Tricks in database searching for concept analysis terms.

FIELD LABELS

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LOVE ADJ3 (CONCEPT* OR DEFIN* OR UNDERSTAND* OR CONCEIV* OR UNDERSTOOD)
# Search History Results Display
1
(LOVE and (concept$ or conceiv$ or defin$ or understand$ or understood)).mp. [mp=title, abstract, full text, caption text]
6866 Display
2
(LOVE adj5 (concept$ or conceiv$ or defin$ or understand$ or understood)).mp. [mp=title, abstract, full text, caption text]
423 Display

Of course, 423 results is much cleaner than 6866 but there is some refinement which still can be done.

All records have record lay outs with Field Labels associated with various parts of the record:

Accession Number
00000605-200209030-00037.
Author
Arroliga, Alejandro C. MD; Newman, Sara PhD; Longworth, David L. MD; Stoller, James K. MD, MS
Institution
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Cleveland, OH 44195 (Arroliga)
Kent State University; Kent, OH 44242-0001 (Newman)
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Cleveland, OH 44195 (Longworth, Stoller)
Title
Metaphorical Medicine: Using Metaphors To Enhance Communication with Patients Who Have Pulmonary Disease.[Miscellaneous]
Source
Annals of Internal Medicine. 137(5 (Part 1)):E376-E380, September 3, 2002.

The HELP screens are useful in locating coding associated with field labels. Some databases have the information needed in icons right up front. Click on the Icon.

 

 

Enter word or phrase:

All Fields (af)
- or choose from among the following fields -
  ab: Abstract       sb: Journal Subset
  an: Accession Number       jb: Journal Subset (JTOC)
  au: Author       jw: Journal Words

 

# Search History Results Display
1
(LOVE adj5 (concept$ or conceiv$ or defin$ or understand$ or understood)).af.
627 Display

A main topic of the article should be your concept term, so it would be a good idea if the term was in the title or abstract of the article:

# Search History Results Display
1
(LOVE adj5 (concept$ or conceiv$ or defin$ or understand$ or understood)).af.
627 Display
2
love.ti,ab.
285 Display

Then combine the two concept using a logical AND.

 

# Search History Results Display
1
(LOVE adj5 (concept$ or conceiv$ or defin$ or understand$ or understood)).af.
627 Display
2
love.ti,ab.
285 Display
3
1 and 2
61 Display

Voila!

61 references about a specific concept term (love) and have words meaning define near the concept term.

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Helen Hough, Health Sciences Librarian, University of Texas at Arlington. This page covered by all applicable copyright laws.