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Criteria for evaluating alternative MEDLINE search engines.

M Jacobs¹, A Edwards, R S Graves

¹J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, University of Missouri-Columbia, MO 65212, USA.

Medical Reference Services Quarterly

|January 6, 2000

Summary

Librarians can use suggested criteria to evaluate various MEDLINE database search sites. This systematic comparison helps identify the best options for users seeking medical literature online.

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Area of Science:

Medical Informatics
Information Science

Background:

Numerous web-based platforms offer access to the MEDLINE database.
Choosing the most effective platform for users can be challenging for librarians.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and present evaluation criteria for comparing different MEDLINE search sites.
To assist librarians in guiding users to optimal MEDLINE resources.

Main Methods:

A systematic comparison of several MEDLINE sites (Avicenna, America Online, HealthGate, PubMed, Medscape, Physicians' Online) was conducted.
Evaluation focused on specific search features including default fields, operators, MeSH access, subheadings, stop words, truncation, and stemming.

Main Results:

The study outlines a group process for establishing comprehensive evaluation criteria.

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Identified key differences in search functionalities across various MEDLINE platforms.

Conclusions:

The developed criteria provide a framework for librarians to assess MEDLINE sites.
Findings aid librarians in directing users to the most suitable MEDLINE search interface based on their needs.