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Workshop - Introduction to PubMed

PubMed (Database)

PubMed is a free online resource accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. PudMed supports the search and retrieval of biomedical and life sciences literature with the aim of improving health–both globally and personally.

This hands-on workshop focuses on what every user needs to know about PubMed to maximize their search and retrieval potential.

Intended Audiences

This workshop is for: 

  • Faculty
  • General Public
  • Graduate Students
  • Undergraduate Students
  • UVic Staff

This workshop is for a general audience; no previous knowledge of the resource is required. It is applicable to those conducting biomedical or health-related research, including but not limited to those in the life sciences, health sciences, and the allied health professions.

The National Library of Medicine transitioned to a new version of PubMed in 2019. This workshop will provide you with useful resources and effective strategies on how to search the new PubMed.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, students will be able to:

  • Explain what PubMed is and how it differs from MEDLINE

  • Find Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) appropriate to a research question

  • Use Boolean Operators to construct a search in PubMed's Advanced Search Builder

  • Narrow and review search results

  • Save searches and export search results to EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero
     

Outline or Agenda

Introduction & Demonstration (15 minutes)

  • Explain what PubMed is and how it differs from MEDLINE
  • Introduce Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
  • Explore the PubMed interface

Hands On Activities (30 minutes)

  1. Find MeSH
  2. Build a Search
  3. Narrow & Review Search Results
  4. Save Searches & Export Results

Conclusion  (5 minutes)

  • Discuss searching as an iterative process

Pre-class quiz

Complete this short anonymous pre-class survey - optional (2 minutes)

Pre-class videos, readings and exercises

Watch

Do 

In-class activities and instruction

Introduction & Demonstration (15 minutes)

Hands On Activities (30 minutes)

  1. Find MeSH
  2. Build a Search
  3. Narrow & Review Search Results
  4. Save Searches & Export Results

Conclusion (5 minutes)

Post-class assessment and course feedback

Complete this short anonymous post-class feedback survey - optional (2 minutes)

Creative Commons License
This work by The University of Victoria Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License unless otherwise indicated when material has been used from other sources.