Aids for Teaching Online Searching of the Chemical Literature Carol Carr Chemistry Library. University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia. PA 19104 Online searching of the chemical literature is now an indispensihle tool for chemists, as well as a career opportunity for graduates with a chemistry degree. Therefore an introduction to basic searching principles and to the chemical resource material available online is a valuable adjunct to the chemistry curriculum. At first blush it may seem that presenting this subject will he a costly and time-consuming project. The typical chemical datahase is expensive to search and requires some expertise to search effectively. However online database producers, vendors, and others offer a range of educational programs and materials that can greatly facilitate preparation of an effective and inexpensive classroom program on online searching of the chemical literature. This article will describe some of these support programs and materials. Several recent articles in this Journal have presented methods of teaching online searching of the chemical database~'.~. I t is hoped that teaching aids such as these plus the discounts and support materials described here will encourage more chemistry teachers to introduce online searching into their chemistry programs. Educational Programs/Dlscounts Several online systems offer chemical databases. (A list of major commercial vendors offering chemical information online is provided at the end of this paper.) This article will concentrate on systems that are generally availahle in an academic setting: BRS and DIALOG, plus STN, which offers a generous academic discount for searching Chemical Abstracts online and materials for teaching search techniaues. i'he most comprehensive online source of chemical informationis Chemicol Abstracts tCAL CA isavailableonsevera1 systems including BRS, DIALOG, and STN. BRS and DIALOG offer reduced rates to academic institutions for formal classroom instruction or demonstration. The BRS Instructor Program currently includes approximately 90 of their 155 databases, including a practice file for CA plus full files of other chemical databases. BRS offers both a command-based and menu-based search system. The menu system is aimed a t the infrequent searcher and provides online guidance through the search process. The Instructor Program can he used to teach either version of BRS searching. DIALOG's Classroom Instructor Program (CIP) includes the full version of CA, as well as other chemical databases. DIALOG also offers the Classmate program, which features the simplified version of the DIALOG search system used in their Knowledge Index service (see below, Other Online Options). CA is not availahle in this service hut several other chemical files are included (see below). The total online cost for all BRS and DIALOG educational programs is currently $15h. Online costs consist of three
' Krumpolc, M.; Trimakas, D.; Miller, C. J. Chem. Educ. 1987, 64,
55-59.
Krumpolc. M.; Trlrnakas. D.; Miller. C. J. Chem. Educ.. in press.
components: telecommunication charges, connect hour charges, and a display charge for each reference seen. Both BRS and DIALOG absorb the telecommunication and display costs for their educational accounts. In addition to reduced rates for searching, these instructional programs also provide curriculum materials (masters for overhead transparencies, exercises, in-class activities, etc.). Materials are availahle free or a t low cost. To open an educational account s i m.~.l vcontact the vendor. Usuallv some information is required to document the course and the institution that will be usine theaccount. Although STN does not havean educational program per se, this vendor offers a 90%discount to academic institutions for the CAS ONLINE files. The discount applies to connect hour costs and display chames, not to telecommunication charges. The discounted connect hour cost is approximately SlOh, less for subscribers to print Chemical Abstrocrs. STN academic accounts can only be used after 5x00 p.m. Eastern time, which can be a problem for East Coast locations. STN also offers a 50% academic discount for CJACS, a datahase that