You must have access to:

• a Rutgers network computer; OR
• remote access capability to the Rutgers network.

The most important index in Chemistry is Chemical Abstracts, also known as ‘ChemAbs’. The printed indexes are found in Dana Library’s references section at REF QD1.A51. The electronic version, CAS Online, is discussed in the Fall section of Chemistry Senior Seminar. If you want to look at CAS Online information go to:

• exposure to universal concepts of computer searches
• exposure to terminology needed for your CAS Online search
• exposure to indexes useful in other areas of study
• no login or search fee

Choosing a Database

From the RUL home page, choose: INDEXES, then choose the indexes for Science, Technology and Medicine. Choose the index(es) with content most likely to answer your question. You may have to run your search in more than one database. The indexes most likely to help you with chemistry content searches are:

• Current Contents
• Applied Science and Technology
• Biological and Agricultural Index
• CAB Abstracts
• General Science Abstracts
• Medline
• Uncover

Which index(es) would you use to find articles on:

• histamine
• radon detection
• ammonium nitrate
• freon
• ice cream
• resins & protective coatings
• taxol
• cancer chemoprevention
• 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene

The types of items you will most likely be searching are the following: subjects/keywords, authors, journal title

• subject/keyword - The words we looked at in the index exercise (section III) are all subjects. The terms keyword and subject are now used interchangeably. Their difference in meaning is not important for the purposes of this seminar. The most important element of subject/keyword searching is to have synonyms or alternative terms at the ready. Prepare the list before searching so as not to waste time during the search (this is particularly true for databases that charge the user, e.g., CAS Online. Examples of synonyms and/or alternative terms are:
  • HPLC or high pressure liquid chromatography or high performance liquid chromatography
  • ancient DNA or extinct beings or mummies or chemical paleogenetics
  • radiocarbon dating or 14C dating or accelerator mass spectrometry or
  • paper preservation or deacidification or paper conservation or pest control
  • NOX or oxides of nitrogen or nitrates
  • polymers or advanced materials or plastics or ‘specify particular polymer’
  • analgesics or anti-inflammatory or aspirin or pain management or (or any other specific compound)

• author - As you get to know a certain subject you may see the same author’s name on many different articles. This author could be considered an expert in that subject area. In-depth research may require that you pursue many of the articles by that same author. This entails doing an ‘author search’. Tips to remember when author searching are:
  • surname variations
  • use of initials or full names by author
  • hyphenated surnames
  • foreign language surnames

• journal title - Some people are comfortable browsing through Table of Contents (TOC) of different journals. It is now possible to browse through journal TOCs from most computer stations on campus or from home. Choose the index appropriate to your topic, and choose ‘journal title’ as your search term. Current Contents and Uncover are two indexes designed to display the TOC of a journal.

Please note that not all journal articles are created equal. Consider the source, i.e., evaluate the journal in which your article is found. Get some background on the author(s), ask yourself if they (the author(s)) are doing legitimate research, and are they doing it for a legitimate institution. The references you get from the indexes should lead you to reputable journals, scientifically relevant, and from an appropriate time period. This is to say, articles from popular magazines may not have the in-depth coverage of scientific material, and would be unacceptable for an academic assignment. Exercise judgment when choosing material for research assignments. Some of the elements to keep in mind when choosing references are:

• journal reputation
• author(s) background in that area of research
• quality of the research detailed in the article
• year of publication
• material covered in the article, type of article (literature review, research article, policy article)
• comprehension of the material covered. It is important that you understand the material. Do not try to present or interpret material that you did not understand. Either ask for help, or choose another article.
• the index from which you retrieved the article. Usually reputable indexes retrieve reputable articles.

The library has books and magazine articles that will help you to prepare and present your research. We have included an article on preparing a poster session. Your own poster sessions are slightly different in content from those described in the article; however, there are enough similarities that this article will provide good guidelines.

Tips on how to write your abstract are in this article. We have also designed a summary sheet: How to Write an Abstract.

All scholarly articles must document the ideas that were borrowed from other research, the documenting of these borrowed ideas and/or data is called a bibliography. Depending on which format is used in the article, the bibliography can also be called the references, or notes.

Pursue any of the references in the bibliography that are relevant to your project. Note that your literature search should have retrieved any article that is relevant.

Each question has 2-5 separate elements (read search fields). Find one article/reference that includes all the components listed. In cases where there is more than one reference in the answer set, choose an article that suits the criteria of a 'scholarly article'.

Use General Science Index to answer questions 1-3

1. • Forensic chemistry
   • Arson
2. • Art preservation
   • Raman microspectroscopy
3. • Quinolines
   • Synthesis
   • The Journal of the American Chemical Society
   • 1996 (year of publication)

Click on 'change database', then go to Current Contents (Week 01 1999->) to answer question 4.

4. • Deng, XM
   • Journal of Biological Chemistry

Click on 'change database', then go to Current Contents (Week 01 1998-> Week 51/52 99) to answer question 5.

5. • monoketals
   • reagents

Click on 'change database', then go to INSPEC (1996-1998) to answer question 6.

6. • volatile organic compounds
   • gas sensors
   • chemical variables measurement

Can the journal (answer #6 journal) be found in IRIS?
Which library(ies) has this journal?
Is it (are they) current subscription(s)(i.e., does the library still receive the journal?)