SciFinder Quick-Start Video Tutorials
Getting Started
Natural language search in CAS SciFinder (3:07)
Learn how to create natural language search queries in CAS SciFinder, including how the system interprets your search. Possible search results include references, physical properties, spectra, chemical reactions, and works by specific authors.
More Getting started with CAS SciFinder videos, including how to manage your account settings, set up search alerts, and share or export your results.
Reference Searching
Basic reference searching in CAS SciFinder (3:17)
Learn how to perform basic reference searches in CAS SciFinder. This includes searching using keywords, author name, or to identify references related to a compound.
Advanced reference searching in CAS SciFinder (2:49)
Build precise reference queries in CAS SciFinder, using Boolean operators, truncation, wildcards, grouping strategies, and other techniques.
More Reference Searching videos, including searching for specific authors or organizations, advanced filtering techniques, combining structure and reference searching, and using CAS Concepts and the CAS Lexicon
Substance Searching
Basic substance searching in CAS SciFinder (3:32)
Search for compounds using multiple methods, including name, CAS Registry number, molecular formula, and more. You can also find a list of compounds mentioned in a specific document.
Basic structure searching in CAS SciFinder (3:27)
Search using the structure editor to draw either full or partial chemical structures. Options for viewing results include 'As Drawn', 'Substructure', and 'Similarity'.
More Substance Searching videos, including searching for properties, spectra, and inorganic substances.
Reaction Searching
Text-based reaction searching in CAS SciFinder (2:36)
Search for named reactions, functional groups, and substance classes using a text-based search, eliminating the need to draw chemical structures.
Search reactions with drawn structures in CAS SciFinder (3:44)
Use the drawing tool to perform a reaction search using a drawn structure in CAS SciFinder. Get more targeted results using atom mapping, and see ways to refine your results, including grouping and filtering.
More Reaction Searching videos, including using the retrosynthesis planning tool.
Sequence Searching videos, including using BLAST, CDR, and Motif sequences to search for information.
More Search Help for SciFindern from CAS
Step-by-step instructions for searching for references to the chemical literature, substances and their place in reactions, suppliers and cost estimates for chemicals, Markush patent searching using structure drawings (including generic structures with R groups), and using the retrosynthesis planning tool.
In Natural Language searching, you enter a sentence or phrase in the search box that describes the information you are looking for. The database then uses an algorithm to determine the keywords and phrases in the sentence by their positions in the sentence.
SciFindern is an example of a database that uses Natural Language Searching.
Controlled Vocabulary searching is sometimes also known as subject heading searching. A controlled vocabulary is a list of specific words used to describe well-defined concepts.
Controlled vocabulary terms are added to database records by librarians. Scope notes are the definitions of the controlled vocabulary terms. Controlled Vocabulary searching allows you to search by subject, because you search using the controlled vocabulary terms. Unlike Keyword (exact match) Searching, you do not have to worry if the specific keywords you choose for the search appear in the title or abstract of an useful article.
Databases that use Controlled Vocabulary searching allow you to combine search terms with the Boolean operators AND and OR.
MEDLINE is an example of a database that uses Controlled Vocabulary Searching.
Keywords: Overview
Keyword Searching is sometimes also known as text word searching or exact-match searching. A Keyword search matches your search terms, exactly as you enter them, with the words found in the citation record (title, abstract, author names, author keywords) in the database. Databases that use keyword searching usually allow you to combine searches with the Boolean operators AND and OR.
Scopus is an example of a database that uses Keyword Searching. (You can also use Keyword Searching in Medline, although Controlled Vocabulary Searching is usually a better choice for finding chemistry-related articles in Medline.)
Boolean Connectors
| Boolean Connector | Purpose |
|---|---|
 |
ANDConnects different concepts (keywords). Narrows down the number of results. |
 |
ORConnects synonyms. Expands the number of results. |
 |
NOTExcludes a concept. Use with extreme caution (even librarians don't use this one much). |
Connect Keywords Using Boolean: Examples
It expands the number of results on the topic.
| Examples Topics of Interest | Search terms connected by OR |
|---|---|
| caffeine | caffeine OR 58-08-2 OR 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine |
| thin-layer chromatography | "thin-layer chromatography" OR "thin layer chromatography" OR TLC |
| beta blockers | "beta blocker*" OR "beta-blocker*" OR "beta receptor antagonist*" |
It narrows down the number of results.
| Example Topics of Interest | Search terms connected by AND |
|---|---|
| synthesis of caffeine | (synthesis OR "synthetic pathway") AND (caffeine OR 58-08-2 OR 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine) |
| effect of beta blockers on high blood pressure | hypertension AND ("beta blocker*" OR "beta-blocker*" OR "beta receptor antagonist*") |
Use with extreme caution. If an article mentions both your topic and the terms excluded using NOT, you will not retrieve that article!
| Example Topic of Interest | Search terms connected by NOT |
|---|---|
| high blood pressure that is not the result of a congenital condition | (hypertension OR "high blood pressure") NOT congenital |
| beta blockers used to treat conditions other than hypertension | ("beta blocker*" OR "beta-blocker*" OR "beta receptor antagonist*") NOT hypertension |
...uses the asterisk (*) to end a word at its core, allowing you to retrieve many more documents containing variations of the search term. Example: educat* will find educate, educates, education, educators, educating and more.
...is when you put quotations marks around two or more words, so that the database looks for those words in that exact order. Examples: "higher education," "public health" and "pharmaceutical industry."
...uses the database's own terms to describe what each article is about. Searching using controlled vocabularies is a great way to get at everything on a topic in a database.