Identifying Concepts and Generating Search Terms

The following steps are helpful when preparing for a keyword search in Chemical Abstracts Online. For more detailed instructions on searching Chemical Abstracts Online, see Using Native Commands to Search Chemical Abstracts Online.

• State your topic as specifically as possible.
  
  Topic: The effect of formaldehyde on indoor air quality in closed buildings.



• Identify the main concepts.
1. formaldehyde
2. indoor air quality
3. closed buildings


• Make a list of significant keywords or phrases for each concept to use as search terms.
1. formaldehyde
• 50-00-0
  Note:  It is best to use CAS Registry Numbers for chemical compounds when searching Chemical Abstracts Online.  For more information, see How to Find CAS Registry Numbers for Chemical Compounds.
2. indoor air quality
• IAQ
• indoor air pollution
3. closed buildings
• tight buildings
• sick buildings


• Type the keywords, combining them with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT).  Put the (w) operator in between words in a phrase.  Use the truncation symbol # on the end of words which you want as either singular or plural.


• Simple search:

file ca
s 50-00-0 AND indoor(w)air(w)quality AND closed(w)building#

• Complex search (using all the keywords):

s 50-00-0 AND (indoor(w)air(w)quality OR IAQ OR indoor(w)air(w)pollution) AND (closed(w)building# OR tight(w)building# OR sick(w)building#)