DATABASE Vendors/Producers

Many of these organizations have web pages which contain information useful for instructors. Vendors/producers for the most commonly taught databases are listed here. For a comprehensive list of chemistry databases see: Armstrong, C.J. World Databases in Chemistry; Bowker-Saur: New Jersey, 1996. For a comprehensive list of Internet links to database vendors/publishers see Information Resources for Chemistry (Accessed Jan 1999)

Database sites are a good source for information on database content and demonstrations of the latest search features. Training materials available as of Jan 1999 are described in the listings below. These sites are constantly being updated. Check them for new products and new training material whenever you are preparing a class

• Beilstein
  The Support link contains a Beilstein Crossfire tutorial, FAQs, and descriptions of some of the fields in Beilstein. (accessed Jan 1999)

• Chemical Abstracts Service
  The Service & Support link contains material useful to instructors. The links include recent STN User Meeting workbooks which provide techniques and examples for using STN databases. Also available are training materials such as:
  • STN Basics Training Modules (A self-paced tutorial using STN learning files. which takes 3-4 hrs to complete and includes practice problems with solutions)
  • Using CAS Databases on STN (A web version of the CAS Academic Instruction Program Student Manual)
  • Using the CAS Registry File on STN ( Chemical name and molecular formula searching in the CAS Registry database)
  • Structure Searching in the CAS Registry File
  • Practice Problems for Basic Structure Searching Workshops.
  (accessed Jan 1999)

• DIALOG
  The Customer Support link from the main page takes you to options such as the Library which provides searching and database documentation and the Training Center which contains a range of training materials. (Direct links to the Library and the Training Center are on the bottom button bar of the main page) Of greatest interest to chemical information instructors is the Science/Technology section of Search Solutions (in the Training Center, under Quick Tips). This link contains annotated step by step search strategies for typical searches. These annotated search transcripts are useful as class examples. Chemistry-related topics include: How to Find and Use CAS Registry Numbers, Molecular Formulae and Chemical Names. Also of interest is Short Subjects (a series of short, interactive tutorials which require downloading the Shockwave authorware plugin ). The excellent DIALOG Pocket Guide is also available as a PDF document from this site.
  (accessed Jan 1999)

• ISI (producer of Current Contents and the Citation Indexes)
  The training section includes a primer on citation searching with examples from the web and cd-rom versions of Science Citation Index. The site also includes an explanation of citation searching with a link to a series of lectures on citation searching by Eugene Garfield. Workshop guides are available for ISI's web-based products (Current Contents Connect and Web of Science). These are designed for educators. Downloadable word files and pdf files are available. Registration is required to enable ISI to notify users when the guides are updated. The What's Hot section gives examples of highly cited papers - a good source of class examples. The site also provides a list of vendors hosting Scisearch with a sample search from each vendor illustrating field tags used in the database. (scroll to the bottom of the citsci.html page) (accessed Jan 1999)

• STN International
  The Service link at the bottom of the main page contains the same training materials as the Chemical Abstract Services site described above. (accessed Jan 1999)