Step 3a: Searching in Web of Science and/or CAB Abstracts
- Web of Science: searches 1900 to presentIf you select "All Databases" from the "Select a database" drop-down menu, a search in Web of Science includes Medline (which is what largely comprises PubMed). It also searches multiple databases at once, which satisfies the requirement to search more than one database.
- CAB Abstracts: searches 1910 to presentCAB Abstracts searches just one database, but the search concepts taught on this page are transferrable because the interface looks almost identical to Web of Science. CAB Abstracts is especially good for finding agricultural research information.
Example of a combined search of Web of Science and CAB Abstracts for a protocol investigating the diagnosis of osteomyelitis in rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits using imaging:
1. Brainstorm alternative terms or synonyms for each concept listed: diagnosis, osteomyelitis, imaging.
2. On the Web of Science search screen, use the "Search in" dropdown menu (indicated by the downward facing "v" icon) to select "All databases." Please notice in list of included databases that this includes the Web of Science Core Collection and CABI: CAB Abstracts.
3. Build your search for each concept and its alternative terms by adding rows to the search using the "+ Add Row" button found below the search bar.
- Search box #1: diagnos* OR assess*
- Search box #2: osteomyelit*
- Search box #3: rat OR rats OR “guinea pig*” OR mouse OR mice OR rabbit*
- Search box #4: imag* OR radio* OR marker* OR biomarker* OR noninvasive OR MRI OR tomograph* OR ultraso*
You can string these searches together in the search box, just capitalize OR. Use * to truncate words -- diagnos* finds diagnose, diagnosis, diagnostic, etc.
4. You can further refine your results on the search results screen using the filter options offered on the sidebar.
5. You may wish to save a link to this results page. This link reads as "copy query link" on the search results page can be found on the results page between the search box and the list of results.