This is a complete self-paced guide to searching bibliographic databases. It is generally applicable to all search environments, but actual search examples will focus on the systems currently in use at Creighton University, primarily EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and to a lesser extent, PubMed.

These tutorials are published as PDF files for easier printing and downloading. We strongly suggest that as you study these guides, you try out what you learn in a bibliographic database.

• A rose by any other name ...
  • The key to searching is understanding the vocabulary issues.
  • Lesson: Vocabulary Issues
• How computers process searches - a conceptual model.
  • Understanding this model of how search terms are processed will help you develop logical and effective searches.
  • Lesson: Search Mechanics
• Fields and record structure
  • The records in bibliographic databases such as Medline are very structured. Understanding how to use this structure to your advantage can turn a messy search into a focused and effective search.
  • Lesson: Fields & Record Structure
• Tools for searching
  • All searches are constructed using a combination of Boolean Operators, Proximity Operators, Wildcard characters and Truncation operators.
  • Lesson: Boolean Operators
  • Lesson: Truncation and Wildcard Operators
  • Lesson: Proximity Operators
• Controlled vocabularies
• Lesson: Introduction
• Lesson: Introduction (continued)
• Lesson: MeSH
  • Lesson: Drug Indexing / Pharmaceutical Actions in MeSH
• Evaluating a search
  • Lesson: Two basic measures (Recall and Precision)
• Putting it all together: Search planning and search strategies
  • Lesson: