Concept Map

Write your concepts at the top of each column. For example, if you were looking for information on the efficacy of a vitamin C infusion on a patient with severe sepsis, you would write vitamin C in the first column and sepsis in the second column. In addition, you could write infusion in the third column.

Looking at each column, add any related terms. Under vitamin C, you would add ascorbic acid; under infusion, you might add IV and intravenous.

You are then ready to construct your search. Nest the related words (columns) together using OR, and then AND together the concepts.

(“vitamin c” OR “ascorbic acid”) AND sepsis AND (infusion OR IV OR intravenous)

Note that quotations are used when you want to search for two or more terms exactly as you typed them.

In CINAHL, copy and paste search into Basic Search. (The default search is Advanced.)

Include limits used, database searched, and date of search at the bottom row of the concept map.

< AND >

First Concept Second Concept Third Concept (if needed)

∧

O R

∨

Limits: Database: Date: < AND >

First Concept Second Concept Third Concept (if needed)

∧

O R

∨

Limits: Database: Date:

< AND >

First Concept Second Concept Third Concept (if needed)

∧

O R

∨

Limits: Database: Date: