No.6: Expert search filters in Ovid databases

An expert search filter is a series of search statements designed by an expert that refine your search, and reduce the results by omitting irrelevant articles.

The clinical queries limits in Ovid are examples of expert search filters because they limit retrieval when applied to a search. Each Ovid database has its own set of clinical queries on a variety of topics.

Expert search filters may be accessed via the clinical queries limits or via the Saved Searches/Alerts function in Ovid. There is an overlap in topics for expert search filters found in clinical queries limits and Saved Search/Alerts; this fact sheet concentrates on the latter.

Filter types

Expert search filters are available for Medline, CINAHL, Embase and PsycInfo. The filters cover different topics, for example: diagnosis, etiology, prognosis, therapy, meta-analysis, Cochrane, and paediatric age group. Not all search filter topics are available in all databases.

The filters come from various sources including the Health Information Research Unit (HIRU) of McMaster University, Edward G. Miner Library, University of Rochester, and BestBETs.

How to apply a filter

  1. Search your topic in an Ovid database such as Medline.
  2. Select Saved Searches/Alerts.Find the filters in Saved Searches/Alerts
  3. Enter your Ovid personal account name and password, or register for an Ovid Personal Account.Log in, or register to created an Ovid Personal Account
  4. A list of all expert search filters will appear. Search filters are database specific, so you must select the required filter for the current database, for example 01D-Expert-Medline Therapy search filter.
  5. Select Run.Run your chosen filter
  6. Select Main Search Page to view the results.
  7. Combine the last line of your search with the last line of the expert search filter, for example: in the sample search below, combine lines 5 and 11.
  8. Limit your results further by applying another filter to the search, for example the meta-analysis search filter (01E-Expert-Medline) or the Cochrane search filter (01H-Expert-Medline).Combine your search with the filter

More help

Contact Poh Chua in the library: x5107, poh.chua@rch.org.au

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