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SciFinder is available only to current UTK faculty, staff, and students. It is not available to alumni or guest users of the Libraries.
Tips for Searching by Research Topic
- Use natural language. SciFinder uses prepositions (such as of, in, for, with, etc.) to parse your search phrase into concepts.
Example: synthesis of ketones with palladium
- Avoid long, complex phrases. Keep your query to 2-4 concepts. It is better to retrieve a large set of results first, then use the Analyze or Refine options to narrow the results.
- Although SciFinder automatically looks for synonyms, it sometimes misses useful terms. Include synonyms in your query by enclosing them in parentheses
Example: effects of dehp in infants (children, fetus)
- Avoid using complex chemical names in research topic searches. Search by structure drawing under Explore > Substances.
Substance Searching Tips
- Substance Identifier works best with CAS Registry Numbers and simple chemical names. For more complex names, consider searching by Chemical Structure.
- To locate well-known substances in a large list of results, try sorting by Number of References.
- An easy way to draw complex structures is to import structures using CAS Registry Numbers, SMILES, or InChI. Look for in the drawing editor.
- Take a look at the online Help file within SciFinder, the CAS Training pages, or the University of Texas Libraries' Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
Searching for Reactions
- Narrow results by using tools to lock structures, map atoms, limit solvents, etc.
- Be sure to search both SciFinder and Reaxys, which has better coverage before 1984.
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