Library Handout CHEM 111 - Part 1 to Part 6

Chemistry 111: Exercise 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE

• Read each section of the assignment and

the questions. Then use the guide to help

find the answers.

• If you have problems please ask at the

Evans Library Ask Us Desk, Chat with us

at http://guides.library.tamu.edu/askus or

call 979-845-5741

http://guides.library.tamu.edu/askus

1.1 Use LibCat to find a book or government document on your assigned

pollutant. Write the title of the publication in Part 1.1. If there are too

many items listed, narrow the subject or keyword search with terms like

pollution or environment. The truncation symbol ? can be used to help

broaden the search.

Example search: Keyword = benzene AND pollut?

LibCat searches generally rank results in a relevancy order; use the pull-

down menu to change to a ranking by date to examine recent works.

Part 1. Finding Technical Books and Government Documents Using LibCat

1.2 Obtain a Location Guide from the Evans Library Ask Us Desk or

other service desk. Look for your book or document in the library, and

circle its location on the Location Guide to show where you found the

item.

Example: QD’s on 4th floor, or government documents on the

5th floor of the Sterling C. Evans Library Annex.

Attach the Location Guide and a print out of the LibCat record for the

item to the Data Reduction and Analysis worksheet. If the item is

electronic and if there is no call number associated with the

item then choose another publication.

1.3 Use the LibCat record for the publication recorded in part 1.1 to

answer the following questions on the worksheet form: Was the item

checked out, or on the shelf? What is the Call Number? What is

the format?


Questions for Part 1

Part 1.1 Name of Publication

Part 1.2 Attach copy of the LibCat record

Part 1.3 Was the item checked out, or on the shelf? What is the call number?

Format—Circle the correct format(s): Print, Electronic, Microform/Microfiche


1. Go to the Libraries’ homepage:

library.tamu.edu

Then click the LibCat link.

Library Module 1: Technical Books and Government Documents


2. Click on Advanced Search


3. Enter the search terms. Use the truncation

symbol ? to include words that start with “pollut”,

such as pollution, polluting, pollutant, etc.

4. Click Search

5. Change “Sort By” to “Publish Date.” This will

sort the results beginning with the most recent.

6. Click on the title of the

item to see the record.



LibCat Record for an Individual Item

NOTE: This government document is available online

and in microfiche. Information about the

microfiche version is shown below.

7. Note location,

call number,

and status

8. Click the link to find the

location in the library.

Part 2. Tools for Searching the Professional Journal Literature

For this exercise, you will be using one or more of the major databases

often used by undergraduates. These databases allow you to quickly

locate articles on a topic. Using a database is much quicker than

searching individual journals.

When communicating with other professionals, you need to give them all

the information they will need to find the article for themselves. Proper

citation form becomes important. The following exercises will show you

the way to arrange the information that identifies the book or journal

article in proper citation form.


2.1 Use Web of Science, Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management,

or Academic Search Complete to find a scientific article published in the last five

years on your assigned pollutant. Please note that you can limit by date in these

databases. You can also limit by type of material: book, articles, and conference

proceedings. You will limit your search to articles.

Example keyword search: benzene and pollut* (notice that for this database the

truncation symbol has changed to an *.)

Print the first page of the article, if the full text is available online. If not, print the

citation, with abstract if available, from the database. Attach your printout to the

back of this page. If the library does not subscribe to the online version of the

journal, use LibCat to determine if the print version of the article is available on

campus. Be sure to verify that the library owns the particular volume by looking at

the list of volumes found at the bottom of the LibCat record. If the University

Libraries subscribe to the journal, list the call number.

2.2 Provide the bibliographic citation you would need to cite the article in a

paper—journal articles should be cited using the following format:

Authors separated by semicolons, Article Title, Journal name in italics,

Year in bold, Volume in italics, Page numbers.

Example: E. J. Mawk; M. Hyman; M. W. Rowe. Re-examination of Ancient DNA in

Texas Rock Paintings. Journal of Archaeological Science 2002, 29, 301-306.


