How does the Research Topic query work?
The Explore by Research Topic option presents a single text box that looks like Google’s, but SciFinder’s search algorithms function VERY differently from those of standard web search-engines. SciFinder uses a proprietary, highly complex (and somewhat mysterious) natural language query algorithm that breaks your query into a set of discrete concepts, searches them against the database indexes, and then presents you with a selection of result options. Here is a very brief list of important searching points unique to SciFinder — these apply to no other database tools or web search engines. • Compose a natural-language query phrase with at least two distinct concepts, linked with prepositions. Examples: • single walled carbon nanotubes in thin film transistors • synthesis of fluorescein derivatives • determination of arsenic in wood pulp • SciFinder uses prepositions as connectors to parse query into component concepts; prepositions are not analyzed for their linguistic meaning. Example:
