Searching Embase: Types of Searches

Embase has a variety of search options. You can access all of the search types by selecting "Search" in the top bar, then the search type of interest in the search options bar.

Each type is suited for different applications:

• Quick Search is for performing quick and easy searches using keywords and phrases; simply type in a word or phrase and select "Show # Results."
• PICO Search is meant to help you create a search based on the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Study Design) framework.
• PV Wizard is a search builder in Embase that is meant to help you successfully construct pharmacovigilance search strategies.
• Medical Device is a stepwise framework for building complex medical device searches. 
• Advanced Search allows you to limit your search to a more specific set of results. For example, you can limit your search to a particular range of years or focus your search on particular subject ages. 
• Drug Search has the option "Drug fields," which lists the field codes specific to drug searches, and "Drug subheadings," which contains limits such as "Adverse drug reaction" and "Drug concentration." You can add these subheadings to focus your search on particular aspects of the available drug information. The Drug Search form also has the option "Routes," which contains subheadings for every route of administration for drugs.
• Disease Search has the option "Disease subheadings," which contains a selection of subheadings that apply to diseases in general. This is not a list of diseases or disease families, but rather a set of terms that most frequently come up in association with disease information searches, such as "Complication," "Disease management," and "Side effect."
• Device Search has the option "Device fields," which lists the field codes specific to medical device searches, and "Device subheadings," which contain a selection of subheadings that apply to medical devices.
• Citation Information helps you track down articles based on author, article, or journal information.
• Query Translator allows you to input a PubMed search query, and Embase will translate the search to Embase terms

You can find more information about each search type on this page below.

Embase also has Search Tips, with more information about each search type.

When to Use Quick Search

Quick search is a good option for broad overview searches, where you quickly want to get information on a topic. Simply enter words or phrases into the search box. As you type, you’ll see suggested matching terms from Emtree, Embase's thesaurus for life sciences terms. As you create your search, the "Show Results" option will continue to update with the number of search results for your search. Select "Show # Results" to see the results for your search.

Quick Search Tips

1. For phrases, use double or single quotes around the phrase (e.g. 'older adult') to search for the exact phrase.
2. If you want to add more terms to your search, select "Add Field". You can select to search within specific fields, such as title, abstract, or keywords. You are given the option to connect with either AND, OR, or NOT (boolean operators). You can find more information about how these operators work on our Searching with Boolean Operators page.
3. Select "Limit to" to limit your search to certain publication years or publication type (e.g. systematic review or randomized control trial).

When to Use Advanced Search

The advanced search option allows you to complete a more structured, specific search in Embase. It is good for precisely looking for answers to research questions.

Advanced Search Tips

1. For phrases, use double or single quotes around the phrase (e.g. 'older adult') to search for the exact phrase.
2. Use proximity operators, wildcards, and field tags to  make your search more specific. More information about proximity operators and wildcards can be found below. More information about field tags can be found on the Field Tags and Filters for Narrowing Searches page.
3. Use AND, OR, or NOT (boolean operators) to connect terms. You can find more information about how these operators work on our Searching with Boolean Operators page.
4. Use filters under the search bar (e.g. mapping, date, sources) to narrow your search.

Proximity Operators

Proximity operators allow you to search for two words within a specified number of words of one another. This allows for more specificity than searching for the word separately, without requiring that the words occur right next to one another.

There are two different proximity operators:

1. NEAR/n allows you to search for two words within n words on one another in either order. The number of words in between the two words is equal to n-1 (i.e. NEAR/1 would indicate that the words are next to each other in either order with no words in between). For example, cancer NEAR/4 blood would retrieve "cancer of white blood cells" and "blood cancer" and "cancer affecting your blood cells".
2. NEXT/n allows you to search for two words within n words of one another in the order of the search. For example, cancer NEXT/4 blood would retrieve "cancer of white blood cells" and "cancer affecting your blood cells" but not "blood cancer" or other phrases where blood occurs before cancer.

