Understanding MeSH
Many libraries use the Library of Congress Classification System or Dewey to organize and find information, however, if the topic is of a medical nature, you will want to use MeSH headings and terminology. "MeSH is the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus" - U.S. National Library of Medicine. It is a vocabulary that gives "uniformity and consistency" and is updated annually.
Many databases use MeSH subject headings. Instead of using the term, "Senior Citizen," the proper MeSH term is: "Aged". The scope note can give you more details if you are unsure if you are using the term correctly. In this case, "Aged" is: "A person 65 through 79 years of age. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available."
Databases that use MeSH terms include (but are not limited to):
- PubMed
- CINAHL Complete
- Medline
- ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source
- MeSH: Medical Subject HeadingsThe NLM's curated medical vocabulary resource. MeSH is the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus. It consists of sets of terms naming descriptors in a hierarchical structure that permits searching at various levels of specificity.MeSH descriptors are arranged in both an alphabetic and a hierarchical structure.
- Medical Subject Headings *Updated*Search the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Medical Subject Headings for the current year.
- MeSH TutorialsLearn about Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and how to properly search using them.
- Understanding Medical Words: A Tutorial from the National Library of MedicineThis tutorial teaches you about medical words. You'll learn about how to put together parts of medical words. You'll also find quizzes to see what you've learned.
- Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®) in MEDLINE®/PubMed®: A TutorialThis brief tutorial is designed to help you:
-Understand the purpose and structure of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and
-Use MeSH to search MEDLINE®/PubMed® for medical literature and information. - Learn more about MeSHTutorials and videos from the US National Library of Medicine, provide instruction on various aspects and applications of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).
Databases and Tutorials
Databases organize information into easily accessible information. They can contain journal articles, journals, eBooks, scholarly articles, and much more. They do not always have full text access to resources but they will always be searchable.
Remember: Databases are NOT like Google. You cannot type in a full question and expect results. Databases use KEYWORDS to search. If you are having trouble with results, try changing your keywords. Use your thesaurus and find other words to search your subject.
- MEDLINE This link opens in a new windowSponsored by the National Library of Medicine, Medline contains citations and abstracts to international biomedical literature from over 3700 journals on topics including research, clinical practice, administration, policy issues, and healthcare services. The database contains a broad range of medical topics relating to research, clinical practice, administration, policy issues, and health care services. OldMedline from the NLM Gateway includes the years 1958 - 1965. The ISI/Web of Knowledge Interface contains info from 1950 to the present.
Databases organize information into easily accessible information. They can contain journal articles, journals, eBooks, scholarly articles, and much more. They do not always have full text access to resources but they will always be searchable.
Remember: Databases are NOT like Google. You cannot type in a full question and expect results. Databases use KEYWORDS to search. If you are having trouble with results, try changing your keywords. Use your thesaurus and find other words to search your subject.
- Nursing & Allied Health Source This link opens in a new windowThis single dedicated resource minimizes the need for nursing students, researchers, and teaching staff to spend a lot of time looking for practice reference material. Leading nursing journals are provided alongside videos, dissertations, e-books, and study paths, making it easier to make connections between complex theoretical information and applying the acquired knowledge to practical settings.
- Nursing and Allied Health Search TutorialA guide to all aspects of ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source including content, searching, and viewing results on the ProQuest platform.
Databases organize information into easily accessible information. They can contain journal articles, journals, eBooks, scholarly articles, and much more. They do not always have full text access to resources but they will always be searchable.
Remember: Databases are NOT like Google. You cannot type in a full question and expect results. Databases use KEYWORDS to search. If you are having trouble with results, try changing your keywords. Use your thesaurus and find other words to search your subject.
- PubMedThe link to the PubMed database from the National Library of Medicine.
- Filters Sidebar in Pub Med VideoThis tutorial introduces and explains how to use the PubMed filters sidebar.
- Find Articles on a TopicTutorial video on how to do a simple subject search in PubMed.