Systematic literature searching for health and life sciences students

New user interface from EBSCOhost

In the summer of 2025 EBSCOhost will launch its new user interface.

If you have used the EBSCOhost databases before, such as CINAHL Ultimate, Medline, PsycInfo, you will notice a few changes. 

The main changes for health and life sciences students include:

• Searching using the search history screen.
  • This is now called 'Recent activity' (more details are below).
• Accessing and re-running saved searches (including de-duplication).
  • If you have saved searches, they should migrate over to the new interface once you log in. They will look a bit different when you re-run them, due to the recent activity screen changes (more details are below). 
• Accessing items in custom folders.
  • Any custom or bespoke folders you have created in the current (classic) interface will not migrate over to the new interface. However, up until 31/12/2025, you can still access the details of the items in each folder by downloading an Excel file (details of how to do this are below).
• Evidencing a search strategy.
  • You can use some software to take screenshots of your search (more details are below).

All of the EBSCOhost resources contained on the pages within this guide will be updated, in due course, to use the new user interface. In the meantime, there is some guidance below regarding changes to: searching using 'Recent activity'; accessing saved articles and saved searches; retrieving details of items saved in custom folders; and evidencing a search strategy.

EBSCO have also created some bite-size support videos, designed to introduce you to the new interface, which are available at the bottom of this page.

Recent activity screen

The recent activity screen is where you can combine search terms and phrases in a similar way to the search history function in the current (classic) interface.

You can access 'Recent activity' from the 'My dashboard' menu.

Recent activity shows which search terms you have used during the current session.

To combine search terms using 'Recent activity', you must first search for the keywords or phrases you want to combine. 

Once you have searched for some keywords, you can combine them with Boolean operators in the 'Recent activity' screen.

Tick the boxes next to the terms you want to combine. Then click on the combine search button and choose the appropriate Boolean operator.

See the document below for more information about how to search using 'Recent activity'.

Accessing saved articles and saved searches

If you have a personal account in the current (classic) EBSCOhost interface you will be able to log into the new user interface with the same details. If you have searches and articles saved in the 'My Folder' area, they will migrate over to the new interface automatically.

To log in, click on 'MyEBSCO', click on 'Sign in to MyEBSCO' and then sign in with your usual details.

Once logged in, any articles which were saved in the 'My Folder' area and any saved searches, can be access via the 'Saved' page (within the 'My dashboard' menu):

There is a tab for saved records (articles) and a tab for saved searches.

See the document below for more information about:

• how to access saved records
• how to access and re-run saved searches
• the de-duplication process (if searching across more than one database).

Custom folders

Items saved in the default 'My folder' area on the current (or classic) interface on EBSCOhost should migrate across to the new user interface automatically. If you have created bespoke or custom folders, these will not migrate across to the new interface.

Until 31/12/2025, you can access the details of any items saved in each custom folder by downloading an Excel file. You will need to log in and download the file from within the 'Projects' area (accessible via the 'My dashboard' menu). 

Instructions on how to do this can be found in the document below.

Evidencing a search strategy

It is advisable to speak to your tutor to check how they would like this information presenting in your work. 

You can take a screenshot of your search in the database(s) using:

• In built tools in Windows or Mac devices
• Browser extensions such as Go Full Page:
  • Chrome
  • Edge

Tip: 

If you are taking a screenshot using the 'Recent activity' page, make sure all the search lines are visible. Click on the 'Show more searches link' (at the bottom of the page) as needed. 

These instructions are also available in the document below. 

EBSCO tutorials: navigating and searching in the new user interface

There are a range of tutorials from EBSCO regarding the new user interface which can be accessed via their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EBSCOTutorials/videos

Introduction to the new EBSCOhost interface

This short video shows the features of the new EBSCOhost user interface.

Basic searching

This tutorial shows how to perform a basic search in the new EBSCOhost interface.

Advanced searching

This video tutorial shows how to perform an advanced search in the new EBSCOhost interface.

Searching in MEDLINE Ultimate

This video tutorial demonstrates the features of the MEDLINE Ultimate database on the new EBSCOhost interface, including basic searching and narrowing results.

Combining search terms using the recent activity screen (formerly search history)

This video demonstrates how to combine searches using the recent activity screen, how to save the search and add it into a project.

Searching using CINAHL headings/MeSH

This video demonstrates how to create a search using the CINAHL/MeSH subject headings functionality in the new EBSCOhost user interface.