For immediate assistance with SciFinder (M-F 9am-5pm), call the Chemistry Library at 512-495-4600. Outside of business hours, or to get more information about SciFinder Scholar at UT-Austin, including answers to your questions about access, installation, troubleshooting, searching, and links to full text, send email via
. We will respond as soon as possible.
- What is SciFinder Scholar?
- SciFinder Scholar is a system that provides integrated, user-friendly, point-and-click access to several Chemical Abstracts Service databases plus Medline:
- Chemical Abstracts (CAPLUS, bibliographic data, 1907-present)
- Registry (chemical structures, biosequences, and names)
- CASREACT (single and multistep organic reactions, 1840-present),
- CHEMLIST (regulatory information on chemicals)
- CHEMCATS (commercial availability of chemicals from major suppliers)
- MEDLINE, 1951-present
You can search more than 23 million documents by topic, author, CAS Registry Numbers, patent number, and CAS abstract number. More than 23 million chemical substances may be searched by chemical name, chemical structure, Registry Numbers, and molecular formula. You can also execute substructure searches for substances, biosequences, and organic reactions.
- Who can use SciFinder Scholar?
- Currently enrolled students and currently appointed faculty and staff at UT-Austin may use SciFinder Scholar from any computer connected to the campus network. Due to contractual restrictions, persons not currently affiliated with UT-Austin, including alumni, are not permitted to use SciFinder in the library. Visiting scholars and researchers may download the client for on-campus use only. A subset of Chemical Abstracts, the Student Edition, is available via library workstations for non-affiliated persons. The printed version of CA (1907-2001) is also in the library.
Use of SciFinder Scholar must be for educational and academic research purposes only. Commercial use - including patentability searching - on behalf of any profit-making entity, regardless of one's personal status at UT, is not permitted. Users must agree to these terms when downloading the software and when connecting to the resource.
- When is the system available?
- SciFinder is available 24 hours a day, EXCEPT Saturday evenings when database maintenance is done. See the schedule of availability.
- How do I get the client software?
- In order to access SciFinder Scholar from your computer, you must first download and install the SciFinder Scholar client software. You need only download and install the software once, until the next software version is made available. You must enter your UT-EID to download the software, and you must have your browser set to accept cookies. Go to the SciFinder page to begin the downloading process. If you have trouble downloading, a CD-ROM with the Windows installer is available for checkout in the Chemistry Library.
- Can I use SciFinder from off campus?
- Yes. There are now two ways to do this.
1. via UT Libraries Proxy Server. (This is a new capability with Version 2007.) You must first install the client using the correct off-campus site.prf file (Windows) or the off-campus client package (Mac). Then you must use a web browser to authenticate yourself with your UT EID on UT's proxy server. You'll then have two minutes to launch SciFinder and connect. You must repeat this process each time you want to connect. Instructions for installing and connecting from off-campus are available on the Download pages.
2. via ITS Windows Terminal Server (WTS) and Remote Desktop Connection (RDC). With this method you don't need to install the client at all. You just need a user account on the WTS and RDC client software, and you log in with your UT EID. This option is available for the storage cost of $5 per year. See the Off Campus Connection page for more information.
(Note: Visiting scholars and researchers with low-assurance UT-EIDs are not permitted to use SciFinder or other licensed electronic resources from off-campus.)
- Can I connect using VPN?
- No. The ITS VPN (Virtual Private Network) service is for intra-campus connections only and does not allow remote connections using a UT IP address -- it reverts you back to your provider's IP address, which SciFinder won't recognize.
- Can I search SciFinder in the library?
- UT students, faculty and staff may use SciFinder Scholar on designated workstations in the science libraries on campus. You must enter your UT EID and password to use the workstations that have the SciFinder client. Courtesy borrowers and the general public are not permitted to use SciFinder, due to license restrictions.
- I'm coming to UT from another institution. Can I just use my previous installation?
- No. You should delete your old client and reinstall UT's. Your old client will not work from UT.
- What is the latest version of the client software?
- The current client is "SciFinder Scholar 2007." If you're still using the earlier versions you should upgrade. (The date of the client version has nothing to do with the currency of the databases, which are updated daily.)
- What operating systems are supported?
- The SciFinder Scholar 2007 client runs on Windows (including Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions of Vista; problems have been reported with Home editions); and Macintosh OS 10.4. OS 10.5 (Leopard) is not yet fully supported but you can make the client launch this way: Go to the Applications folder, right-click or Ctrl-click on the SciFinder
Scholar application. Choose "Get Info." Check the box "Open using Rosetta."
