Purpose:
The purpose of this tutorial is to help the student master comprehensive, keyword searching of the IPA database.
Performing a comprehensive search in IPA is more difficult than performing a similar search in MEDLINE. MEDLINE searches are simplified by the availability of a well-organized and well-applied system of subject headings (MeSH). IPA's indexers assign subject headings known as descriptors (DE) to the articles and abstracts they index. However, the descriptors are not as well organized or as reliably applied as MEDLINE's MeSH. Consequently, a carefully planned keyword search of IPA delivers more accurate and comprehensive results than a descriptor-based search. Performing a thorough keyword search is a complex process. We hope that this tutorial will make the steps involved easier to understand and master.