Part 2.1 Attach the first page of your article or list call #

Part 2.2 Write the bibliographic citation


Library Module 2: Tools for Searching the Professional Journal Literature


library.tamu.edu

Then click the Databases tab.

2. Enter the name of the

database you want to search

3. Click

Search


4. You may be asked to authenticate

by providing your NetID and password.

5. Click on the name or

“View Online” to access

the database


6. Enter your search terms(s) using an “and” between terms and

an “*” as a truncation symbol where appropriate. Using pollut*

will retrieve pollutant, polluted, etc.

7. Limit by language

8. Limit by publication date range

9. Limit the search to just the

Science Citation Index. This

will help focus the search to

science journal articles


10. Select an article. To see the full record

(mainly an abstract), click on the article title.

11. To determine if the library subscribes to the journal,

click the “Find Text @ TAMU” button.


12. This article is available online. Click

the link to see the full-text of the article

13. If the article is not available online, click the LibCat or

MSL Catalog link to see if we have it in print and obtain

the call number.


14. If available online, click the PDF icon to obtain

the full-text of the article and print the first page

for your assignment.


Part 3. Governmental Information Sources: EPA and NLM

3.1 Using ChemIDplus or IRIS, find the CASRN (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry

Number) and molecular formula for the assigned pollutant.

3.2 Use ChemIDplus to find two other names for the assigned pollutant, including the

systematic name.

3.3 Use IRIS, ChemIDplus, or other sources identified in this assignment to determine

where this compound or element primarily occurs as a pollutant. Examples: air,

water, food, etc.

3.4 Does ChemIDplus include a table of toxicity values for your pollutant?

3.5 Use any source, including the EPA site (http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/lterms.html),

to find brief definitions for the following terms used in toxicity studies and

regulations; LD, LD50, LC, LC50, LOAEL.

http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/lterms.html

Part 3. Governmental Information Sources: EPA and NLM


Part 3.1 What is the CASRN and molecular formula for your pollutant?

Part 3.2 Two other names for the pollutant, including the systemic name?

Part 3.3 Where does pollutant occur?

Part 3.4 Does your pollutant have a toxicity table?

Part 3.5 Provide definitions:

a. LD

b. LD50

c. LC

d. LC50

e. LOAEL


library.tamu.edu




3. Click

Search

Library Module 3: Governmental Information Sources: EPA and NLM



the database


5. Enter your element or compound as

the search term. He click Search.

IRIS Search Screen


IRIS Search Results

If you want to view the IRIS record for your

substance, click the substance name.

7. Go back to the IRIS homepage.

6. Note the CASRN


8. Select ChemIDplus, a

companion database to IRIS

9. Enter your element or compound as

the search term. He click Search.


ChemIDplus Record

10. Click the buttons below for alternate names, chemical formulas, and

toxicological information. “Notes” may contain information about uses.


Exercise 3.5


library.tamu.edu




3. Click

Search

NOTE: You can find definitions for environmental

terms in one of EPA’s glossaries, as well as some

dictionaries and handbooks found in Knovel.

Here is the URL for one of EPS’s glossaries:

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/glossary/index.html


Exercise 3.5



the database


Exercise 3.5

5. Enter your search term

and click GO.


Exercise 3.5

6. Click on the link to look at the definition.

NOTE: You may need to look through

several of these online handbooks

and dictionaries to find a definition.

You might also consider using the

EPA Glossary mentioned on Slide 28


Part 4. Finding Information in Chemical Handbooks

4.1 Use CHEMnetBASE, Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, or

Knovel Database to find information on your pollutant, including melting point,

boiling point, and uses.

