USING DATABASES IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (ON THE EXAMPLE OF PUBMED AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR)
Abstract
The article examines effective methods of using PubMed and Google Scholar databases in modern scientific research. A comparative analysis of the technical capabilities, advantages, and limitations of both platforms is provided, along with explanations of search strategies employing Boolean operators, MeSH terms, and filters. The study includes findings from a survey of students and faculty members at 10 major universities in Uzbekistan (n=428) and real-world search examples. The author addresses key challenges faced by Uzbek researchers — limited full-text access, insufficient English proficiency, and technical barriers — and offers practical recommendations for overcoming them. The research demonstrates that a proper literature search strategy can reduce time spent by 70–80 %.
Keywords
scientific databases, PubMed, Google Scholar, search strategy, MeSH, Boolean operators, Research4Life, full-text access, Uzbek researchers, scientific literature management, Zotero, Mendeley.
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