On Doctoring MEDLINE searches, with reference librarian comments

The question was

"What are the adverse effects of prozac?"

1 :  *Fluoxetine/ or "prozac".mp.         {1948}
2 :  Fluoxetine/ae [Adverse Effects]         {925}
3 :  limit 2 to (local holdings and human and english language         {136}
and yr=1996-1999)
4 :  limit 3 to ((adult < 19 to 44 years > or middle age < 45 to         {61}
64 years >) and (journal article or meta analysis))

Reference Librarian comments

You search like I do. Do something really huge (set 1). Learn from
it and do something better (set 2, using the subheading "adverse
effects"). And then apply the various appropriate limits. Great
job. There are two things I might have done ever so slightly
differently. These are not criticisms, just 2 cool ideas: (a) in
set two you could have checked the "Focus" box for Fluoxetine (like
you did in Set 1...) and that would have gotten you fewer and more
relevant articles. (b) conversely, to get a few MORE, sometimes we
reference librarians also check "Poisoning" and "Toxicity" subheading
check-boxes when we're thinking "Adverse Effects." The reason?
Well, obviously poisoning and toxicity ARE adverse effects, and the
distinction that the Medline indexers might be making is nothing we
can remember or trust. So we most always check all three. Medical
reference librarians have a motto about this (...absolutely
ridiculous outside our tiny sphere..), called "AE, PO, TO." I'm
thinking of getting a vanity license plate with that on it. Anyone
who honks will be a VERY experienced Medline searcher.