Is this a full standalone query builder?

Start with a structured PubMed question, then review matching papers or continue with the browser extension.

Should I install the Chrome extension?

The PubMed Search Assistant is useful when you want the workflow directly inside PubMed.

LitSource opens the results workspace; related links take you to the browser extension.

Free · no signup · no credits

Build a precise PubMed search query from keywords, author, journal and year. The result works directly on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Need the query to understand a full natural-language question? The in-app AI generator handles that — try it in LitSource.

Capabilities

Find supporting literature, inspect source details, and continue with the right research workflow.

Natural language input

Write the research question as you would explain it, then continue into a search workflow.

PubMed-oriented framing

Combine biomedical keywords, author, journal and publication year into a PubMed query.

Plugin handoff

Continue your PubMed workflow with the PubMed Search Assistant extension.

Use cases

Use LitSource when you already know which claim, citation, or reference list you need to investigate.

Start a PubMed search

Use it when you know the question but have not built the PubMed query yet.

Translate messy notes

Turn clinical or research notes into a cleaner search direction.

Prepare literature review work

Move from the question into papers and evidence leads faster.

FAQ

Review common questions before searching for sources or checking citations.

Related workflows

Move between source discovery and citation verification workflows without returning to the home page.

Ready to continue

Start searching for sources or checking citations in LitSource.