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Searching Ovid Databases

A guide to searching the Ovid platform.

Output choices are at the top and bottom of each results display. You can Print, Email, Export results or Add to my Projects. 

Exporting References

  1. Select the references by ticking the boxes displayed next to them. 
  2. Once you have select all relevant references, select the Export option. 

Ovid export option

  1. In the pop-up window select EndNote as the format in the drop-down list. 
  2. Decide the level of detail you require for each reference and select the required fields accordingly. Note the URL option provides a link to the database record not the article itself. 

Ovid export citation options

  1. Click the Export button. 

Please note: there is a limit on the number of search results that can be exported in one go. If you have a large set of results you wish to export you will need to do so in "batches" using the range option. Enter each batch in the range option before choosing the export option. 

Top Tip: Always make sure you have opened your EndNote library before starting the import process!

  1. Select the references by ticking the boxes displayed next to them. 
  2. Once you have select all relevant references, select the Export option. 

Ovid export option

  1. In the pop-up window select Microsoft Word as the format in the drop-down list. 
  2. Decide the level of detail you require for each reference and select the required fields accordingly. Note the URL option provides a link to the database record not the article itself. 

Word citation export option

  1. Click the Export option. 

Top Tip: Including your search history can be useful to keep track of your searches!

Saving searches

Once you have run your search you can save it. You can save an individual search by selecting the save option available under more actions or all of your searches using the save all option at the bottom of the search history section. 

To use the My Projects area on Ovid you need to have a personal Ovid account. Details of how to register for one are available in the section on creating an account. To add items to My Projects click My Projects alongside an individual item or tick boxes alongside multiple items and click + My Projects to add them all at once. You can add the items to an existing project or create a new one. 

You can also save your search as an autoalert, which means you can set it to send you alerts by email or RSS when there are new results. It's a good idea to only do this for searches that are highly relevant to your research topic. To create an alert: 

  1. Click create Auto-Alert.
  2. Sign in to your personal Ovid account (see the section on creating an account if you don't already have one).
  3. Select the frequency and the format (e.g. Email or RSS) you wish to receive results. 

Top Tip: For the email output option select HTML as the type - it's easier to read! 

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