Each database service has it's own set of rules for entering queries and moving from one to another can be quite daunting. Follow these steps to transition from one to another.
Keep these lines the same across systems if possible. Check each line with an AND search of a single key term to see whether the result set is affected by the content of the database and some terms won't work well with the database. Put OR commands in uppercase and phrases in quotation marks (e.g. phototherapy OR "light therapy")
For specific subject headings or groups of subject headings (exploded subject headings) check the terms using any subject mapping tool in the service to see what equivalent terms are used. If nothing is suitable, consider using the term as a keyword instead. Check the result set returned by any exploded subject headings. Different systems can have major differences between what is included in a specific subject heading group which can play havoc with result numbers. If using the Embase database consider if you need every mention of the term. If not, use the major subject heading term by adding an asterisk before the term (e.g. *phototherapy/). Embase in particular adds a lot of indexing terms and can over-saturate your search strategy with minor subject headings.
If using proximity searches, read the details in the database help about how the system does proximity search. Each system is different and some systems will not be able to repeat some searches.
Combine your search lines using whatever option for this exists on the system. Each system has their own way of doing this and it is easiest to use check-boxes and "Combine Sets" options than trying to work out the right way to write it in the search box.
Leave your limits to last. Not every item in any database is fully indexed so take care when applying limits that your search results are not significantly lower than you expect. Consider doing a NOT search between the result before the limit is applied and after the limit is applied. This will create a set of excluded items and can be checked to see if the database has consistently applied the limit to all records. Generally, language and year limits are fine. Limits on publication type, experimental design, human/animal studies, clinical trials, discipline field and other areas can be less consistently applied to all items in the database and can affect the final result of your review.
| EBSCO Databses | Ovid Databases | Scopus | Web of Science | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truncation |
* Adds any number of characters after * e.g. phototherap*
e.g. "light therap*" |
* Adds any number of characters after * e.g. phototherap*
e.g. light therap*
|
*
Adds any number of characters after * e.g. phototherap*
e.g. "light therap*"
|
*
Adds any number of characters after * e.g. phototherap*
e.g. "light therap*"
|
| Wildcards |
# Where an alternate spelling might contain an extra character
e.g. colo#r will retrieve color or colour Wildcards are not allowed as the first character in a search term
|
? 0 or 1 alphanumeric character within a word or at the end of a word. Where an alternate spelling might contain an extra character e.g. colo?r will retrieve color or colour
|
? Represents any single character
|
? $
? Represents any single character $ represents 0 or 1 character e.g. organi?ation will retrieve At least 3 characters must precede the wildcard |
| Phrase search |
" " Required e.g. "bed sore" |
" "
Curly quotation marks not supported if you are pasting from a document |
" " or { }
|
" " e.g. "bed sore" |
| Proximity Search |
Nn finds the words if they are within n words of each other in either word order e.g. pressure N3 ulcer
Wn finds the words if they are within n words of one another, in the order in which you entered them |
ADJn finds the words if they are within n -1 word of each other in either word order e.g. pressure adj4 ulcer Note—Differs from other databases where the addition of one is required for exact translation. |
W/n finds the words if they are within n words of each other in either word order e.g. pressure W/3 ulcer |
PRE/n Terms must appear in a specific order between words e.g., behavioural PRE/3 disturbances, where behavioural precedes disturbances within three words
finds the words if they are within n words of each other in either word order e.g. pressure NEAR/3 ulcer
finds the words if they within 15 words of each other in either word order |
| EBSCO Databses | Ovid Databases | Scopus | Web of Science | |
| Subject headings |
Yes
Example in search - CINAHL |
Yes
Example in search – Medline |
Yes Subject Headings are available for most records. No mapping or explode options. INDEXTERMS (Phototherapy) in Advanced Search KEY (Phototherapy) in Advanced Search for Subject Headings or Author Keyword |
No
AK= Phototherapy in Advanced Search |
| Search Fields |
In Title TI Phototherapy
In Abstract AB Phototherapy
In Title or Abstract TI Phototherapy OR AB Phototherapy
Default – Unqualified Phototherapy “Select a field – Optional” For CINAHL - Searches in: Each database can have a different default set but will always include Title, Abstract and Subject Headings |
In Title Phototherapy.ti.
In Abstract Phototherapy.ab.
In Title or Abstract Phototherapy.ti,ab.
phototherapy.mp.
Each database can have a different default set but will always include Title, Abstract and Subject Headings |
In Title TITLE (phototherapy)
In Abstract ABS (phototherapy)
In Title or Abstract ( TITLE ( phototherapy ) OR ABS ( phototherapy ) )
Default Article Title, Abstract, Keywords TITLE-ABS-KEY (phototherapy) |
In Title TI=phototherapy
In Abstract AB=phototherapy
TI=phototherapy OR AB=phototherapy
Topic TS=phototherapy Searches in Title, Abstract, Author Keywords, Keywords Plus |
| EBSCO Databses | Ovid Databases | Scopus | Web of Science | |
| Search example |
S1 phototherap* S2 "light therap*" S3 laser* N3 therap* S4 (MH "Phototherapy") S5 S1 OR S2 OR S3 OR S4 S6 pressure N2 (ulcer* OR sore*) S7 "bed sore*" S8 bedsore* S9 S6 OR S7 OR S8 S10 S5 AND S9 |
1 phototherap*.mp. 2 light therap*.mp. 3 laser* adj4 therap*.mp. 4 Phototherapy/ 5 1 OR 2 OR 3 OR 4 6 pressure adj3 (ulcer* OR sore*).mp. 7 bed sore*.mp. 8 bedsore*.mp. 9 6 OR 7 OR 8 10 5 AND 9 |
#1 TITLE-ABS-KEY (phototherap*) #2 TITLE-ABS-KEY ("light therap*") #3 TITLE-ABS-KEY (laser W/3 therap*) #4 KEY (Phototherapy) #5 #1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 #6 TITLE-ABS-KEY (pressure W/3 (ulcer* OR sore*)) #7 TITLE-ABS-KEY ("bed sore*") #8 TITLE-ABS-KEY (bedsore*) #9 #6 OR #7 OR #8 #10 #5 AND #9
Note – Entered in Advanced Search using Search History to combine queries for lines 5, 9 and 10 |
#1 TS= phototherap* #2 TS= "light therap*" #3 TS= (laser NEAR/3 therap*) #4 #1 OR #2 OR #3 #5 TS= (pressure NEAR/3 (ulcer* OR sore*)) #6 TS= "bed sore*" #7 TS= bedsore* #8 #5 OR #6 OR #7 #9 #4 AND #8 Note – Line 4 from the other searches was excluded in this search as there are no subject headings in Web of Science. Note – Entered in Advanced Search using Search History to combine queries for lines 4, 8 and 9 |
University of Melbourne Library - Search Translation Version 7/23