Help for E-Resources/Article Databases

Ask a Librarian

« Return to List of Quick Guides

Searching

  1. Select an database from the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.
  2. Click ADVANCED OVID SEARCH.
  3. Type a word or phrase in the search box.
    Use quotation marks around words to be searched as a phrase.
  4. Click SEARCH.

Combining Terms

Use OR to connect similar terms. OR broadens your search.

Example: aspirin or acetaminophen

Use AND to connect separate concepts. AND narrows your search.

Example: aspirin and inflammation

Truncating Terms

 

Use * or $ to replace one or more characters at the end of a search term.

Example: drug* (retrieves drug, drugs, druggist, etc.)

Use ? to replace one character within a search term.

Example: wom?n (retrieves woman, women)

Proximity Searching

Use quotation marks around words that are to be searched as a phrase.

Example: "blood pressure"

Use adj# to find terms within a specified number(#) of words of each other regardless of the order in which they appear.

Example:bioremediation adj5 soil (retrieves soil bioremediation, bioremediation of contaminated soil)

Combining Search Sets

  1. Click SEARCH HISTORY.
  2. Click in the boxes to the left of the search sets to combine.
  3. Click AND or OR as desired.

Author Searching

  1. Click ADVANCED OVID SEARCH tab.
  2. Click in the circle to left of AUTHOR.
  3. Type the author's last name in the ENTER KEYWORD OR PHRASE box.
    Example: donohue
  4. Click in the box next to desired name.
  5. Click SEARCH FOR SELECTED TERMS.
  6. In the Results Search Aid box, click NARROW YOUR RESULTS BY AUTHORS
  7. Click AUTHOR NAME WITH DESIRED FIRST NAME OR INITIALS

Journal Searching

To browse a specific journal:

  1. Click ADVANCED OVID SEARCH tab.
  2. Click in circle to left of JOURNAL.
  3. Type the full name of a journal in the ENTER KEYWORD OR PHRASE box. (In Biotechnology Abstract,
  4. Click SEARCH FOR SELECTED TERMS.
  5. Click in the box(es) next to desired journal names.
  6. Click SEARCH FOR SELECTED TERMS.
  7. For Biotechnology Abstract, in the Results Search Aid box click NARROW YOUR RESULTS BY JOURNALS.
  8. Click desired journal.

To find a specific article:

  1. Click FIND CITATION.
  2. Enter any combination of article title, author, journal name, date, or volume and page.
  3. Click SEARCH.

Displaying Search Results

  1. Click NEXT PAGE or PREVIOUS PAGE to move through additional records.
  2. Click VIEW ABSTRACT to see the abstract of an individual record or check the box next to VIEW ALL ABSTRACTS at the top of the screen.
  3. Click FIND IT to locate the item electronically, on campus, or to request document delivery.
    (Optional) Click on other options as available.

Selecting Records

  1. Click in the box to the left of the desired record for later printing, saving or emailing.

Saving Search Results

  1. Insert removable storage device. (i.e. flash drive, memory stick, 3 1/2" disk ...).
  2. Go to the RESULTS MANAGER.
  3. Click in the circles next to the desired options.
  4. Click SAVE in the ACTIONS column.
  5. Select the desired options and click CONTINUE.
  6. Click SAVE in the FILE DOWNLOAD window.
  7. Specify a destination drive in SAVE IN: and a file name in FILE NAME: and then click SAVE.

Exporting Search Results to RefWorks

See Moving Citations from OvidSP databases into RefWorks

Emailing Search Results

Emailing Records

  1. Go to the RESULTS MANAGER.
  2. Click in the circles next to the desired options.
  3. Click EMAIL in the ACTION column.
  4. Enter your full email address in the TO: box.
  5. Click SEND EMAIL.

Setting Up RSS Feeds & Alerts

  1. Conduct a search in the database.
  2. Click SAVED SEARCHES/ALERTS in the upper right of the screen
  3. Click CREATE A NEW PERSONAL ACCOUNT or login if you already have a personal account.
  4. Click SEARCH HISTORY.
  5. Click SAVE SEARCH HISTORY.
  6. Select AUTOALERT(SDI) from the TYPE drop down menu.
  7. Enter a name in the SEARCH NAME box.
    (Optional) Enter information in the COMMENTS box if desired.
  8. Select desired choices under AUTOALERT OPTIONS.
    You may save the search as either an autoalert or RSS.
  9. Click SAVE.

Beginning a New Search, Getting Help, and Exiting

Beginning a New Search

  1. Click MAIN SEARCH PAGE.

Getting Help

  • Click HELP for on-screen help.
  • Click ASK A LIBRARIAN to email a question to a UW-Madison librarian.

For further assistance, consult library staff.

Exiting

  1. Click LOGOFF at the top of the screen.

Databases Covered by this Guide

  • Biotechnology Abstract (Derwent)
  • Health & Psychosocial Instruments (HaPI)
  • International Pharmaceutical Abstracts
    • ...and other OvidSP databases