What is MeSH?
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) are found in many of the medical and human sciences databases.
MeSH headings are usually the default option in Medline. You will see a tick in the box beside “Map Term to Subject Heading” which is underneath the search box. Other databases may require you to tick the MeSH box for it to be activated.
If you search several databases at once the MeSH function may disappear. Some databases e.g. EBM Reviews do not have MeSH.
MeSH is not the same in every database (different databases may index terms into different hierarchy).
By clicking on the blue links you can find out how many results are attributed to that term.
The scope notes can give details of previous terminology and year of entry into that database.
MeSH is not compulsory to use but is advisable.
The Explode option will find any mention of that term.
The Focus option refines the search so that articles which contain the term as a major theme are focused on.
By not selecting Explode or Focus a “middle way” search is done.
For further information on the usage of MeSH please consult the MeSH posts on the Advanced Searching webpage.
