PubMed & MEDLINE - PubMed Guide | Guía de PubMed - FIU Libraries at Florida International University

PubMed vs. MEDLINE: How Do They Differ?

PubMed and Ovid/ProQuest MEDLINE all let you access MEDLINE, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's biomedicine bibliographic database. There are several differences between the options but the most prominent is the search interface. For details, see this Fact Sheet by the National Library of Medicine.

When to use PubMed: you are not affiliated with a university or do not have off-campus access privileges; you want to explore the MeSH database as a standalone.

When to use Ovid/ProQuest MEDLINE: you frequently use other Ovid or ProQuest databases and prefer their search interface; you want to export citations directly to RefWorks without uploading a file.

Otherwise, the choice is yours.

As an FIU affiliate you have access to MEDLINE via Ovid and ProQuest, both of which require you to use off-campus access if you are not currently at FIU. You can acccess PubMed from any location without logging in, but always go through PubMed via FIU to see which articles you can obtain through the FIU Libraries.

	MEDLINE (Ovid or ProQuest)	PubMed
Producer	National Library of Medicine (NLM), user interface provided by Ovid Technologies or ProQuest.	National Library of Medicine (NLM), user interface provided by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
Access	Restricted by license to FIU affiliates.	Free to all.
Coverage	1940s - present, choose from several time blocks. Separate MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations file.	1940s - present. MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations automatically included in search.
Full-Text Availability	Direct links to full-text articles in over 200 journals via Ovid or ProQuest in addition to providing links to other FIU e-journal collections.	Links to FIU full text options only when connected through PubMed via FIU link or when use FIU filters via My NCBI. Items are also available via FIU e-journal collections.
Document Delivery Services	No, use FIU’s ILLiad Interlibrary Loan service.	Yes, through Loansome Doc (registration required). FIU affiliates should use the ILLiad Interlibrary Loan service.
Saving Searches	Yes, through "Save Search History," queries may be saved temporarily (720 hours), permanently (indefinitely), or in the form of an "auto alert" (SDI). (Must create a personal account in Ovid or ProQuest.)	Yes, the "My NCBI" feature will save queries and provide search updates/email alerts. (Must register for "My NCBI.")
Boolean Searching	Supported.	Supported, but Boolean operators must be included in all capital letters.
Truncation	Supported, use $ or * as a wildcard. Wildcard usage will not map to a MeSH term.	Supported, use * as a wildcard. Wildcard usage will not map to a MeSH term.

Chart created by Kathleen Turner, Health Sciences Outreach and Liaison Librarian, Drexel University
(Adapted for FIU by Barbara M. Sorondo)

Source/For More Information: http://www.library.drexel.edu/tutorials/medlinecomparison.html

MEDLINE Field Comparison Table
Comments or corrections? Email the Health Sciences Librarian.

Floor		Resources
One		Center for Academic Success: University Learning/Testing Center Electronic Classroom Broadcast Video Productions Resource for Education Technology UTS - Media Equipment Services Distance Learning Electronic Classroom Instructional Photography & Graphics
Two		Information & Research Services Curriculum & Juvenile Collection LACiC - Latin American and Caribbean Center Government Documents GIS-RS Center & Teaching Lab Maps & Imagery User Statistics
Three		Periodicals & Newspapers Laptop Lounge Honors College Student Resource Center College of Medicine Library Copiers Systems
Four		College of Medicine Special Collections & Archivese Academic Space Management School of Social Work Study Area
Five		Audiovisual Collection Diaz Ayala Collection Architecture and Fine Arts (General Collection and Periodical Section N) Music (General Collection and Periodical Section M) Music Listening Room Music CAI Center Spanish Resource Center Group Study Rooms
Six		Quiet Study Space Group Study Rooms General Collection HJ-L & P-Z Oversized Books
Seven		General Collection A-HG Quiet Study Floor Group Study Rooms
Eight		Library Administration Collection Management Digital Collections Center

Floor		Resources
One		Circulation Course Reserves Intercampus/Interlibrary Loan Information and Research Services Center for Excellence in Writing Communication Arts Studio Computer Labs/Copiers
Two		Microforms Periodicals Juvenile Collection Oversize Collection Video Collection Government Documents Reference Workroom Reference Collection Copiers
Three		General Collection, A-Z Library Administration

PubMed Guide | Guía de PubMed

MEDLINE via FIU

PubMed vs. MEDLINE: How Do They Differ?

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