Abstract
Background considerations in the development of a continuing education course in “Searching the Chemical Literature in the Health Sciences” for the Medical Library Association are delineated. The interest of Association members in subject-oriented courses in online searching is discussed with special mention of the Standing Committee for Online Retrieval Education (SCORE) of the National Library of Medicine. The protocols involved in submitting course proposals to the MLA CE Committee are outlined. The first twenty sections of the Chemical Abstracts Service Subject Coverage are used as the basis for a discussion of training staff for searching potentially difficult topics, such as pharmacology, enzymology, immunochemistry and endocrinology. Distinctions between bibliographic and factual databases are outlined. The carryover of techniques learned on CATLINE, SERLINE, HISTLINE, and the MESH VOCABULARY files for learning chemical searching is discussed. A list of search guides and tools for accessing CA SEARCH, Excerpta Medica, BIOSIS and other files, as well as material from vendors, such as SDC, BRS, and Lockheed is given. Specific techniques are delineated, particularly the use of Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Numbers and Enzyme Commission numbers and of online aids, such as the online chemical dictionary files. A prototype training manual for chemical searching is mentioned and steps in organizing a search listed. A decision-making model is recommended for manipulating system software commands and Boolean operators. Emphasis is on training staff to use print tools in conjunction with online thesauri. Interviewing techniques are evaluated and techniques for cross-database searching described.