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How to search PubMed

Phrase searching in PubMed

PubMed searches for phrases in its Phrase Index.  To search the Phrase Index add quotation marks on either side of the phrase. If the phrase does not appear in the Index, then it searches your phrase as if you had typed it without the quotation marks.

To search for a phrase...

  1. Type the phrase you want to use in the PubMed search box.
  2. Add quotation marks on either end of the phrase.

e.g.

  • "cell phone"
  • "distracted driving"
  • "young drivers"

screen capture of pubmed main page with the text "cell phone" in the search box

 

National Library of Medicine. “Searching for a Phrase.” PubMed User Guide, National Library of Medicine, 2024, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/help/#searching-for-a-phrase.

What's the difference between a search without quotes and a search with quotes?

screen capture of the Advanced search builder showing results for a search for cell phone both with and without quotes explained below

This is a screen capture of the PubMed Advanced Search Builder page for the example search. 

  • #1 shows a search for "cell phone" with quotes finding 12,073 results
    • When the details for the search are expanded the only thing searched is the phrase
    • "cell phone"[All Fields]
  • #2 shows a search for cell phone without quotes finding 26,108 results
    • When the search details are expanded it shows that automated term mapping was applied to the search.
    • "cell phone"[MeSH Terms] OR ("cell"[All Fields] AND "phone"[All Fields]) OR "cell phone"[All Fields]

The search with quotes found 14,035 fewer results and is more focused.