What is SciFinder Scholar?

SciFinder Scholar is the most comprehensive bibliographic database for scholarly research in the field of chemistry. It contains over 27M citations and indexes nearly 9,500 scientific journals, covering all aspects of chemistry, including chemical aspects of: biology and life sciences, engineering and materials science, food science, geology, medicine, physics, and polymer science. SciFinder Scholar also provides access to other Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) databases including Registry and CASREACT, which allow searching of chemical substances and reactions. The 2004 and later versions also includes access to MEDLINE and OLD MEDLINE databases.

SciFinder Scholar's client software provides simple point and click acess (very user friendly, no special training or knowledge of search command languages are required) to several CAS databases:

• CAplus (Chemical Abstracts): 1907 - present, over 27M patent and journal article references from nearly 9,500 scientific journals and more than 50 active patent-issuing authorities;
• CAS Registry: 1957 - present, over 32M organic and inorganic substances, over 59 million sequences;

• CASREACT: over 13M single- and multi-step reactions
• CHEMLIST (Regulated Chemicals Listing): over 245K regulated chemicals
• CHEMCATS (Chemical Catalogs Online): over 14M commercially available chemicals, and
  
• National Library of Medicine (NLM)'s MEDLINE: over 16M references that cover all areas of biomedicine.

If you'd like to know more about SciFinder Scholar, this chart (SciFinder Scholar Content at a Glance) gives you more info on number of references, content, coverage and update frequency. You may also want to visit the SciFinder Scholar Web site.

Access: where to use SciFinder Scholar?

In the Addlestone Library
The SciFinder Scholar client software is installed on all the PCs in the second to the last row (Row 5 if you count from the Research and Information Desk).

In the Chemistry Department
The SciFinder Scholar client software is also installed on the PCs (about 10) in the department's Student Reading Room.

Off-campus Acess (faculty only!)
Available via Fairview access (terminal server technology), see my tip sheet (Off-Campus Access to SciFinder Scholar 2006 (via Fairview)) on how to get access.

Note: we share two seats with two other institutions, that means only two users can access it concurrently. Please do not read fulltext articles online (print them out instead). Please log out after you finish your session. Thank you.

Installation (for Faculty only)

SciFinder Scholar is not a Web-based database, you have to install the client software on your personal computer in order to access it. Follow the tip sheets (How to Install SciFinder Scholar 2007 for Windows and How to Install SciFinder Scholar 2007 for Mac OS X) that I created to install the latest version of the program.
If you are a faculty member and need help to install the program, please contact your IT liaison (Kevin Bourque Email: bourquek@cofc.edu • Phone 843-953-6794). If the IT liaison is not available, I am also happy to help you (email me).

Seach Features

SciFinder Scholar allows you to search by:

• Chemical substance or reaction
• Research topic
• Author name
• Specific reference

New features in SciFinder Scholar 2007 include:

• Categorize references
• Save answers
• Combine answer sets
• Export commercial chemicals records from CHEMCATS ® into Excel
• Explore from substance displays
• Print structures in grid format
• Compatible with Windows Vista™ and Mac OS X

Database Help for Users (Guides, Tutorials, etc.)

Getting Started with SciFinder Scholar 2007 (for Windows) (new!): a 13-page document to help you jump start on the new SciFinder Scholar 2007

Getting Started with SciFinder Scholar 2007 (for Mac OS X) (new!): a 14-page document to help you jump start on the new SciFinder Schlar 2007 for Mac OS X

Getting Started with SciFinder Scholar 2006 for Mac OS X: a 13-page pdf file to help you jump start on SciFinder Scholar 2006 for Mac OS X version

Getting Started with SciFinder 2006 (for Windows): a 14-page pdf file to help you jump start on SciFinder Scholar 2006

SciFinder Scholar 2006 Online Help (User Manual): comprehensive help files that include search tips, troubleshooting information, and links to search examples, including an index and a search option. It is downloaded along with your program. Please click on the Help menu from your SciFinder window, or click on the Help button located on the Main Menu Toolbar.

SciFinder Scholar How To Guides: show step-by-step examples and include tips for using a variety of features

Browse Table of Contents: SciFinder Scholar lets you browse tables of contents for nearly 1,900 scientific journals, so you can quickly scan for articles of interest.

Other Useful Links

SciFinder Scholar Home Page

SciFinder Scholar Support Information: various training methods

SciFinder e-Seminars: learn more about SciFinder's features in these online seminars

SciFinder Scholar 2007 System Requirements (for Windows and Macintosh)

Importing Data from SciFinder Scholar to EndNote, ProCite, and Reference Manager (bibliographic management)

CAS Standard Abbreviations & Acronyms

Contact

In case of technical problems such as connecting, you may check the SciFinder Scholar Technical Support page, call the CAS Software Support Team (1-800-753-4227) or email them at help@cas.org (or fill out the Software Support form), or contact me.