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).
Keyword Searching and MeSH Terms
Keyword searching is the, "key" for successful searching. Synonyms can make or break your searching experience and without the exact term, you may struggle finding the resources you need. This is why it is so important to search using different synonyms. If you type in one term and you don't find what you are looking for, try searching for it under a different term.
If the topic is of a medical nature, you will want to use MeSH headings. "MeSH is the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus" - U.S. National Library of Medicine. 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.
- Module 1: Foundations of MeSH in MEDLINE®Tutorial on how to use MESH