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IACUC Literature Search Guide

This guide is designed to introduce you to the process necessary to conduct an effective IACUC alternatives search using Leatherby Libraries resources.

Sample Keywords

When searching on databases, the keywords used will determine the quality and quantity of relevant evidence you receive. Use the suggested keywords below to locate more relevant results on your topics.

Reduction and Refinement

          Adverse
Analgesic, hypnotic, sedative, tranquilizer
Anesthesia, anaesthesia
Anxiolytic
Enrichment (behavioral, behavioural, environmental)
Handling, housing, husbandry, caging
Invasive, non-invasive		           Monitoring device
Positive reinforcement
Postoperative, postsurgery
Reduction, refinement
Restraint, restrict, immobilize
Stress, psychological/prevention and control
Train, educate, teach, instruct
Welfare, pain, stress, distress

 

Replacement

          Anesthesia, anesthesia, anaesthesia
Animal testing alternatives, alternative
Animal use alternatives
Anxiolytic
Artificial intelligence system, AI
Assay, technique, method, procedure
Bacteria, microorganism, protozoan, single-celled organism, yeast
Cadaver
Cell, cell line, cellular
Computer aided instruction, computer assisted instruction, CAI
Culture (cell, tissue, organ)
Digital imaging
Environmental enrichment
 

 

           Isolated (cell, tissue, organ)
Mannequin, manikin, manikin
Membrane, organ, organelle, slice, tissue, tissue equivalent
Model (animal, cadaveric, interactive, mathematical, statistical, theoretical), modelling
Plastination
Replacement, surrogate
Simulation (computer)
Train, educate, teach, instruct
Video
Virtual (surgery, reality)
Vitro (AND method, model, technique)

Combining Keywords for Searching

  • Truncation: Use an asterisk (*) after the root of a word to search for all variants of that word. This expands your search by retrieving more results.
    • Example: handl* will retrieve results for handle, handled, handler, handles, handling, etc.
  • Parentheses: Use parentheses to separate groups of terms e.g.
    • Example: (“Frozen Shoulder” OR Bursitis) AND (“Physical Therapy” OR “Shoulder Exercises”)
  • Phrase searching: Use quote marks to search for a phrase as a concrete unit, rather than as separate terms. This narrows your search to make it more precise.
    • Example: "animal testing", "research design", "animal husbandry"
       
  • Booleans
    • AND: Use this to require that search results include all keywords. AND is usually implied in most database searches. This narrows your search to make it more precise.
      • Example: ketamine AND xylazine to find results that include both terms, rather than just one or the other.
    • OR: Use this to indicate that search results must include any of a string of keywords. This expands your search by allowing you to search for multiple terms, only one of which must be included in a search result.
      • Example: rompun OR xylazine OR anased will retrieve results that include at least one of those keywords.
    • NOT: Use this to exclude a term from your search result. This narrows your search to make it more precise.
      • Example: rodents NOT fish will retrieve results about rodents and any evidence on fish will be excluded.