Some users have reported success running the Windows client under Linux using the Wine compatibility layer. See the System Requirements page for further details.
- Is there a Web version of SciFinder?
- CAS released a web beta version in early 2008. The UT System does not yet have a timetable for releasing this option to campus users. In the meantime, you can use the Chemical Abstracts Student Edition database, a small but core subset of the full Chemical Abstracts database. Or you can use Web of Science to search a broad swath of scientific journals by keyword or author.
Content and Searching
- How often is the database updated?
- The Chemical Abstracts databases (CAPLUS and Registry) are updated daily with thousands of new records. It takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for a newly published article or patent to appear in CA. In journals that publish new articles online before they appear in print, CA usually indexes the online version first, then updates the record when the print appears. CASREACT is updated weekly.
- How does the Research Topic query really work?
-
The Explore by Research Topic option presents a single text box that looks like Google's, but SciFinder's search algorithms work VERY differently from those of standard web search-engines. SciFinder uses a proprietary, highly complex (and somewhat mysterious) natural language query algorithm that breaks what you type into a set of discrete concepts, searches them against the database indexes, and then presents you with a selection of result options. Here is a very brief list of important searching points unique to SciFinder Scholar -- these apply to no other database tools or web search engines.
- Compose a natural-language query phrase with at least two distinct concepts, linked with prepositions. Examples:
single walled carbon nanotubes in thin film transistors
synthesis of fluorescein derivatives
determination of arsenic in wood pulp
- SciFinder uses prepositions to break your query down into component concepts, but prepositions are not analyzed for linguistic meaning. Example: 'determination of arsenic' = 'determination in arsenic'.
- Avoid long, complex queries. Try to keep them straightforward and brief, with no more than 3 or 4 distinct concepts. If your topic is complex, do a simpler search to start with, then narrow down the results using the Analyze/Refine option.
- Don't use Boolean operators (AND, OR). Inserting NOT will usually work to eliminate concepts you don't want.
- Slight differences in the way your phrase a query can retrieve markedly different results, so you may want to try your search several different ways if your first results aren't satisfactory.
- If you want to search an exact phrase, type the phrase without quotation marks (which are ignored), and select the first option in the results list: "X references were found containing 'A B C' as entered." You will only see this option if there was an exact match in the database. Note that none of the processes described below will have been performed on this exact phrase.
- SciFinder auto-truncates your words in most cases, so don't use truncation symbols like * or # -- these will be ignored.
- SciFinder is case-insensitive. AIDS = aids.
- Using general keywords does not automatically retrieve more specific concepts. Example: 'metals' will not also retrieve 'gold' or 'platinum', etc. You can treat them as synonyms though.
- You can include up to three synonyms in parentheses, separated by commas, following the word in question. Example: 'lead poisoning in humans (men, women)'. You don't need to do this for simple plurals -- SciFinder truncates most plurals automatically and includes both in your results. SciFinder also uses an internal thesaurus of synonyms, so you'll occasionally see words you didn't search included in your results.
- SciFinder recognizes and translates some abbreviations and British vs. American spellings. Examples: 'NMR' = 'nuclear magnetic resonance'; 'color' = 'colour' etc. Abbreviations that are ambiguous or non-standard will not be translated in this way.
- Chemical names included in topic queries are automatically searched in the synonym index of the Registry file, and if an exact match is found that compound's Registry number is added to your query.
- You can use a Registry number in the Topic query box, but for best results you should start with the Substance Identifier option instead. For example, you can type 'synthesis of 5467-78-6' in the query box, but it would be more precise to type the number in the Substance Identifier box and then limit reference retrieval to articles on Preparation.
The Research Topic option is meant to be user-friendly and inclusive, and to retrieve good results for almost all types of queries. However, it is not meant to be a highly precise keyword search mechanism for expert searchers. For more information, read the Explore by Research Topic section in the SciFinder User Guide.
- How can I limit a substance answer set that's too large?
- The Refine and Analyze tools allow you to narrow your substance results by a number of criteria, including additional structure component, metal- or isotope-content, property data or commercial supplier information, etc. For instructions and examples see the How to... page.
- How do I search for chemical names?
- Carefully. Use the "Locate by Substance Identifier" option. Chemical nomenclature in general is very complex, and follows different sets of rules. CAS uses its own nomenclature rules to name chemical substances, and these have changed substantially over the years. The Registry database indexes the current official CA Index Name for all compounds, along with any former CA Index Names and various synonyms and trade names that have been used in the literature. (However, Registry is not a comprehensive source of chemical names and trade names.) It's relatively easy to search by well-known common names (ex. acetic acid, cyclohexane, acetaminophen), familiar trade names (ex. Taxol), and abbreviations (ex. MTBE). Searching systematic names is less reliable because of the many possible variations in a name string.
