Education
Journal of Equine Science
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science
Exotics
Exotic DVM
Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine
Swine
Journal of Swine Health & Production
Pig Journal
Some Vet Med
Journals in CAB not in PubMed
Poultry
Journal of Poultry Science
Poultry International
Public Health
Journal of Veterinary Epidemiology
Journal of Veterinary Public Health
Wildlife
European Journal of Wildlife Research
Journal of Wildlife Health
Journal of Wildlife Management
Other
Journal of Veterinary Cardiology
Search Strategies
Search Mechanics
 Boolean Operators
 AND, OR, NOT (see separate slide)
 Parentheses ( )
 Enclose synonyms for a concept in parentheses
 Search boxes in CAB Abs Multi-Filed does tautomatically
 Exact phrase search
 Varies depending on database
 Many databases use quote marks “_” around a phrase
 Truncation
 Asterisk at end of word stem retrieves plurals, word
variants - therap* retrieves therapy, therapist, therapeutic
Boolean Operators
AND
OR
NOT
Connects
concepts
Connects synonyms or
similar terms within a
concept
Excludes all records
that contain the term
after NOT
Finds records with
EITHER or BOTH search
terms
Narrows search
Broadens search
Dementia NOT
Alzheimers
Finds records with
ALL search terms
Narrows search
Dementia AND
treatment
Dementia OR Alzheimers
Use with care
Broaden or
Narrow your Search
Concept
Search Terms
A
AND
Cft OR complement fixation test
“AND” in a concept NARROWS search
B
elisa OR enzyme linked immunosorbent
assay
AND
C
AND
“OR” in synonyms within a concept
BROADENS search
Johne’s disease OR paratuberculosis
Strategies to
Broaden Searches
 Reframe your question to make it broader
 Use broader search terms
 Remove the least important concept
 Add synonyms within a concept (Boolean OR)
 Use truncation in textword searches – therap*
retrieves therapy, therapist, therapeutic
 Apply fewer, or no limits
 Use the Explode feature
(only in CAB Abs, OVID MEDLINE)
Strategies to
Focus Searches
 Reframe your question to make it narrower
 Use more specific search terms
 Add another concept
 Use less/no synonyms within a concept
 Use less/no truncation in textword searches
 Apply more limits
 Do not use the Explode feature
(only in CAB Abs, OVID MEDLINE)
Subject Heading
vs Keyword Searching
Subject Heading
Textword |Keyword
What is searched?
Search subject headings
assigned by indexer
Search word(s) in title, abstract
Advantages
Retrieves more relevant
results
Retrieves new topics in
literature + very specific topics
Enables use of Explode
feature
Easier to learn and use
Enables retrieval abstract,
multi-faceted concepts
Disadvantages
New terms (eg. New
drugs) may not be in
subject headings yet
Often retrieves more irrelevant
records (word match)
Searcher must include
synonyms, plurals, spelling
variations in strategy
Search Mode
Depends on Task
PubMed Default
 Need a few good articles
 Topic covered by vet journals indexed in PubMed
 Not much time to search
PubMed Clinical Queries
 Want articles from top levels of evidence hierarchy
CAB Abs Multi-Field
• Topic not covered in PubMed journals
• Need a few good articles
• Your topic has precise concepts & terminology
CAB Abs Advanced
 Need systematic or comprehensive search
PubMed Default
PubMed
Clinical Queries
Textword Search
(OVID Multi-Field)
CAB Abstracts
CAB Abstracts Record
Textword Search
Multi-Field OVID
Subject Heading Search
(OVID Advanced)
CAB Abstracts
CAB Abstracts Record
CAB Abstracts Record
Subject Heading search (OVID
Advanced Search) searches this
part of record
Purpose of
Subject Headings
Account for synonyms,
plural, alternate spelling
Increased Relevance
Purpose of
Subject Headings
Use the Explode function
Purpose of
Subject Headings
Retrieval of abstract,
multi-faceted topics
Subject Heading Search
OVID Advanced
Getting Full-Text
Articles
Print Email Save
Search Results OVID
Full-text Articles
SFX
SFX Citation linker
 Links database search results with full-text articles
 Indicates if item is available in print in UC Library
 Interlibrary loan link if UC Library not have online
or print
Interlibrary Loan
 Order articles UC Library does not have
 Journal articles desktop delivery 2-4 business days
 Must have email in library patron database
Full-Text Article:
Via Database SFX Link
I
Interlibrary Loan Link
on SFX in Database
Interlibrary Loan
Login
Interlibrary Loan
Journal Request
Reference Management
Mendeley
• Organize references online
• Format bibliographies
http://www.mendeley.com/
Veterinary Medicine
E-books
libguides.ucalgary.ca/vetmed
Find Books tab
Selected Veterinary Medicine Ebooks
Need Help? Contact
Lorraine Toews MLIS
Veterinary Medicine Librarian
Health Sciences Library
ltoews@ucalgary.ca | 403.220.3750
libguides.ucalgary.ca/vetmed
Health Sciences Library Information Desk
hslibr@ucalgary.ca | 403.220.6857
(general, basic help)
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