• STN Basics Tutorial TOC
• Course Organization Chart

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STN Basics Tutorial TOC

Welcome to a self-paced training module designed to teach the basics of searching STN online for references to scientific and technical documents. Training includes online practice in the learning files of major STN databases. The module requires approximately 3-4 hours to complete.

• How to Use this Module
• Introduction to STN Basics
• Course Organization Chart

 

Training Module - Part 1

• What is STN?
• How Do I Access STN? 
• How Can I Find Out More About the Content of Databases on STN?
• What Does the Information in a Database Look Like?
• What Should I Know About How a Search Works?
• How Do I Communicate with STN?
  • Command Line Format
  • Basic Commands for Searching STN

 

Training Module - Part 2

• How Do I Search STN?
  • Plan Your Work Offline
    • Step 1: Define the Scope of Your Search
    • Step 2: Identify Relevant Files
    • Step 3: Build Your Search Query
      • A) Identify the main search concepts
      • B) Choose a set of alternate search terms
      • C) Assign logic operators to combine terms
      • D) Use "Wild Card" symbols to allow for word variations

 

Training Module - Part 3

• -Work Your Plan Online
  • Step 4: Logon to STN International
  • Step 5: Conduct an Exploratory Search
  • Step 6: Evaluate Answers at No Cost
  • Step 7: Refine Your Search
  • Step 8: Display Answers in More Detail
  • Step 9: Logoff from STN

 

Training Module - Part 4

• Additional Search Tools
  • Proximity Operators
  • Arranging Answers in Relevance Order

Accessory Material to the Training Module

• Skills Practice Problems with Solutions
• Online Practice Problems (in Learning Files) with Solutions
• Examples

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