The system looks first for an exact match to the name as you type it. If
it finds an exact match, it displays only that compound, and no others. For
example, if you search for "Gallopamil" it will retrieve the compound that has
that exact name, but it will NOT retrieve "Gallopamil hydrochloride" (or any salts or multicomponent compounds). If it doesn't find an exact match, it next looks for the string you entered as a segment in a name. It will display all such partial matches. Browse these results, or analyze/refine your results to narrow them. It is not currently possible to browse an alphabetical index of names in SciFinder.
As with all chemical database tools, the chemical name is not the best way to
search for a compound because of the complexity and inconsistency of chemical
nomenclature and the diversity of synonyms and trade names used in the
literature. Never rely on a name search when doing a comprehensive search for a
compound. The rule of thumb is, when in doubt, draw it!
- How do I search for polymers?
- You can search by chemical name, monomer structure, or by general classes of polymers as a research topic. Structure searching for copolymers in SciFinder involves executing a search for one monomer as an exact structure, then refining the results by adding another monomer. It's best to start with the more unusual monomer. For instructions and examples see the Polymer Searching Overview in the SciFinder Solutions web site.
- How do I transfer a Registry structure into the drawing module to modify it?
- View the Registry compound record with the structure in question. Click on the structure diagram and choose "Explore by chemical substance". (Or you can copy the Registry Number (not the structure itself) into your clipboard, then go to the drawing window and select Paste.) The structure will appear and can be modified for further searching.
This is a useful shortcut to drawing a complex structure from scratch.
- How can I eliminate multicomponent substances from my answer set?
- After drawing your structure and clicking Get Substances, select the "Structure components" filter in the dialog box that appears. This will only return substances that are single components, and in many cases substantially reduce your number of substance hits. This option has to be selected before the structure search; it's not a Refine option.
- How do I search for articles on preparation of a compound?
- Do a search by Registry Number, structure, molecular formula, or chemical name, and mark the result(s) you wish to explore further. Click "Get References". On the dialog box that appears, select the Preparation role. (This role has been retroactively added to registry numbers back to 1907.)
- Can I search for chemical substances by property value(s)?
- Only indirectly. Some substance records in the Registry file contain calculated or experimental property data. These data are not directly searchable in SciFinder -- in other words, you can't do a search for all compounds with a particular melting point or refractive index. But you can limit a substance results set by experimental property values by using the Refine feature. See the help pages for more information.
Direct property searching for organic compounds is possible (and more comprehensive) in the Beilstein Crossfire database -- it has powerful property searching options. The Combined Chemical Dictionary and Properties of Organic Compounds databases in ChemnetBase also allow searching by property values.
- Why do some substances show zero references? How is that possible?
- Although most Registry compound records come from CAS' indexing of the literature, some compounds are registered via other sources and are not necessarily represented by any indexed literature. Third-party chemical libraries, catalogs, and databases from various external agencies, as well as hypothetical ring parents are also represented in Registry. For more information see CAS's STN Guide article on this topic.
- Are the cited references in the CA record searchable?
- Yes. Cited references (representing the works appearing in the article's bibliography) are included in CA bibliographic records back to 1996. Most are hyperlinked to the corresponding record in CA -- just click on the citation to go to that record.
To find later documents that cite a specific work or group of works (such as by author), pull up a group of records, select one or more (or just use the entire results set), click Get Related, then choose "Citing References." This will pull up a set of documents (post-1996) that cited the original(s).
Web of Science (Science Citation Index) allows more extensive analysis of citations, and calculates an h-index, which SciFinder can't do. It's also the only source to find pre-1996 citing papers. [More information on citation searching]
- How do I search for older literature?
- The 1907-1966 file segments of Chemical Abstracts are fully searchable. All indexing data for chemical substances from the 1st through 7th Collective Indexes have been entered into the CAPLUS database, and algorithmically matched with Registry numbers. Exception: If you start from a chemical substance record, click Get References, and then select from the Roles menu (Adverse effect, Analytical study, etc.), you will retrieve results only from the 1967+ file segment. To confuse matters further, the Preparation role has now been added back to 1907. SciFinder and the help pages do not make these distinctions clear.
CAS is selectively adding records for pre-1907 literature.
Beilstein Crossfire is a good alternate way to search for older literature on organic compounds -- it covers the organic journal literature back to 1779. See the Historical Literature pathfinder for more information on pre-1907 searching.
