BIOSIS has created the BIOSIS Search Guide, an essential tool for use in developing
search strategies for BIOSIS Previews and BIOSIS Previews/RN. It will help make
your searches comprehensive, relevant and cost-effective.
The BIOSIS Search Guide is divided into sections providing a variety of aids for search
strategy development, including:
Editorial Policies A description of the scope and content of BIOSIS Previews a n d
BIOSIS Previews/RN including descriptions of data elements and editorial practices.
This section will assist you in understanding and using each data element.
Master Index A list of approximately 20,000 controlled and noncontrolled terms.
Use this section first to determine how to search your topics because it provides
recommendations for truncation, synonyms, and references to relevant Concept Codes
and Biosystematic Codes.
Controlled Keywords A list of the BIOSIS Previews a n d BIOSIS Previews/RN
controlled keywords, including drug affiliations, drug actions, chemical affiliations,
molecular sequence data and bibliographic descriptors, along with definitions and
history notes. Using controlled keywords will help to maximize the number of records
relevant to your search criteria because they are assigned in a standard format.
Concept Codes and Scope Notes A numerically arranged listing of the 571 Concept
Codes available for indexing broad subject areas with descriptions of the coverage and
application for each Concept Code, including examples. Since Concept Codes represent
broad subjects, they eliminate the need to enter long lists of synonyms.
Biosystematic Codes A numeric directory with taxonomic listings of the more than
700 Biosystematic Codes used to index organisms. Consult this section to confirm the
selection of a Biosystematic Code.
Searching Fundamentals A section explaining search strategy development through
the use of complete search examples. Use this section for tips on developing cost-
effective search strategies.
Search System Information A section providing information on commands and data
elements for the search systems currently offering BIOSIS Previews. Examples of
searching each data element are described using the commands for each search system.
G l o s s a r y A listing of definitions for many of the terms encountered in searching.
T h e B I O S I S S e a r c h G u i d e
1 9
T h e B I O S I S S e a r c h G u i d e
The BIOSIS Search Guide
will help make your searches
comprehensive, relevant
and cost-effective.
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
