A roadmap for searching literature in PubMed: References

There are several ways to store PubMed hits:

1. send them in an e-mail
2. save them to your own PubMed account (My NCBI)
3. export them to a reference managing program (e.g. EndNote, Mendeley).

1. Send hits in an e-mail (max. 200)

1. Select Email 
2. Enter e-mail address
3. Choose selection, the default selection is 'All results on this page'
4. Cchoose 'Format Abstract' 
5. Check your spam folder if necessary

2. Saving hits to your own My NCBI account
You can save your hits and even your search query in PubMed in your own My NCBI account. You can create an account free of charge. Saving your search query also makes it easier to create alerts for new titles.

1. Log into your NCBI account
2. Click on Send To
3. Choose: Add to collections

3. Exporting references

1. Click on Save
2. Select your option: a) tick on selected references, b) all results on page [by default], c) all results
3. Choose format: PubMed and click on 'Create File'
4. In EndNote: Choose 'Import', select the txt file, and select the PubMed(NLM) import filter
5. In Mendeley: Add File, select the txt file and click on open

Many programs are available for storing, editing and sharing references. Two commonly used applications are discussed here. In both programs, you can easily save references, organize them in groups, add and annotate PDFs, and add citations to Word documents (‘cite-while-you-write’).

VU/VUmc provides support for EndNote. You will find more information on EndNote at www.ub.vu.nl.  EndNote is well suited as a daily reference manager program. It is particularly useful for Systematic Reviews, offering numerous advantages (such as creating a library per topic). Ready to get started with EndNote? Visit our LibGuide EndNote to help you get going.

​Mendeley is a free reference manager program. VU/VUmc does not offer targeted support for Mendeley. One of its greatest advantages is cross-platform support (desktop, web, tablet) and easy sharing of references. Ready to get started with Mendeley? Use these helpguides and training videos on Mendeley.

You can save a search in PubMed by creating a free account at My NCBI. Your search will be stored there and you can set alerts for new articles. Watch the short PubMed video (1:20) about saving searches.

In PubMed: Click on an article. One or more logos will appear to the top-right of the PubMed screen.

1. The publisher link: refers to the article by the publisher. This will be a full text version if the publisher has an open-access policy or if UBVU has a subscription to the relevant journal.

2. The VU link indicates whether UBVU has the full text version. If UBVU has a subscription to the journal, then you can access the article by clicking on the publisher’s name. When you are off-campus, you need to log on with your VUnetID. You can also request the article from the library (a fee applies).

3 Install the Lean Library browser extension on your computer, which allows you to use automatic digital content from the University Library and Open Access content to track your literature.

4. Read in How to get the PDF? how to find alternative versions of the publisher version of a magazine article.

5. Not available at the library? You can request a copy from the library or you might find the article in Google Scholar, possibly as a full text version.