Veterinary - Research Databases: Searching in VetMed Resource
Basic searching in VetMed Resource
Basic Searching
1. The search box on the VetMed Resource homepage is for a basic keyword search. An automatic AND is assumed between words entered next to each other in a search query. For example, a search for bird cat dog returns the same search results as bird AND cat AND dog. Search terms are not case sensitive, and punctuation marks, such as hyphens, commas, and semicolons, are ignored.
2. To limit a search to a particular topic, select Browse from the top middle menu. From the dropdown options, select a topic to search within.
3. The default sort for search results is Relevance. To change sort options, use the drop down menu under Sort by.
4. Results can be refined using the various Filter options located at the left of the results. Filter options include Access, Publication Date, Author, Subject Area, Item Type, Organism Descriptors, Thesaurus Terms, Language, and Limit To.
The "Limit To" filter allows you to limit your results to Grey Literature, Evidence Based Research, Full Text Available, or Open Access Available. To see all the options in a particular facet, click the "More results" link under that facet.
Search Options
VetMed Resource allows the use of the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT in searching.
Boolean operator AND
Use AND to include two or more search terms; results of these Boolean searches will include all the search terms.
Example: the search "patellar luxation" AND dogs will yield article results that contain both the phrase patellar luxation and the term dogs.
Boolean operator OR
Use OR to find results that include one or the other search term, as well as both search terms.
Example: the search inguinal hernia OR perineal hernia will yield article results about either inguinal or perineal hernias, as well as articles about both types of hernia.
Boolean operator NOT
Use NOT to exclude a term from your search results.
Example: the search umbilical hernia NOT dogs will yield article results that include the terms umbilical hernia that do not include the term dogs.
Phrase searching
By placing quotation marks around a phrase, your search results will be limited to those results that include the exact phrase specified in the quotations.
Including quotations in a phrase search will often yield fewer results.
Example: To find articles that include the specific phrase caprine arthritis encephalitis, use the search "caprine arthritis encephalitis". Without quotations the search yields 1,219 results, with quotations, the search yields 1,200 results.
Parentheses
Use parentheses to compound searches.
Example: the search (inguinal hernia OR perineal hernia) AND dogs yields article results that include the terms inguinal hernia and/or the terms perineal hernia and also the term dogs.
Asterisk *
Use an asterisk symbol (*) to represent any group of characters.
Example: the search microb* yields results for the terms microbe, microbial, microbiota, microbiome, microbiologists, microbiology, etc.
Question mark ?
Use a question mark symbol (?) to represent a single character.
Example: the search organi?ation yields results for the terms organization and organisation.
Advanced searching in VetMed Resource
Advanced Searching
1. To search within specific fields and to combine field searches, select the Advanced Search link.
2. Choose the fields to search within by clicking the dropdown menu to the right of the search box. To combine different search fields, use the Boolean connector drop down menu to the left of the search boxes. Using the Boolean connector AND will retrieve results that include all the search terms, using OR will retrieve results that include at least one of the search terms as well as both, and using NOT will exclude a search term from your results. To add additional search fields, select the + icon.
Results can be limited to specific publication dates and document types by customizing the fields "Creation Date" and "Publication Type" found below the advanced search boxes.
Under More Options, the default content filter is "All Content", allowing you to see all results available. Other filter options include "Open access content only" or "Only content I have full access to".
