Step 3a: Searching in Web of Science and/or CAB Abstracts


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.

Screen capture of he Web of Science search screen's "Search in" dropdown menu.  The "All Databases" option is selected, showing in the 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.

Screen capture of example search showing four search bars.  Each search bar has one of the four search terms and its alternatives entered as described in the preceding text.

 

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.