PubMed

PubMed is a free resource supporting the search and retrieval of biomedical and life sciences literature.

Run a Query

Queries can be entered using either:

These interfaces are functionally equivalent for the purposes of search-query. We recommend users always copy and store the full query string from either interface.

Note

For parsing PubMed queries, we recommend using the queries entered in the basic or advanced box as the search_string and leave the general_search_field empty.

When running the same query with different serach fields, as in this example, search-query will assume that the queries are added with an “OR” operator.

Store a Query

When storing a PubMed query in a .json file or as a string:

  • Use the content of the Query box or Search details section as the search_string.

  • Leave the general_search_field empty.

Best Practices and Recommendations

The advanced PubMed interface offers a dropdown for search fields such as [Title/Abstract], [Author], etc. When using this feature:

  • If you apply the same field to the entire query, it is safe to store this value in the general_search_field.

  • If the query contains multiple search fields, search-query will treat each term individually, and leaving `general_search_field` empty is preferred.

TODO : explain list search: https://library.bath.ac.uk/pubmed/combine-searches -> searches an be reused/combined with the “add” button (or with “#1” references)

Resources