Help for E-Resources/Article Databases

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« Return to List of Quick Guides

Getting Started

  1. Select SciFinder Scholar from the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.
  2. Click on ACCEPT.
  3. Click on OK
  4. Select the appropriate search type in the NEW TASK window depending on the type of search you wish to perform:
    • EXPLORE: Author Name, Company Name/Organization, Research Topic,Chemical Structure, Molecular Formula, Reaction Structure
    • LOCATE: Bibliographic Information, Document Identifier (e.g. patent number), Substance Identifier (e.g. chemical name, CAS registry number)
    • BROWSE: Journal tables of contents

Searching

Research Topic Search

SciFinder Scholar uses natural language searching.

  1. Click on EXPLORE, then click on RESEARCH TOPIC.
  2. Type a word or phrase in the I AM INTERESTED IN box.
    • Add synonyms in parenthesis following the related term.

      Example: Cu (copper)

    • Include prepositions such as after, among, between, from, in, on, and within. Do not use the Boolean operators AND and OR if a preposition would be more exact.

      Example:groundwater contamination by arsenic from mine drainage

    • Use OR to signify either term or both terms. Use AND to signify both terms only.

      Example: effect of heat and pH on protein folding

    • Distribute modifiers among terms separated by OR.

      Example: poultry feed or chicken feed

  3. Click on OK.
  4. Select the candidates of interest set from the TOPIC CANDIDATES window.
  5. Click on GET REFERENCES.

Combining Terms

SciFinder Scholar does not use Boolean operators. Concepts are combined with prepositions in a phrase as described above.

Truncating Terms

Truncation is inherent in Research Topic Search.

Proximity Searching

Use quotation marks to find words next to each other in that order.

  1. Enter the phrase in the search box without additional text.
  2. Choose the first set "...as entered" in the TOPIC CANDIDATES window.
    (Optional) Use ANALYZE/REFINE to narrow your search.

Example: "nuclear quadrupole resonance"

Combining Search Sets

Two answer sets of the same search type (reference, substance, reaction) can be combined at one time. One answer set must be a previously saved set. The other must be an active answer set currently visible in the interface.

  1. View and save an answer set: FILE, then SAVE AS.
  2. View a new answer set.
  3. Click on COMBINE in the main toolbar. The OPEN dialog box displays.
  4. Browse to the file location and select the answer set.
  5. Click OPEN.
  6. Select one of these combine options:
    • Combine sets - performs a logical OR combination, placing all answers from both sets into the combined set.
    • Intersect sets - performs a logical AND combination, placing only matching answers from both sets into the combined set.
    • Remove saved set from current set - performs a logical NOT combination, placing into the combined set only the active answers that remain after the saved answers matching the active answers have been removed.
    • Remove current set from saved set - performs a logical NOT combination, placing into the combined set only the answers that remain after the active answers matching the desktop answers have been removed.
Use ANALYZE/REFINE to narrow current set.
  • ANALYZE (references set) permits analysis of a set of references by one of several criteria, such as Author Name, CAS Registry Number, Journal Name, Company/Organization, Index Term, Language, etc. The results of the analysis are displayed as a histogram. Histogram entries of interest may be selected to further refine the answer set.
  • ANALYZE (substructures set) permits analysis of a substructure answer set by one of four criteria: Real-atom Attachments, Variable Group, R-group Composition, and Precision.
  • REFINE (reference set) permits limiting a set of references by Research Topic, Company Name, Author Name, Publication Year, Document Type. Language, and Full text Availability.
  • REFINE (structures and substructures sets) permits limiting your set of substances by structure, isotope, metal, commercial availability, properties, and references availability

Chemical Structure Search

  1. Click on EXPLORE, then click on CHEMICAL STRUCTURE.
  2. Use the pencil icon and other tool palette icons to draw the chemical structure.
    (Optional) Use Lock Out Substitution tool or Lock Out Rings tool (key icons) to block substitution at a particular site.
    (Optional) Click on TEMPLATE to access structures files.
  3. Click on GET SUBSTANCES.
  4. Select AN EXACT MATCH OR A RELATED STRUCTURE or A SUBSTRUCTURE OF A MORE COMPLEX STRUCTURE.
  5. Click on OK.
  6. Click in the box to the left of each substance record to select the substance.
    (Optional) Click on the microscope icon to view the complete substance record.
    Note: Though it is possible to assign charges to structure drawings, search results include both charged and uncharged molecules.
  7. Click on GET REFERENCES.
  8. Select ALL REFERENCES.
    (Optional) Select REFERENCES ASSOCIATION WITH: and specific roles. The Preparation role is assigned to articles 1907+. All other "roles" are assigned to articles 1967+.
  9. Click on OK.

Reaction Structure Search

  1. Click on EXPLORE, then click on REACTION STRUCTURE.
  2. Use the pencil icon and other tool palette icons to draw the chemical structure.
    (Optional) Use Lock Out Substitution tool or Lock Out Rings tool (key icons) to block substitution at a particular site.
    (Optional) Click on TEMPLATE to access structures files.
  3. Click on GET REACTIONS.
  4. Select appropriate ROLE DEFINITION.
  5. Select VARIABLE ONLY AT THE SPECIFIED POSITIONS or SUBSTRUCTURES OF MORE COMPLEX STRUCTURES.
    (Optional) Select appropriate filters.
  6. Click on OK.
  7. Click in the box to the left of each reaction record to select the reaction.
    Note: Though it is possible to assign charges to structure drawings, search results include both charged and uncharged molecules.
  8. Click on GET REFERENCES.

