PubMed® Search Interface Alternatives: A Descriptive Comparison

Abstract

The Entrez interface developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) includes basic and advanced features that benefit novice and expert searchers alike. After NCBI made its content available as an application programming interface (API), external database developers started creating alternative interfaces to search Entrez databases. This article reviews the features and functionality of several of these alternatives (ClusterMed™, eTBlast 3.0, HubMed, and SLIM v.2) and compares search results for two PubMed® strategies executed in each of the four comparison interfaces. The similarities and differences of these interfaces have implications for achieving comprehensive and relevant search results, understanding and teaching end users, and designing effective interfaces.

KEYWORDS:

• ClusterMed™
• database interface
• database searching
• eTBlast 3.0
• HubMed
• interface design
• PubMed®
• semantic searching
• Semantic Web
• SLIM v.2

Notes

Notes: **Instead of searching “VARENICLINE SUICIDE” in eTBLAST 3.0, the author pasted the abstract from Gunnell, D.; Irvine, D.; Wise, L.; Davies, C.; and Martin, R.M. “Varenicline and Suicidal Behavior: A Cohort Study Based on Data from the General Practice Research Database.” BMJ 339(October 1, 2009): b3805.

***Searching “VARENICLINE SUICIDE” yielded seven relevant results.

Notes: **Instead of searching “CROHN'S DISEASE GENETIC TESTING” in eTBLAST 3.0, the author pasted the abstract from Lewis, J.R.; Konda, V.; and Rubin, D.T. “Genetic Testing for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Focus Group Analysis of Patients and Family Members.” Genet Test Mol Biomarkers 13, no. 4 (August 2009): 495–503.

***Searching “CROHN'S DISEASE GENETIC TESTING” yielded 18 relevant results.