includes the full text of 18 ACS journals, from 1982 to present (discounted connect hour costs is $35h). Again, these accounts cannot he used until 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Low-Cost Practlce Flles The DIALOG and STN programs mentioned above allow access to the entire database and to all of the features of the search system. In addition t o these programs, all three vendors offer low-cost "practice" files for Chemical Abstracts. These are suhsets of the full file and provide an economic means of practicing search techniques. No special account is necessary to access these practice files. Therefore, if your institution already has a BRS, DIALOG, or STN account (for example, in your library), there is a no need to open a new account if the library can accommodate your class's needs. These files are not updated or changed, therefore exercises can he planned and used again and again with predictable results. All search features are available except for offline printing and saving. DIALOG'S 28 Online Training and Practice (ONTAP) files include Chemical Abstracts, and Kirk-Othmer as well as other files such as INSPEC and SCISEARCH, which contain chemical information. DIALOG also provides a DIALINDEX category CHEMTAPS (chemical practice files), which can be used to practice crossfile searching. Crossfile searching is an online technique used to search multiple appropriate databases. STN offers LCA, LREG and LCJO, suhsets of Chemical Abstracts and Current Journals Online. BRS has CAST, a practice file for Chemical Abstracts. The practice files differ from vendor to vendor (Table 1descrihes file content, features, and costs for the CA practice files on all three systems). These differences should be considered when selecting a search system for a classroom program. For example STN's LCA file contains records from each of the collective index periods, which allows a demonstration of CA indexing changes over time. Volume 66 Number 1 January 1989
21
Table 1. Chernlcal Absiracts Pracllce Flles Vendor
File Name
RstelN
Cantents
BRS
CA Search Practice (CAST) ONTAP CA SEARCH
$21
88.205 records from 12/77 issues of CA. 99,122 records from 9177-121 77 issues of CA
ONTAP CHEW NAME
$15
99.122 r e d s . Compound info on substances cited in ONTAP CA SEARCH.
CEMTAPS
$15
DIALINDEX category for ONTAP chemical files.
LCA
$30
65.000 records: 2 issues horn each collective index period.
MALOO
STN
LREG
$15
530
100,000 substance records for compounds cited in LCA.
Features
search examples plus practice problems based on information contained in LCA and LREG. "Getting Started on CAS ONLINE" is another STN publication that may be useful. "Gettine Started" is an introduction to online searchine aimed a t the practicing chemist rather than a professionai searcher. I t is available free upon request. Tutorials on Disk
Can dentonswate use of nomendature to reb l e w classes of com~0"ndS. Can demonstrate crossfile searching. Records from different time periods allow demonswation ot indexing changer. Abstracts searchable. Structure searching available.
Other Onllne Optlons
A third searching option is available on BRS and DIALOG. Both of these vendors offer "user friendly" search systems that are available after 5:00 p.m. a t a lower cost than their prime time counterparts. These systems access full files but not all search features are available. DIALOG's system is Knowledge Index; BRS offers After Dark. These systems are designed for the infrequent searcher; for example, on BRS, menus guide the user through the search process. Some colleges are offering these services through their libraries to introduce students to online searching. If your institution has such a program, your online chemical information searching segment could use this option. BRS After Dark includes its full Chemical Abstracts file a t $66/connect h and the CA Search Practice file a t $81 connect h. The charee is $24/connect h for all databases on DIALOG'S ~ n o w l e i g eIndex. Chemical Abstracts is not available throueh Knowledee Index. but several other chemical databases are incl~ded;e.~.,~ n h l y t i c aAbstracts, l Heilbron's Dictionary of Organic Compounds, and Chemical Business Newsbase.
