Training Goals for 2009
Today’s busy work environment often does not allow time for training and/or practicing what we learn. Do you find it hard to take time off for training on new features of technologies you need to do your job better? Are you finding it difficult to keep pace with new technology? Do you need a refresher on skills you used to know well? (cont'd. below)

Training Goals (cont'd)

There are many good reasons why training is important for new and experienced users of Dialog and DataStar. To name a few:

• Learn about new information resources
• Develop professional research skills
• Improve online search skills
• Learn new tips for saving time and money

In 2009 Dialog will offer even more opportunities to expand your search skills and knowledge of Dialog research tools and content. You will want to explore these new options.

Multi-part series covering major content areas
Our new instructor-led Searching Patent Information on Dialog series will start with “Patents 101: An Overview of the Patent Process” (Jan. 29) followed by “Patent Search Basics” (Feb. 26). Comparable series will be offered in Q1 on engineering, biomedical and business topics. We’ve also added a new class called “Searching for Expert Witnesses on Dialog” (Feb. 10).

Advanced Tips & Tricks sessions to help you save time and maximize the power of our product interfaces
“DialogClassicWeb™ Advanced Tips & Tricks” reviews features available from the Editor, History and Preferences Tabs of the interface, as well as its capabilities for performing Chemical Structure Searches and generating reports in Microsoft® Word and Excel formats. “DataStarWeb Advanced Tips & Tricks” explores ways to set preferences in the Options page; shows how to use the Find Database feature; gives in-depth advanced search techniques, including Limit, multifile searching, Repeat, Remove Duplicates, Split, Rank, and effective use of WebCharts. We will also look at database Quick Codes as shortcuts to comprehensive retrieval.

A variety of training delivery methods
To accommodate your time constraints, level of expertise and learning style, Dialog offers training in different venues using different technologies. For example, “First Steps” and “Next Steps” using DataStarWeb, on-demand, self-contained presentations made up of a series of slides with audio, can be taken in your own time at your own pace. “Dialog at a Glance” modules teach you how to conduct a chemical structure search or use the EXPAND command—all in 10 minutes. With Quick Reference Cards (QRCs) at your computer, you can look up search tips and more in a concise handout. And, don’t forget the How Do I...? series to illustrate those frequently requested searches on Dialog.

Check the Dialog Website for the latest updates and new surprises; sign up for the monthly Chronolog that brings you what’s new in training each month.

Training

Mark your calendar: Live specialized Web-based courses
Dialog’s live Web-based training, offered worldwide and in different languages, is designed to expand your search skills and knowledge of Dialog and DataStar, whatever your skill level — novice to power searcher. Dialog specialists share their knowledge with you about specific subject areas in live Web-based courses. In January and February experts in patents, technical and biomedical information will present one-hour sessions covering specific databases and search techniques in each specialty.

In addition, one-hour sessions, designed to familiarize you with Dialog and DataStar products, include DialogClassic Web™, DialogLink® 5, DialogWeb® and DataStarWeb™. “First Steps” introduces you to the particular interface and the basics of searching; “Next Steps” demonstrates some of the unique search features on the Dialog and DataStar systems.

Check the descriptions for each course and sign up for the ones that best meet your needs.

Search Techniques

Dialog Tip: Using powerful drug-indexing in EMBASE
Many people use CHEMSEARCH™ (File 398) or the drug pipeline databases to find nomenclature for drug names. Did you know that EMBASE® (File 73) provides powerful drug-indexing and is an excellent source for synonyms? These include drug trade names, chemical names, other generic names, laboratory codes and CAS® Registry Numbers. EMBASE is indexed via EMTREE, an extensive life-science thesaurus containing more than 56,000 terms, most of which have one or more synonyms available as pointers to the preferred terms.

Suppose someone asks you to find information on a new drug named Selzentry, from Pfizer, which recently received FDA approval for the treatment of HIV in adults. You don’t know the generic name. In the biomedical literature, you need to search using the generic name, since scientific writers rarely call drugs by their trade names, but by their scientific or generic names. EMBASE, for example, indexes drug names with the World Health Organization’s International Non-proprietary name (INN) and prefers generic names over CAS® Registry Numbers when available.

You can easily find the preferred drug term in EMBASE. All it takes is EXPAND. Look to see if the drug name you expanded has related terms. You’ll know it has related terms if a third column, headed RT, appears in the EXPAND display. If it does, and your term has a number next to it in the RT column, that means your term has related terms. EXPAND the “E” reference number (e.g., e e3) to see the term to use.

Here’s an example, using EXPAND on selzentry:

Begin 73 (or Begin 72 [1993–present] if you want to search only recent years).
Expand selzentry
Expand e3

Ref Items Type RT  Index-term
R1     43       1 *SELZENTRY
R2    510    U 13  MARAVIROC

The U in the EMTREE type display means “Use.” You now know that maraviroc is the generic name for Selzentry in EMBASE. Maraviroc has 13 related terms. If you were to EXPAND R2, you would see the 13 related terms, which include broader terms, such as antivirus agent, and nine synonyms, including Selzentry, a CAS Registry Number, some laboratory codes and Celsentri, perhaps an international brand name for the same drug.

That’s all it takes. Check Dialog at a Glance for more illustrated examples of EXPAND. You will have a chance to try these techniques for free in EMBASE as the Free File of the Month in February

DataStar Tip
On the DataStarWeb log-on page, you probably know you can enter a database label(s) separated by commas. However, did you know that if you are not sure of the database label, you can enter the database name or part of the name? After you click the login button, DataStarWeb bypasses the Subjects page and takes you directly to the Databases page and displays a list of all the databases that fit the name or part of the name you entered. For example, enter “embase” and the Databases page displays all of the EMBASE® segments, including EMBASE Classic (EM73), EMBASE – 1974 to 1984 (EM84), EMBASE – 1985 to 1995 (EM95), EMBASE Alert – latest eight weeks (EMBA), EMBASE – 1996 to date (EMED), and more, including EMBASE Vocabulary (EVOC) and EMBASE Practice File (TREM). Just check the box(es) to the left of the file(s) you wish to search and click Easy Search or Advanced Search to get started. You can also click the “i” button to get database details.

Likewise, from the Subjects page, you can enter a database name or part of a database name and click the Select button. DataStar will display all of the databases that fit the name you entered. So, let’s say you know there is a company directory file that covers Czechoslovakia, but you can’t remember the name or the database label. In the “Enter database labels” query box, simply enter “czech” and click Select. Voilà! The Official Register of Czech & Slovak Organisations (CZCO) appears.

This tip and others like it, designed to help you save time and quickly get the answers you need, are offered in “First Steps on DataStarWeb,” Tuesday, February 17, at 12 noon (ET).