In this page we will show the unique search features for MEDLINE®. Go to the ProQuest Platform LibGuide for a complete guide to ProQuest's search and display features.
Indexing with MEDLINE® provides the opportunity to utilize the flexibility of the ProQuest Platform in the advanced search. Limiters in Advanced Search include Document Type, Language, Age Group, Document Status, and Clinical Queries. Document Type, Language, and Age Group are provided in most ProQuest medical databases. However, the limiter options provided, particularly in Document Type and Age Group, are highly customized to match the Indexing provided through MEDLINE. Below is an image of how these options are presented in the MEDLINE Advanced Search in ProQuest. See the Advanced Search MEDLINE limiters document for more information.
MEDLINE® provides indexing for medical journals associated with the National Library of Medicine, and provides the MeSH Thesaurus as a search engine for locating distinct topical content through this controlled vocabulary.
To access, click the Thesaurus link above the search fields in Advanced Search.
You will have a choice of either the ProQuest Thesaurus, which provides a controlled vocabulary across all ProQuest databases, or the MeSH Thesaurus, which is specific to medical databases and collections. Click the MeSH Thesaurus link to access.
Once you search a term, such as Arthritis, you will have a scrollable list of results. Those terms with a checkbox are official terms that are indexed. Other terms point to officially indexed terms with a different nomenclature. Notes define a term, and Qualifiers provide additional terms that focus on a specific relationship to the main term.
Once you have accessed an indexed term, you may view it from a Relational (broader and narrower) view, or you may view it from a Hierarchical view, which will show its hierarchical pathway from the Root of the MeSH Thesaurus.
When you have chosen an indexed term, you may look specifically either choose Major, which will look only at those items that have that topic as a major focus, or you may expand to Explode, which will include all narrower terms to your selected term in the search. Then you may Add to search.
See the MEDLINE: Using MeSH Subjects and Thesaurus e-learning module to learn more.