Section 3: Building a Search Using the Ovid databases

Learning Outcomes

Section 3 explores subject heading terms that have been identified and defined to cover a particular concept and/ or synonym of your search question, along with techniques for narrowing and broadening your search using the Ovid databases.

By the end of this section you will be able to:

• Identify different subject headings in different databases
• Use subject headings to define search terms
• Select specific subject headings with MeSH terms
• Use truncation, wildcards, and phrases
• Combine search terms using Boolean Operators to make your search more specific
• Apply limits to your search results to increase relevancy
• Save, email, and export your search results from an Ovid database