- Can I search CA abstract numbers in SciFinder?
- Abstract records from 1967 to present can be searched by abstract number (e.g. 101:59753) in the Locate by Document Identifier tool. 1907-1966 abstract numbers are not searchable or displayable in the CAPLUS file in SciFinder. These are the numbers that look like: 53:2185a, indicating that the original abstract appeared in volume 53 of printed Chemical Abstracts, in column number 2185, position "a" (top of the column). The "CAN" numbers displayed in the CAPLUS file for records prior to 1967 are computer-generated accession numbers and do not correspond to the printed CA in any way. If you have only an old CA number, you must use the print CA to find the abstract. If you need to find a genuine CA number for an older reference, you can look it up in the print, or ask the librarian for assistance. (The STN version of CAPLUS contains these numbers.)
- What patent literature does CAS cover?
- CAS indexes chemical patents from around the world. Its coverage is both thorough and timely. To see information about this coverage and interpreting patent records retrieved in SciFinder, see CAS' Patent Coverage web pages.
- How can I remove patents from my results?
- Click Refine from a results screen, then choose Document Type, and select from the menu only those types of documents you wish to see.
- How can I remove the Medline records from my results?
- Medline records are sorted separately in results sets, and come after the hits from CAPlus. After you get a list of references, choose Analyze or Refine, then Refine by clicking on the Database button. Deselect Medline and click OK. You can also "turn off" Medline before you begin a search. Click on the Database button in the top menu bar and deselect Medline from the list of databases shown. Then start a search task. Unfortunately, the software does not allow you to set this preference permanently -- it has to be done each time you launch the program. (Some Medline records might be duplicates of CAPLUS records. The software allows you to remove duplicates from your results set.)
- Can I set up an Alert to search automatically for me?
- No. Hopefully CAS will add this functionality to SciFinder Scholar in the future.
- Can I save answer sets from session to session?
- Yes, this is a new feature with Version 2007. You can save a results set (references, substances, or reactions) to a local disk, then combine a future results set with that saved set if you wish. By employing various options of Combine, Intersect, or Remove, you can manipulate and customize the information contained in these combined answer sets.
- Since we have SciFinder Scholar, is there any reason to search for organic compounds in Beilstein Crossfire?
- Yes. SciFinder and Beilstein are complementary resources, and although there is some overlap the two are quite different in the ways they scan and index the literature, the ways they register compounds and index reactions, and in the dates they cover. Beilstein is more useful for obtaining physicochemical data, preparation/reaction references, and for access to older (pre-1980) journal literature -- literature references in Beilstein go back as far as the 18th century. SciFinder is more useful for its very thorough coverage of the literature and patents from 1967 forward and its comprehensive registration of all types of chemical compounds and structures. CAS also scans far more journals than Beilstein does now. For organic and medicinal chemists, it is always advisable to search both databases for complete coverage of organic compounds and reactions.
Getting to Full Text
- Does SciFinder link to full text articles on the Web?
-
The full text icon
appears with every record on the results summary and full record displays. Clicking on this icon launches your web browser and takes you to ChemPort, the CAS full text gateway.
In ChemPort, you should click on the link to UT-Austin Electronic Access which takes you to a menu of UT-specific access options for journals. When we do not have access to electronic full text, the next menu includes an option to search the library catalog for the printed journal in question. The ChemPort window may also include a direct link to the publisher's content, but this bypasses our local proxy and subscription filters and you may be denied access or miss other full text options. In cases of patent documents, you should see only the direct link to an open access patent database.
It is important to remember that electronic full text does not yet exist for the vast bulk of journal literature, conferences, books, dissertations, etc. published before the mid-1990s. The full text icon does not prove that an electronic version of that document exists somewhere -- it merely launches a search for one. In practice the icon is functional only for journal articles and patent documents, and generally won't lead to other types of materials.
Furthermore, the existence of electronic full text does not guarantee that you (as a UT-Austin patron) will have access to the document. In order to view the full text, the document must either be 1) covered by UT-Austin's electronic subscriptions, or 2) freely available (open access). If neither of these is true, then you will not have access. In this case, you have several options to obtain journal articles: 1) go to the library's catalog and check for print holdings of the journal; 2) request the article via Interlibrary Service (a free service to you); or 3) use an online pay-per-view option to purchase the document directly from the publisher. Use of pay-per-view options should only be a last resort after all other options have been exhausted. If the document is very obscure and difficult to verify, contact the Chemistry Librarian for assistance.