STN also offers the Mentor tutorial disk series; lessons on using the Chemical Abstracts and ACS journal files. The lessons are interactive simulations of online searches. The STN overview disk is free and presents an overview of files available plus simulations of six common types of searches. Other disks in the series cost $19.50. One lesson concentrates on the CAS ONLINE file, others demonstrate searching across databases for information on a particular topic. DIALOG offers a demonstration disk for Knowledge Index that contains an overview of the main commands and a searchable datahase of 54 business citations. Dlflarencea In Onllne Chernlcal Abstracts Flles
Although Chemical Abstracts is available on all three of the systems described above, there are differences in how each system presents the datahase. These differences should be considered, along with other factors, such as availability of a system at your locale, support materinls available, etc.. in choosine a classroom oroeram. The differences arise because the systems ("vendors? in online jargon) purchase or lease computer tapes from datahase producers such as Chemical Abstracts Service and mount them on their own computer systems. Each vendor can then process the data received to enhance retrieval and to allow the database to be searched effectively using the vendor's search system. Variations also arise due to differences in the licensing agreements between producers and vendors. For example STN is the only vendor licensed to include the abstracts in Chemical Abstracts (BRS and DIALOG provides the hiblioeraohic references onlvj. STN is also the onlv vendor meniioned here that provides structure searching. Although a classroom online pronam will tvpicallv include only one search system, it ;s &portant to- stress to students that major databases may be available from more than one vendoiand that there can he differences in the way each vendor offers the same database. Other Onllne Chernlcal Databases
Another important concept to stress in an online educational program is that chemical information can he found in many online files. In addition to Chemical Abstracts, chemical information currentlv can be found in over 50 other online databases. ~ a t a b i s e sare constantly being added, modified. and shifted from vendor to vendor. The most current infoimation on what is available where is found in a vendor's latest database catalog. These catalogs usually contain a section organized by subject; therefore, it is relatively easy to determine what chemically related databases are available. Tahles 2 and 3 present a sampling of different types of chemical databases.
TutorlalslExerclses
Other Sources of Classroom Material
In addition to the various online options useful to educators. database vendors and oroducers offer a ranee of workshops and tutorial materiais that are helpful inblaming a class. DIALOG offers a snecial one-dav workshoo: Searchine Chemistry on D I A L O G . . T ~workshop ~ is usualiy presentei durine ACS national meetinas. Workshoo materials include a set Gpractice exercises (wifh solutionsj that ran be adapted for vour class. DIALOG also offers an introductorv tutorial for the DIALOG search system on videotape. STN offers a range of workshops including one designed for the practicing chemist. In addition to workshops, STN publishes Using the Learning Files, a manual that presents
In addition to the materials available from database producers and vendors, the ACS Division of Chemical Informaa range of items designed t o encourage tion (CINF) oresentation of online searching within the chemistry currichum. CINF offers a series of detailed search examples that demonstrate how online searching can aid chemical research. The examples are designed for classroom use and are available free from Arleen Somerville, Carlson Library, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 11627. Modules are available for searching Chemical Abstracr~on S T S and on DIALOG.. for . oatent searchine on DIAI.OG and STN, and for citation searching.
22
Journal of Chemlcal Education
Table 2.
Selected Chemlcal Databases by Type of Database
Name
Coverage
Producer
Vendor
Blbllographlc Chemical Abstracts BRS DIALOG STN ORBIT chemlsby of lnstnute of DIALOG paper manufachrre Paper Chemlsby
Chemical Abstract9 all chemlcal literature
Paperchem
C I S (Chemical I n f o r m a t i o n System) Chemical Information Systems, Inc. 1215 York Road Baltimore, MD 21212 800-CIS-USER 40 databases a l l chemical, many excluaive to CIS.
Table 3.
Full Text Kirk-Ommer ChemicalJornnais Online
Selected Chamlcal Databases by Subject Areas
Name Kirt-Ommer Wlley Encyclopedia ACA, Wiley. and ACS. Wlley, and Royal Society RSC chemical Journals
Coverage
DIALOG BRS STN
Compreharulve Cbmlstry
STN
MuHldlrlpllnary
Producer
ChemlcaIAbstracW all areas of chemistry
Chemical Abstracts STN BRS DIALOG ORBIT
01reetory Chem Sowces
chemical
suppliers Am. Mend Women bicgraphlcal Of science
PhYslcai property data Wlley Mass spectra
mass spectral data
Dlrect~les Publlshlng Co. R. R. BOwker
Amerkan Inst. d Chemical Engineers Wlley
Blosls
blolcglcal sciences
Compendex
engineering
Inspec
englneerlngl lnstltute of physb~lwmputers Elect. Engrs.
