Getting Started
SciFinder is an advanced organic chemistry database that will allow you to search by molecule name, CAS #, formula, or even by molecular structure used by professors, graduate students, and research chemists. SciFinder does not contain the full text of scholarly articles, so you'll want to use the Journal Locator and ILL to retrieve articles that are important to you.
In order to use SciFinder, you will need to register for an account with your @cod.edu or @dupage.edu email. You will need to create your account and authenticate it from campus.
Once you've created your account, you can log in to SciFinder at the link below and begin your work.
Now that you've created your SciFinder Account, it's time to log in and look for information:
- Once you've logged in, make sure the Substances link is selected.
- Click Draw in the search box (right next to the search button.)
- Draw the structure inside the box that comes up, paying particular attention to the menu to the right to find common elements, structures, and bonds. Hit OK to send your structure back to the search screen.
- You should see your compound right below the search box. Hit search to look up Substance data on your compound.
- Look for your structure in the list of results and click on the image of the best match to get to the full entry on your compound.
- Use the major page headings in order to find different properties of your compound. Use Experimental Properties and Experimental Spectra (not Predicted Properties or Predicted Spectra) for your work.
- Find the source of your different properties by clicking on the heading and then clicking on the number to the right of you data to find the source:
- Remember that blue text in SciFinder is clickable-- experimental conditions and properties, as well as variables, are generally described when you click the text.
- To find more details about the spectra for your compounds, click "View Full Text" and then look to the left of the screen under Conditions and Spectrum summary.
- Find more lab info about this substance by using the tabs at the top of the screen, especially Reactions:
- Use the filters in the Reaction tab (for example, product) to narrow to references that answer your question.
Cite: APA Style for Chemistry Presentations
There are citation examples in each box above. Please contact the library if you have any questions. (You can also find more APA style citation information at the link below.)
- COD APA Citation GuideMake sure to look at the website citation example under "Electronic Sources."
