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CHM/GLG 481 & 598: Geochemistry

Resources and library research instruction for Dr. Hartnett's Geochemistry class.

Database Comparison

Compendex GeoRef SciFinder Web of Science
Connect to 

Database

Engineering VillageTraining Videos

Database

ProQuestTraining Videos

Database

SciFinder Training Materials

Database

Web of Science Training Videos
(click on the title in the video's black bar to see the video via You Tube)
Coverage

Engineering Village platform 

1884+

Engineering and Manufacturing: 

  • Journal Articles
  • Conference Proceedings 
  • Trade magazines (prior to 2008)

Details

ProQuest platform

1693+ (North America)
1933+ (Worldwide)

Geoscience: 

  • Journal Articles
  • Books
  • Conference Proceedings 
  • Maps
  • Reports
  • Dissertations & Theses (US & Canadian)
  • USGS Publications

Details

SciFinder platform 

1900+ (some major chemistry journals prior to 1900)

Pure and applied chemistry: 

  • Journal Articles
  • Books
  • Conference Proceedings
  • Dissertations & Theses
    (US, Canadian, European)
  • Patents
  • Reports

Medicine:

  • Journal Articles

Details

Web of Knowledge platform

1900+ (Sciences)
1956+ (Social Sciences)
1974+ (Humanities)

Multi-disciplinary: 

  • Journal Articles
Strengths 

Most comprehensive database for engineering literature

Controlled Vocabulary (thesaurus)

Automatically truncates word (i.e. "autostemming) which can be turned off 

Most comprehensive database for geological literature

Geographical searching

Controlled Vocabulary  (thesaurus)

Tables and Figures search feature

"Times Cited" (Cited by) info available

Most comprehensive database for the pure and applied chemistry literature including non-English publications

Automatically truncates keywords

Automatically includes synonyms for chemistry-related terms

Automatically includes variant chemical substance names (in most cases)

Ability to search by chemical structure or substructure

Ability to refine search by the chemical substance's "role"

Controlled Vocabulary assigned to records

Includes reactions, property data, supplier, and regulatory info in additon to bibliographic references 

Original database to cover citation searching and still the most comprehensive for that purpose

Extensive citation searching features

Citation mapping

Ability to sort by "Times Cited"
Weaknesses

Limited primarily to English language material 

Controlled Vocabulary is broad

Geographical searching is limited to keywords

Chemical substance searching is limited to keywords

Times Cited info is taken from the Scopus database to which ASU does not subscribe

Chemical substance searching is limited to keywords and some "group" headings

"Times Cited" data is limited to publications offered by ProQuest databases

Unable to view the controlled vocabulary dictonary 

No control over truncation

Geographical searching is limited to keywords

"Times Cited" (Cited by) info is restricted to publications within the SciFinder bibliographic databases

Limited primarily to English language material

No controlled vocabulary assigned to records

Geographical searching is limited to keywords

Chemical substance searching is limited to keywords

Times Cited info is limited to journal articles
Search Tips 

When interested in all chemicals within a group you MUST search all the chemicals individually, not just the group name. 

For geographic locations you MUST search each variant name or regional description separately

Include the controlled vocabulary term(s) for your concept(s) in your search statement

Use limiters in the left column to refine results

Truncation symbol is "*"

If geographic name is used in the Thesaurus, no need to search variants

When interested in all chemicals within a group you MUST search all the chemicals individually, not just the group name. 

Include the controlled vocabulary term(s) for your concept(s) in your search statement

Use limiters in the right column to refine results

Use the substance search (not research topic) for most comprehensive retrieval for specific chemical substances and for access to the non-bibliographic data

Use natural language in the Research Topic box and avoid words that are Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) 

Rearrange the search statement to possibly retrieve more

Put synonyms in parantheses after the term - do not try to force too many synonyms into the search 

When interested in all chemicals within a group you MUST search all the chemicals individually, not just the group name. 

For geographic locations you MUST search each variant name or regional description separately

Use limiters in the left column to refine results

Truncation symbol is "*"

When interested in all chemicals within a group you MUST search all the chemicals individually, not just the group name

For geographic locations you MUST search each variant name or regional description separately

Use limiters in the left column to refine results

Search recommendations ..

 Sources of groundwater arsenic in the Southwestern US

  •  Groundwater vs ground water

  • Southwestern US
    • Is "southwestern US" a controlled vocabulary term in the GeoRef thesaurus?  What does that mean in terms of your search strategy? 
    • What states do you consider to be in the "Southwest"?
    • Do researchers agree with you on what comprises the "Southwestern US"?

  • In non-geographic and non-geologic databases, be sure to search all variant ways to identify this location    

  • Contaminants in your study area may have come from other locations - if this is the case, don't forget to look for polluting being done at the source, in addition to your study area. 

  • Is it just elemental arsenic that’s involved or are arsenic compounds included, too; if so, what are the compounds?

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