Substance Identifier Search

  1. Click on LOCATE, then click on SUBSTANCE IDENTIFIER.
  2. Enter up to 25 chemical names, synonyms, CAS Registry Numbers, each on a separate line.
  3. Click on OK.
  4. Click in the box to the left of each substance record to select the substance.
    (Optional) Click on the microscope icon to view the complete substance record.
  5. Click on GET REFERENCES.
  6. Select ALL REFERENCES.
    (Optional) Select REFERENCES ASSOCIATION WITH: and specific roles. The Preparation role is assigned to articles 1907+. All other "roles" are assigned to articles 1967+.
  7. Click on OK.

Molecular Formula Search

  1. Click on EXPLORE, then click on MOLECULAR FORMULA.
  2. Enter molecular formula.
  3. Click on OK.
  4. Click in the box to the left of each substance record to select the substance.
    (Optional) Click on the microscope icon to view the complete substance record.
  5. Click on GET REFERENCES.
  6. Select ALL REFERENCES.
    (Optional) Select REFERENCES ASSOCIATION WITH: and specific roles. The Preparation role is assigned to articles 1907+. All other "roles" are assigned to articles 1967+.
  7. Click on OK.

Commercially Available Compound Search

  1. Perform a chemical substance search (structure, substance identifier, molecular formula) as described above.
    (Optional) If the answer set is large, click on ANALYZE/REFINE, click on REFINE, then click on COMMERCIAL AVAILABILITY.
  2. Click on COMMERCIAL SOURCES (red Erlenmeyer flask).

Document Identifier Search

  1. Click on LOCATE, then click on Document Identifier.
  2. Enter up to 25 patent numbers or SciFinder Scholar abstract numbers, each on a separate line.
  3. Click on OK.

Author Searching

  1. Click on AUTHOR NAME and type last name and either first initial or first name.
    (Optional) Check LOOK FOR ALTERNATE SPELLING OF THE LAST NAME.
  2. Click on OK.
  3. Check the relevant AUTHOR CANDIDATES box(es).
    Note: Because authors' names are not standardized, select all variations from the AUTHOR CANDIDATES list, including last name with first initial and last name with first name spelled out.
  4. Click on GET REFERENCES.

Journal Searching

To find a specific article:

  1. Click on LOCATE, then click on BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
  2. Click in the circle next to JOURNAL REFERENCE or PATENT to specify document type.
  3. Enter citation information. Select the first set "...as entered" in the Topic Candidates window.
  4. Click on OK.

To browse a specific journal:

  1. Click on BROWSE.
  2. Click in the circle next to the desired journal name.
  3. Click on VIEW. The most recent issue displays.
  4. Click on SELECT ISSUE.
  5. Select issue from AVAILABLE JOURNAL ISSUES window.

Displaying Search Results

  1. Click on microscope icon to view the complete record.
    (Optional) Click on full-text icon to go to the full text link.

Selecting Records

  1. Click in the box to the left of the record to mark it for later printing, downloading or emailing.

Saving Search Results

  1. Insert removable storage device. (i.e. flash drive, memory stick, 3 1/2" disk ...)
  2. Click on SAVE AS.
  3. Click on the desired drive.
  4. Type the disk drive letter, the filename and extension.

    Example:a:myfile.rtf

  5. Select RICH TEXT FORMAT in the SAVE AS TYPE box.
    Note: Select TAGGED format to save records for importing into citation managers like RefWorks and EndNote.
  6. Click on OPTIONS and select desired record format.
  7. Click on SAVE.

Exporting Search Results to RefWorks

See Moving Citations from SciFinder Scholar Databases into RefWorks.

Emailing Search Results

  1. Save search results.
  2. Launch your email account and attach the results file to a message.

Beginning a New Search, Getting Help, and Exiting

Beginning a New Search

  1. Click on NEW TASK.

Getting Help

Click on HELP for on-screen help.

For further assistance, consult library staff. See also CAS SciFinder web site: http://www.cas.org/SCIFINDER/SCHOLAR/

Exiting

  1. Click on EXIT.
  2. Click on HOME at the top of the screen to return to the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.

Special Features

Copy Structure from Registry to Structure Drawing Window

  1. Display the substance CAS Registry record.
  2. Highlight the Registry Number at the top of the Registry record.
  3. Click on EDIT.
  4. Click on COPY.
    Note: "Copying substance to clipboard" will appear if you have highlighted the Registry Number correctly.
  5. Click on NEW TASK.
  6. Click on CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE OR REACTION.
  7. Click on CHEMICAL STRUCTURE.
  8. Click on EDIT.
  9. Click on PASTE.

Databases Covered by this Guide

  • Chemical Abstracts
  • CAS Registry
  • CAS Reacts
  • ChemCats
  • ChemList
  • Medline

    ...and other SciFinder Scholar databases