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Search Biomedical Literature: A How-To Guide

Overview of steps and resources to assist researchers searching biomedical literature

Search for Biomedical Literature Overview

Search for Biomedical Literature Overview

Step 1. Develop a Research Questions

You may find it helpful to structure the topic in an established format for life and health sciences.
Do some background research
You may find that the original question is too broad. After you have done the background research, you will have a better idea of what specifically you are interested in.

Step 2. Decide Which Database(s) to Use

Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches. Make a list of the databases you will search.

Step 3. Write a Search Strategy

Searching is an iterative process, so you may need to test and refine before setting on your final search strategy. Your search strategy should use a combination of keywords and controlled vocabulary terms to represent each concept of your research topic.

Step 4. Search & Collect References

Conduct your searches and find the literature
Use a citation manager to collect references

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