Searching CINAHL - The Essentials

Last update: 20 April 2011,
by Maureen Bell

Below are some brief notes to help you with the essentials of searching in CINAHL on the EBSCOhost platform. You'll find some short video demonstrations of actual searches on CINAHL, as well as some printable help sheets here.

You'll see a link to CINAHL with Full Text in the column on the right of this page.

When searching CINAHL always choose the Advanced Search option as this will allow you to use more than one search box, and select from different search fields.

Boolean Searching

Boolean logic defines logical relationships between search terms. The Boolean search operators AND, OR and NOT allow you to broaden or focus your search results.

The AND operator combines search terms so that each result contains all of the terms.

• For example, social AND behavior will find articles that contain both social and behavior.

The OR operator combines search terms so that each result contains at least one of the terms.

• For example, analgesic OR psychotropic will find articles that contain either analgesic or psychotropic.

The NOT operator is used to exclude search terms.

• For example, analgesic NOT psychotropic will find articles that contain the term analgesic, but not the term psychotropic.

Wildcard (?) and Truncation (*) Symbols

Use the wildcard and truncation symbols in searches using terms with unknown characters, multiple spellings or various endings.
Note: Neither the wildcard nor the truncation symbol can be used as the first character in a search term.

The wildcard is represented by a question mark (?). To use the wildcard, enter the search terms and replace each unknown character with a (?). EBSCOhost® will provide results containing variations of that character set, with the "?" replaced by a letter.

• For example, type ne?t to find all citations containing neat, nest or next. EBSCOhost will not find net because the wildcard replaces a single character.

Truncation is represented by an asterisk (*). To use truncation, enter the root of a search term and replace the ending with an asterisk (*). EBSCOhost will find all available forms of that word.

• For example, type occup* to find the words occupied or occupational - and any other words beginning with occup
  

Proximity Search

A Proximity Search produces results with two or more terms that appear a specified number of words (or fewer) apart in the database(s). The proximity operator is composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words), placed between search terms.
Near Operator (N)- N5 will find a result if the terms are within five (5) words of each other, regardless of the order in which they appear.

• For example, type eating N5 disorders for results that contain eating disorders, as well as mental disorders and eating pathology.

Within Operator (W) - W8 will find a result if the terms are within eight (8) words of each other, in the exact order entered.

• For example, type eating W8 disorders for results that contain eating disorders, but not mental disorders and eating pathology.

Grouping Terms Together Using Parentheses

Parentheses can be used to protect the logic of your search Without parentheses, a search is executed from left to right. However, words enclosed in parentheses are searched first. Why is this important? See the examples below

• Example 1: arthritis or diabetes and self esteem or media

• Example 2: (arthritis or diabetes) and (self esteem or media)

In the first example, the search will retrieve everything on arthritis, results which include both diabetes and self esteem, and everything on media.

In the second example, parentheses control the query to find only articles about arthritis or diabetes that also refer to self esteem or media.

The simplest way to remember how to use parenthesese - if you use "or" use parentheses around the terms

Using Field Codes

This can be used to conduct searches on either Basic or Advanced Search screens. A list of field codes and descriptions are here.

• For example, typing AU Anderson will produce results that include Brown in the article's Author citation field.

• Typing AU Anderson and SO Journal of Advanced Nursing will produce a list of articles that include Anderson in the Author citation field only if they are from the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Searching the Thesaurus (CINAHL Headings)

The CINAHL Subject Headings authority file is a controlled vocabulary thesaurus that assists in more effectively searching the CINAHL database. There are more than 10,600 main subject headings as well as thousands of cross-references that assist in finding the most appropriate subject heading. CINAHL uses the National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) as the standard vocabulary for disease, drug, anatomical, and physiological concepts. Each reference in the database has a set of subject terms, major and minor descriptors, which describe the primary and secondary focus of the document.

The Thesaurus is arranged in a hierarchy that permits searching various levels of detail from the most general level to more specific levels, to find the most precise concept.

• You can Explode terms in the thesaurus to include Narrower terms in the hierarchy.

• You can also select Major Concept to ensure that you retrieve only material where the subject is a primary focus of the article

To browse the Thesaurus:

1. Click the CINAHL Headings button on the subtoolbar.

2. Enter search terms in the Browse for field.

3. Select either the Term Begins With, Term Contains, or Relevancy Ranked radio button.

4. Click Browse. A list of headings is displayed.

5. Clicking in the box beside a heading selects it for searching. However if you want to find out more about the heading, and its relationship to the hierarchy of terms click on the actual words
Clicking on Scope will show you the CINAHL definition of the term

6. As you select headings, you can also mark Explode and/or Major Concept

7. Then add to your search using OR, AND, or NOT (your search is being built in the Find field).

8. Click Search to display a list of results that match your search terms.

Displaying Search Results

The default display shows records in Brief format, which includes author and title of the article, name of journal, volume number, date, and pages. Only 10 records per screen are displayed.

To change the display options click on Preferences (just below the search boxes)

A page will open showing the options from which you can choose.

Detailed display will allow you to see abstracts for articles. Choose the options you would like, and click on Apply.

Saving Search Results to the Folder

Before you can email, print, or export search reults you'll need to save them to the Folder. When your search results appear, an Add to folder icon will be displayed under each item

• If you want to collect individual articles, click the Add to folder icon for the article.
• To add all items on a page to your folder, click Add (1-10) at the top of the Add column.

As soon as you click on Add to folder a Folder has items message appears in the right hand column of your screen

Continue adding items page by page until you have collected all of the reults you want.

• As you add the articles to the folder, you can click the Folder link and review which items have been added.

Emailing, Saving, or Printing Results

When you have finished collecting items click on the Go to Folder View

A page will display the list of items with the options available - Print, Email, Save or Export

• Select the items you want, then click on the option you would like.

At the next screen you will need to select whether you want to include

• HTML Full Text (when available)
  HTML link(s) to article(s)
  PDF as separate attachment (when available) - this applies only to Email

• The Field Format in which you would like the references to be saved (Brief Citation, Brief Citation and Abstract, Detailed Citation and Abstract, or Customized Field Format)

• The Citation Format - eg Vancouver/ICMJE

Exporting Results to EndNote

When you have finished collecting items click on the Folder icon

• A page will display the list of items with the options available

• Select the items you would like to export

• Click on Export, and select Direct Export to EndNote, ProCite,CITAVI, or Reference Manager

• Click on Save.

The program will now open EndNote, and you can select a temporary Library to which to save the results.