DIALOG
Bloscisncas Information Swicas Engineering informatlon
STN
CIS
SlruetureIReadlon chemical subslance infwmatlon CASREACTS reacllon informatlon Chemimi Reaction reaction DOcmmt10n information service Reglsby Fils
Chemical Absbacls STN
STN BRS DIALOG STN BRS DIALOG ORBIT STN BRS DIALOG ORBIT
Chemlcal S u b ~ l a l H I e s
Chemical Abstracts STN
AnriytlmI Abstracts
anelythl chemlsby
Royal Sodefy of Chemistry
Derwent
ApiNt
peboohemlcals
Paperchem
paper chemistry
American Petrol. Inst. kst. 01 P a m Chem
ORBIT
Venda
intern. Phsrmeceul. pharmaceuticals Abstracts
DIALOG STN ORBIT STN ORBIT DIALOG
BRS Hosdtal Pharm. DIALOG
Chemlcal Bustnos8 T h e Division, j o i n t l y with t h e C h e m i s t r y D i v i s i o n o f t h e Special L i b r a r i e s Association, m a i n t a i n s a clearinghouse o f materials f o r teaching c h e m i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n . I t e m s are available l o r a s m a l l cost. Clearinghouse m a t e r i a l s i n c l u d e several h a n d o u t s useful in teaching o n l i n e searching. A l i s t o f clearinghouse m a t e r i a l s i s available f r o m t h e a u t h o r o f t h i s paper. T h e D i v i s i o n i n i t i a t i v e s in t h i s area a r e in resoonse t o a CINF survey t h a t i n d i c a t e d t h a t o n e of t h e majo; obstacles to i n c l u d i n g a c h e m i c a l l i t e r a t u r e segment in t h e c h e m i s t r y c u r r i c u l u m i s a l a c k o f i n s t r u c t i o n a l materials.3 I h o p e t h a t t h i s a r t i c l e has d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t a w e a l t h o f s u ~ o o rm t ateand r i a l s for t e a c h i n g o n l i n e searching h a s b e e n de;&oped w i l l encourage m o r e c h e m i s t r y teachers to i n c l u d e o n l i n e searching techniques as p a r t o f t h e storehouse of skills t h e y i m p a r t to students.
Chemical bdusby dlemlcal lndusby Notes news Chemical B y o l ~use and production Newswim of chemicals EnvtonmentlHanlrd Hazardline
chemical hazards Chemical Exposwe chemicals In animal systems Enviroilne environmental informatlon
Regisby File
ElCllmelllgence
chemicals
covered In CA Hellbron
BRS
Merck Index
AgmchemIcals Handbook
TSCA Chemical Substances inventory 'File
Sornerville, A. J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 1985, 25, 314-323.
Occ~pational BRS Health Servioes Science Applns. DIALOG International DIALOG
ChemlcaI Substance Inlormath
Appendix: Malor Commerclally Available Database Systems Oflerlng Chemical Databases BRS Information Technologies 1200 Rt 7 Latham, NY 12110 800-468-0908 Approximately 150 database, 15 chemical, chemical practice fie educational program.
Chemlcal Absbacts DIALOG ORBIT DIALOG Royal Society of Chemistry
wganlc compounds -of clinical interest agroehemlcal products wmmerclal chemical wbstanws
names dimr In me various systems: -sun
Chemlcal Absbacls STN DIALOG ORBIT DIALOG Chapman (L Hall Merck BRS DIALOG CIS Royal Soclely DIALOG of Chemlsby Environmental DIALOG Protection Agency database ~atalap famrren file
"am.
Volume 66
Number
I
January
1989
23
Dialog Dialog Information Services, Ine. 3460 Hillview Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94304 800-3-DIALOG 300 databases, 30 chemical, chemical practice files, educetional program. Pergamon Orbit Infoline Pergamon Orbit Infoline, Inc. 8000 Westpark Drive McLean, VA 22102
24
Journal of Chemical Education
800-456-7248 100 databases, 30 chemical, chemical practice files, educational program
STN STN International 2540 Olentangy River Road Box 2228 Columbua, OH 43202 800-848-6538 61 databases, all scientific, 37 chemical, chemical practice files, academic discount
