Searching PubMed: Tips for advanced searches

You can create a search strategy from the Advanced Search screen, and incorporate subject headings and search fields. The search structure is given; the user simply has to enter terms and identify the search field (if necessary). To search multiple fields simultaneously, it is more efficient to use the command line search instead. 

• Search: Searches are numbered in chronological order.
  • Search numbers may be used in place of the search string itself when combining queries (e.g., #1 OR #2).
  • A repeated query will move to the top of History but will retain its original numbering.
  • History is limited to the last 100 searches. Once the maximum number is reached, PubMed will remove the oldest search from history and add the most current search.
• Actions: Add, delete, or save a query. Adding queries from History places the search string into the Query box to be used in the next search. Deleting a query removes it from History.
• Query: This column shows previous search strings as entered by the user.
• Details: PubMed may modify or add search terms to a search to optimize retrieval, e.g., using automatic term mapping. Click the chevron icon " > " to expand search details and see how the search was translated.
• Results: The total number of citations retrieved for that query. Click the number to run the search and see the results in PubMed.
• Time: Timestamp of when the search was conducted.