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Searching with Field Codes

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While not necessarily “secret”, field codes are an underutilized feature found in nearly all scholarly literature databases. 

A field is a specific part of a record found within a database. A field code (also sometimes referred to as a field tag) is a word, abbreviation, or letters that are tied to a specific field within a record. Some common examples of fields are: title, author, and publication year. Every database has their own set of field codes for the various fields found in their records. Here we discuss how you can leverage these field codes to focus your literature searches.

Adding Field Codes to your Search

The default, or basic search, in most databases, is a general all field or keyword search. While this may be fine for simple searches, as searches become more complex, sometimes there needs to be more options available. That is where field codes come in.

The Advanced Search features found in most databases is where you can manipulate your search strategies to include field codes. In some cases available or common field codes are listed on this page. Depending on the database, you may or may not be able to add multiple field codes to a single search. If you are limited to a single field code, use the Boolean Operator OR to combine multiple search strings. 

Commonly Used Field Codes in Select Databases

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New eBook: The AJCC Cancer Staging System, 9th Edition

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The new 9th version of the AJCC Cancer Staging System (formerly known as the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual) is now electronically available in the library. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) made an important change to how it updates and releases Cancer Staging content. The AJCC shifted from a Cancer Staging Manual to a Cancer Staging System and moved away from Editions to Versions.

The new AJCC Protocol Version 9 content is presented in a streamlined, easy-to-use format including synoptic staging report format, tables, explanatory notes, and illustrations. All disease sites in the 8th Edition Cancer Staging Manual remain current until replaced with Version 9.

2024 MeSH Update and PubMed Year-End Activities

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Tis the season…for the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) Annual MeSH Processing for 2024!!

Every November-December brings the much anticipated annual changes to PubMed’s MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) structure for the controlled vocabulary associated with MEDLINE.

Types of MeSH Updates

Some MeSH, subheadings, and supplementary concepts cease to be, some are renamed, new MeSH and subheadings are incorporated, and some MeSH change their location in the MeSH hierarchical tree structure (e.g. a MeSH moves under a different broader heading) or combine with other terms. Some Supplemental Concepts are also upgraded to a MeSH Descriptor status. Below are some of the types of changes and updates made during the Annual MeSH Update.

  • New MeSH Descriptors — brand new MeSH Descriptors
  • New Supplementary Concepts — brand new terms that currently do not warrant a full MeSH Descriptor
  • Changed MeSH Descriptors — MeSH terms that were modified (either by name or hierarchical location), also referred to as the “Preferred Term”
  • Upgraded MeSH Descriptors — terms that moved from Supplementary Concepts to MeSH Descriptors
  • Combined Terms — either MeSH Descriptors or Supplementary Concepts that were combined with other terms under a single term
  • Split Terms — either MeSH Descriptors or Supplementary Concepts that are split to expand the level of description and detail
  • Removed Terms — either MeSH Descriptors or Supplementary Concepts that were removed, either due to being combined, upgraded, or renamed

What’s New in 2024

The 2024 MeSH updates includes a variety of important and much-needed updates!

One of the biggest and most needed expansion in the 2024 update is that of the Psychological Stress concept, with dozens of new MesH Descriptors within the concept of Psychological Stress, including:

  • Coping Skills
  • Psychological Growth
  • Financial Strain
  • Psychological Recovery
  • School Shooting
  • Stress Experience

Impacts on Searching PubMed

MeSH structure changes may affect already saved searches, including My NCBI alerts; for example ceased in 2024 MeSH may be part of your search strategy designed/saved in the previous years and the deleted/ceased to be term will not retrieve any references.

If you have searches saved in your My NCBI account and/or you are getting PubMed e-mail alerts, or if you need to update your Systematic Review based on your previous search strategy, you may want to consult a Research Informationist to ensure your saved searches are not affected by the annual changes in the MeSH terminology. Don’t hesitate to ASK US!

A Note by the National Library of Medicine says: “Typically, NLM does not retroactively re-index MEDLINE citations with new MeSH heading concepts. Therefore, searching PubMed for a new MeSH term tagged with [mh] or [majr] effectively limits retrieval to citations indexed after the term was introduced. Searchers may consult the MeSH database to see the previous indexing terms most likely used for a particular concept before the new MeSH heading was introduced. For terms without previous indexing information, consider the next broader term(s) in the MeSH hierarchy. For more searching guidance, see the on-demand class MeSH Changes and PubMed Searching”.