Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!
Databases match the terms you type in literally. They do not have the vast programming behind their search boxes that Google does. So...
- Create a list of as many synonyms/related terms as you can think of or discover for your interest
- Include chemical formula, INCHI, CAS numbers and any other forms of labeling for chemicals/compounds of interest
- Assume that your first few searches will train you in what terms you SHOULD/COULD be using rather than what you started with. Be willing to do several searches to get articles close to your interest.
Search Techniques
Be sure to connect search terms correctly using the following techniques:
- Boolean connectors
- AND connects different concepts and narrows a search: Fish AND chips
- OR, with parentheses, combines synonyms/related terms and broadens a search: Fish AND (chips OR fries)
- Use quotation marks for phrases: Fish AND (chips OR "french fries")
- Use the asterisk as a wildcard character to retrieve variations on a common stem: educat* retrieves educate, education, educating, educated, etc. Very useful for capturing plurals