Wildcards

Wildcards allow you to search for alternative endings and spellings of words. Wildcards can be used at the ends of words or in the middle of words. Different wildcards allow you to insert different numbers of letters.

1. The wildcard * inserts any number of letters. For example, identif* would retrieve 'identify', 'identifies', 'identified', 'identifying', etc, and col*r would retrieve 'color' and 'colour'. This wildcard can be used in phrases and with field limits.
2. The wildcard ? inserts one letter. For example, colo?r would retrieve 'colour' but not 'color', and air? would retrieve 'airs' and 'airy' but not 'air'.
3. The wildcard $ inserts zero or one letters. For example, colo?r would retrieve 'colour' and 'color', and air? would retrieve 'airs', 'airy', and 'air'.

It is important to use a long enough word stem so that you will not end up with irrelevant results. This is particularly important when using the wildcard *. For instance, cat* would retrieve 'cat' and 'catalog' and 'catalyst' and 'category'.

When to Use the PICO Search

The PICO search option allows you to build a search using the PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). This framework is useful for evidence-based practice and other medical questions.

PICO Search Tips

Default Strategy Selection

Start by selecting your desired "Default strategy" at the top of the page. Embase will default to Explosion (/exp).

• Explosion (/exp): Embase will see if there is an Emtree term related to your search. Then it will search for your term (or mapped Emtree term) along with narrower and related terms
• Major focus (/mj): Embase will focus your search on records where your search term was indicated as a major focus
• Explosion and Major focus (/exp/mj): Embase will search for records where your term (or mapped Emtree term) and narrower or related terms was indicated as a major focus
• Index term (/de) Embase will search for your term (or mapped Emtree term)
• As broad as possible (/br): Embase will search for your term and narrower or related terms as free text in all fields,

Search Options

You have two main options for how to build your PICO search:

1. You can search directly in the search box. Embase will then display related Emtree terms that you can select, or choose to search for your terms as free text. If you select an Emtree term, Embase will search for the Emtree term based on your selected search strategy (e.g. /exp or /de).
2. Alternatively, you can search directly in Emtree on the right bar, and select the terms there.

Once you have added your search terms, you have the option to "Add # synonyms". You can choose to add of the terms, or select specific terms to add.

Removing Searches

If you want to clear a box, select the x next to the box. If you want to remove a box (for example, if you do not have a comparison), select the trash can next to the box.

When to Use PV Wizard

PV Wizard is good for pharmacovigilance searches (detecting, assessing and preventing adverse effects of medications). The search wizard will guide you through creating a search, including adding alternative drug names and search terms for adverse drug reactions, special situations, and human limits. At each step, you can edit the Embase search to suit your needs, show results, or continue to the next step to keep building your search.

How to Search PV Wizard

When to Use the Medical Device Search

The medical device search allows you to build a search about a medical device. You can search for the medical device in general, or look for adverse events. You can also limit the study to study type (e.g. human or animal) and publication year.

How to Use the Medical Device Search

The drug search form allows you to perform advanced searches about drugs. It functions the same way as the advanced search but has features specific to drug searches. You can use "Drug Fields" to search for drug manufacturers and trade names, "Drug Subheadings" to search for various drug properties, such as pharmacokinetics and drug interactions, and "Routes" to search for specific drug administration routes. Follow the same instructions as Advanced Search to perform a drug search.

The disease search form allows you to perform advanced searches about diseases. It functions the same way as the advanced search but has features specific to disease searches. You can use the "Disease Subheadings" to search for disease properties, such as diagnosis, diagnosis, and etiology. Follow the same instructions as Advanced Search to perform a disease search.

The device search form allows you to perform advanced searches about devices. It functions the same way as the advanced search but has features specific to device searches. You can use "Device Fields" to search for device manufacturers and trade names, and "Device Subheadings" to search for various device properties, such as adverse effects and economics. Follow the same instructions as Advanced Search to perform a drug search.