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Copy your saved search strategies onto your hard drive or floppy disk before September 1, 1998. After September 1, 1998, email clarencw@library.tmc.edu to obtain copies of your saved search strategies.

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Will my old OVID saved search strategies run on PubMed?

No, not directly. But you can convert them to a format that will run on PubMed (see below).

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How do I save search strategies and run them on PubMed?

1. Type out the search strategy you wish to save on a word processor or other text editor.
   • The search strategy should follow the PubMed Search Protocols
   • If you have saved your old Ovid search strategy, you can copy and paste it into your word processor to avoid totally retyping it.
2. Save the new search strategy as a file.
3. When you want to run your new saved search strategy in PubMed:
   1. Open the file that contains your saved search strategy.
   2. Highlight and copy the text.
   3. Access PubMed via the World Wide Web.
   4. Click on the blank PubMed search box and paste in your saved search.
   5. Click Search.

You can also save a PubMed search as a bookmark. Conducted a search in PubMed, and then use your browser software (Netscape or Internet Explorer) to create a bookmark. Once you have created such a bookmark, any time you go back to it, PubMed will rerun your original search. Any citations added since the last time you ran your search will be pulled up along with citations that were already in the database. Note: the bookmark option will not work with searches conducted under the PubMed Advanced Search mode.

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Shouldn't there be an easier way to save search strategies for use on PubMed?

Certainly. PubMed's Cubby Service is being developed so a user may sign-up for a place to store individual information and preferences. This service will allow users to add citations to a single file and to develop and store search strategies. In addition, it will provide access to a variety of features--such as tailored print commands--that rely on individual preferences.

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What if I have problems or questions?

Phone the HAM-TMC Library at (713) 799-1761 or 7162. Or send us an email at webmgr@library.tmc.edu

 

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PubMED Search Protocols
(Additional information on searching PubMed is available at PubMed Help)

• You may use AND, OR, NOT [typed in all caps] to create Boolean expressions. Examples:

  • myocardial infarction AND diet

  • children OR infants OR neonates

  • otitis media NOT adults

• You may limit searches to specific fields such as MeSH Subject Headings [MH], Author Name [AU], Date of Publication [DP], Journal Title [TA], Language [LA], Publication Type [PT], etc. See PubMed Search Field Descriptions and Tags for a complete list of fields. Examples:

  • kaposi's sarcoma [MH]

  • Verghese A [AU] AND kaposi's sarcoma [MH]

  • jama [TA] AND 1997 [DP] AND review [PT]

• You may use parentheses to nest searches. Examples:

  • (children OR infants) AND (otitis media OR ear infections) NOT chronic

  • (interleukin-1 [MH] OR interleukin-2 [MH] OR interleukin-3 [MH]) AND transmembrane AND (english [LA] OR german [LA]) AND review [PT]