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
- Simple Subject Search in Pub Med VideoTutorial video on how to do a simple subject search in PubMed.
- MEDLINE, PubMed, and PMC (PubMed Central): How are they different?Difference between MEDLINE, PubMed, and PMC
- Video Tutorials from PubMedVideos and Webcasts of how to use PubMed.
Discovery is a great place to start when you are unsure of your key terms. It searches our catalog and many (not all) of the databases we own. Don't forget to filter on the left hand side of the page. You can filter by full text, dates, article type, subject, and more. This is also a wonderful resource to help you develop keywords for your search.
- Discovery Search TutorialTutorial on Discovery and how to do a keyword search.
- CINAHL Complete This link opens in a new windowThis is the definitive research tool for nursing and allied health professionals. With CINAHL Complete users get fast and easy access to top nursing and allied health journals, evidence-based care sheets and quick lessons.
- CINAHL Databases - Basic Searching TutorialThis tutorial demonstrates the basic searching features of the suite of CINAHL databases on EBSCOhost. Additional functionality available from the CINAHL Plus, CINAHL Plus with Full Text and CINAHL Complete databases is also included.
- 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.
- 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.
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