On Doctoring MEDLINE searches, with reference librarian comments, March 2000

The question was

Examine the use of low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of deep vein thrombophlebitis.

1     exp Heparin, low-molecular-weight/ad,tu [Administration &    results=1498   
Dosage, Therapeutic Use]
2     exp Heparin, low-molecular-weight/ad,tu [Administration &    results=1498   
Dosage, Therapeutic Use]
3     Thrombophlebitis/dt [Drug Therapy]    results= 824   
4     2 and 3    results= 192   
5     limit 4 to (human and english language)    results= 129   

Reference Librarian comments

Your search is splendid. You used subject-headings appropriately, "exploded" the terms, selected subheadings, combined sets, "limited" results, etc.

The business about checking the "FOCUS" box (to make the retrieval slightly more on-target, slightly less comprehensive) is sometimes arguable, but I frequently do it, to get FEWER articles. Just to show you how that might go, I did the search below, just like yours -- except for the "focus" trick. Notice the asterisk next to the subject headings. It simply means I get 80 articles to wade through, rather than 129.

Medline 1991 to January 2000

#
Search History
Results
1
exp *Thrombophlebitis/dt [Drug Therapy]
448
2
exp *Heparin, low-molecular-weight/ad,tu [Administration & Dosage, Therapeutic Use]
994
3
1 and 2
114
4
limit 3 to (human and english language)