BUSM Portal
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): MeSH is an international standard that provides a "controlled" or consistent way of retrieving information that may use different terminology for the same concept. When using BUMC Medline Plus/OVID the keyword that you enter is automatically mapped to a MeSH.
Within the BUMC Medline Plus/OVID there are several ways in which you can modify your MeSH search to target your results, including adding subheadings or by exploding, focusing, or both exploding and focusing your term.
- Subheadings - Subheadings better define a topic, narrow retrieval, or express a certain aspect of a main MeSH heading. There are 82 subheadings available such as adverse effects (ae), poisoning (po), and toxicity (to). You may add as many subheadings as you wish.
Format Example term/subheading Penicillins/ae, po, to - Explode - Explode incorporates all of the specific subject headings in the subject's tree structure into the search.
- Focus - Focus retrieves citations that focus/emphasize the subject.
- Explode AND Focus - Explode and focus retrieves citations that that include all of the specific subject headings in the subject's tree structure and these results will emphasize the subject.
- Limits - Limits allow for the specification of a particular population, age group, language, year, publication type, or database. For example, you are able to limit your search to randomized control trials or to EBM Reviews. Limits are most easily applied by simply selecting them from Ovid's main search page or by clicking on more limits.
Direct-Entry Commands: The examples below demonstrate the use of some of the popular direct-entry commands available for searching in BUMC Medline Plus/OVID. All direct-entry commands should be typed into the "enter keyword or phrase" box.
| Label | Field Name | Examples |
| AU | Author Name | Smith TR.au. |
| IN | Institution Name | Boston University.in. |
| TI | Title Words | Clinical Inqueries.ti. |
| JN | Journal Name | Journal of Family Practice.jn.. |
| AB | Abstract Word | latex allergy.ab. |
| PT | Publication Type | Randomized Controlled Trial.pt.. |
Please note that the command "Clinical Inquiries. ti." will retrieve the EBM articles in the Journal of Family Practice. Another strategy to retrieve these articles is to enter Journal of Family Practice.jn. which retrieves the entire contents of the journal including Clinical Inquiries.