Goal: To give an overview of the use of SciFinder Scholar and Science Citation Index.

Before proceeding, you might to glance over this webpage, which gives an overview of Lehigh University library resources in the sciences.

SciFinder Scholar

What it is: an easy to use search interface for chemical literature that you can download to your computer.

This discussion is about SciFinder Scholar 2000, a relatively new search interface that supersedes SciFinder Scholar 3.0. If you have the latter on your machine, deinstall it and install SciFinder Scholar 2000.

See here for details about the new features that come with SciFinder Scholar 2000.
 

Installing SciFinder Scholar

Go here for directions on downloading the new SciFinder Scholar 2000 software.
 

Content and Coverage of SciFinder Scholar

Databases (SciFinder Scholar 2000)

• CAplus
• CAS Registry
• CASREACT
• CHEMCATS
• CHEMLIST
• Medline

Parts of the demo:

• Author searching
• Research topic searching
• Refining the search
• Search history
• Substance identifier searching
• Linking to additional information
• Chemport
• Statistical ranking feature and its applications
• Structure searching
• Reaction searching
• Company name searching

If you want to learn more about SciFinder Scholar, see:

• CAS webpage about SciFinder Scholar
• Link to in-depth review of the features of SciFinder Scholar 2000, in PDF format, at this webpage. See link toward upper right hand corner.

The library has the print version of Chemical Abstracts from volume 1 (1907) to a number of volumes for 2000 (subscription has been cancelled) 540.61 A512c 1 REFERENCE FM-1-INDEX

See Brian Simboli for copies of materials on "How to Search Printed CA".

SciFinder Scholar Coverage of Patent Literature

See index at back of  the PDF  user guide. Again, see link toward upper right hand corner.

Further Information about Patent Literature

See: How to Find Chemical Information: A Guide for Practicing Chemists, Educators, and Students. Robert E. Maizell. REF 540.7 R232h 1998
See this webpage for information about patent searching in general.
 

Allows you to start with a document and find references that cite it. This way you can build up a bibliography of related works.
 

Access

CD: CDs are loaded on a computer behind the help desk in the lobby of Fairchild-Martindale. Years represented are 1991-present.

Paper: The paper version of Science Citation Index is also available for years: 1961-1995 See REFERENCE FM-1-INDEX
 
 

Online tutorials

• "Cited Reference Searching: An Introduction"
• "Sample Cited Reference Search: Science Citation Index on Compact Disc"

• Multi-year searching capabilities
• "Dirty data"--see "Cited Reference Variations"

Click here to get an idea as to what journals are covered in Science Citation Index.

Note the various subject areas of coverage for chemistry.

Uses

Hot topics

For more information. . .

• Help information is available at the CD station
• For help using the paper volumes, see inside covers of SCI volumes for help documentation.

SciFinder Scholar and Science Citation Index are only two of the databases that Lehigh's libraries make available. See here for an alphabetical and subject breakdown of databases.

Check out Infodome.  See the section for sciences.

If you have used bibliographic databases to find references and abstracts for papers that look interesting, how do you actually locate the paper(s) that are of interest to you?

(1.) First, check ASA to see if Lehigh has the journal, either in paper or electronic format. Go here for information about ASA.

(Also, check to see if there is a full text linkage from the bibliographic database you search.)

(2.) You may want to see if one of the regional libraries has the journal.

(3.) You may order the article through interlibrary loan.
 

An additional way to find papers: browse the tables of contents of recent issues or archived (bound) copies in the library, or look for relevant electronic journals browsable here by title or linked on ASA.

At any point in your research, contact me if you have any questions. You may call me at x5003, or via email, or drop by my office at Room 633 in Fairchild-Martindale Library. On Tuesday afternoons I am usually in the consulting office behind the help desk on the first floor of the library.

Brian Simboli 1/23/01