- Why do the ChemPort links to articles sometimes lead to dead ends, even when I know electronic versions should be available?
- The mechanism for linking from a record in CAPLUS (the Chemical Abstracts file in SciFinder) to the full text of an article located on a publisher or aggregator web site is very complicated and far from foolproof. It is a particular problem with older, pre-1967 CA records, which sometimes do not contain ISSNs or full journal titles. ChemPort tries to send what information it can to UT-Austin's link resolver, which in turn attempts to match it with an entry in its local database. If it can't make a valid match, you get a dead-end set of options even though online full text and/or print of your article may actually be available. In these cases it's important to keep trying by searching the Library Catalog for the journal title in question, or ask library staff for help. Don't give up when your first try via ChemPort fails. Please report these problems to the library so we can look into them -- we might be able to fix some, while others are outside our control.
- Can I view patent documents via SciFinder?
- Most recent patent documents (including applications) that are indexed in CAPLUS can be viewed via ChemPort. CAS links to U.S. patents via the USPTO web site, which contains full-text and images. Foreign patent documents are accessed via the esp@cenet web site of the European Patent Office. Be sure to examine the Patent Family information in the full record display; this will list equivalent patents and applications from other patent-granting entities. ChemPort only links you to the "parent" document as indexed in CAPLUS.
- How can I translate journal abbreviations to full titles?
- Most journal titles now appear in full form in SciFinder. For those that don't, you can translate them to full titles using the printed CASSI reference tool located at the Circulation Desk in the Chemistry Library. There is no online version of CASSI. You can call the library for assistance if you can't visit in person.
Support
- Error message: "unable to connect with the server at CAS...."
- This means that your site.prf file has not been placed in the proper location. After you install the client software, you must move the site.prf file into the new application folder, which in Windows is called "SFSCHLR". SciFinder will not work without it. site.prf can be found in the same folder as the installer file. Read the installation instructions from the Download area carefully.
- Error message: "You are not authorized to use SciFinder from this network address..."
- This means that you are connecting from an IP address that is outside the authorized range of UT-Austin's network. See above.
- Error message: "SciFinder Scholar unable to pass through your organization's firewall."
- You are trying to connect using the off-campus site.prf file without first authenticating via the UT proxy server. Review the instructions in the off-campus connection page.
- Error message: "Login failed: too many current sessions for this login ID"
- This means that all available ports to SciFinder are currently occupied. UT-Austin users share access to a pool of ports among participating campuses in the UT System. Sometimes all these ports are occupied, especially during peak times of the day, which are mid-day and afternoon on weekdays. Try logging in again after a few minutes, or try at an off-peak time such as in the evening or early in the morning, or on a weekend. To ensure maximum access for everyone, please minimize your connect time and exit SciFinder as soon as you're finished searching.
- I keep getting timed out while I'm off looking at journal articles.
- SciFinder will time out and quit after 10 minutes of inactivity. If you get distracted reading full text of articles on the web, you may lose your session. It's best to do all your searching and downloading of articles quickly, then log off SciFinder to do your reading.
- Can I export SciFinder records into EndNote, ProCite, or Reference Manager?
- Yes. See the CAS bibliographic software help page for details. See also our EndNote Help page.
- Can I search SciFinder from within EndNote?
- No. You wouldn't want to do this anyway because you'd lose most of the functionality and power that SciFinder provides, as well as the display features and links to full text. (This is true for all databases.) Instead, do your searching in SciFinder and export records into EndNote using the proper filter (see above question).
- How do I change the web browser SciFinder uses?
- SciFinder automatically launches a default web browser when you click on a Full Text button in a brief record display. For Windows, it uses the default browser you have set in your operating system (supports Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE), version 4 or higher, Netscape Navigator or Communicator, version 4 or higher, or Mozilla Firefox, version 1.0). The Macintosh version of SciFinder defaults to the Safari web browser. You can change this in the Preferences area of Mac SciFinder, but you can't save these changes from session to session.
- Why won't SciFinder save my preferences from session to session?
- SciFinder allows you to modify some preferences within a single search session, but these return to default settings when you exit the application. This is just the way the software is designed.
- Is there a user guide to SciFinder?
- Use SciFinder's internal Web-based Help feature, which will connect to the SciFinder help files.
For immediate assistance with SciFinder (M-F 9am-5pm), call the Chemistry Library at 512-495-4600. Outside of business hours, or to get more information about SciFinder Scholar at UT-Austin, including answers to your questions about access, installation, troubleshooting, searching, and links to full text, send email via Ask a Librarian. We will respond as soon as possible.