4.2 Identify the sources (substances) used to manufacture this chemical.

4.3 If the pollutant is naturally occurring, where is it found?


Part 4.1 Melting point, boiling point, and uses

Part 4.2 Substances required for manufacture

Part 4.3 Where it is found in nature (if naturally occurring)

Part 4. Finding Information in Chemical Handbooks

1. Go to

library.tamu.edu

2. Select “Databases”

3. Enter CHEMnetBASE

as the search term

4. Click on the link for

CHEMnetBASE

5. Select the Combined

Chemical Dictionary

Library Module 4: Finding Information in Chemical Handbooks

6. Enter the name of the substance.

Then click Search.

NOTE: Search by CASRN (instead of chemical name) if the chemical

name search is unproductive (i.e., too many of the wrong results).


7. Click the Details icon.

NOTE: If your substance is not in the Combined Chemical Dictionary, search

Knovel or the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.


8. Contains information on sources,

uses, and physical properties.


Part 5. Database for Locating Superfund Sites in Texas by County: TCEQ

Using this website,

http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/remediation/superfund/sites/county/index.html,

complete the following for one Superfund site located in the county where you

are from. (Example: Dallas, Houston, Navarro, etc.) If your county isn’t listed,

then select a neighboring county that is more populated or industrialized.

Superfund Site Name

Location

Status

Types of Facilities

Category

Last Date Updated

Media Affected

Latitude

Longitude

Hazard Ranking Score (HRS)

Contaminants at Time of HRS

TCEQ Region

Legislative District

http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/remediation/superfund/sites/county/index.html

1. Go to the following URL:


2. Select a county.

NOTE: If your county

is not listed, choose a

nearby county.

Part 5. Database for Locating Superfund Sites in Texas by County: TCEQ


3. Select a site.

Library Module 5. Database for Locating Superfund Sites in Texas by County: TCEQ

4. Obtain data for your assignment from

this webpage.

NOTE: Not all sites will have data in

a tabular form or be as detailed.

Library Module 5. Database for Locating Superfund Sites in Texas by County: TCEQ

Part 6. Learning How This Pollutant Affects or Might be Handled

by Professionals in Your Major Area of Study

6.1 Use the Subject Guides link on the university libraries homepage to find the

subject guide for your major or a related field (http://guides.library.tamu.edu/).

Select one of the databases listed. Identify the name of the subject guide, the

name of the database, and your major.

6.2 Find an article in the database that addresses how professionals in your

chosen field deal with or are affected by the pollutant, or if the particular

pollutant isn’t listed, by pollution in general. A business major, for example,

might search a business database to find an article on the financial impact of

pollution abatement for the chemical. A liberal arts major could use newspaper

databases to determine how the media has covered pollution caused by the

chemical. Consider terms such as public health, occupational exposure, and

risk to workers. Write a short summary of your findings and provide the

citation to the article. Write no more than half a page. If you do not find material

in 20 minutes, then please ask for help. Include the citation.


Part 6.1 Name of the subject guide

Name of the database

Major

Part 6.2 Attach the article summary (typed) with the appropriate citation.

Part 6. Learning How This Pollutant Affects or Might be Handled

by Professionals in Your Major Area of Study

Library Module 6: Pollution and Your Chosen Profession

To locate a subject guide:


library.tamu.edu

2a. Click “Subject (History, Chemistry, etc)” to search

for a subject guide.

OR

2b. Click “Subject Librarians” for a list of subject guides

and librarians. This approach may be better since it

takes you directly to the list.

Clicking the “Subject Librarian” link

resulted in this list of subject guides.

3. Select a subject guide for your field.


4. Some subject guides will have databases listed under the

“Getting Started” tab, but others may have databases listed

under an “Articles” or “Databases” tab.

5. Select a database to search the

journal literature for that discipline.


6. Enter search terms 7. Click Search


8. Choose an article. You can click on

the article title to see an abstract.

9. If the full-text is not available in the

database, use the “Find Text @ TAMU”

button to see if the library has the article

online or in print.


10. The library has the article available

online. Click one of the links to access.

11. If not available online, check LibCat

to see if we have it in print.


Education

Library Handout CHEM 111 - Part 1 to Part 6