• Use unique or unusual terms whenever possible
• Combine terms with 'and' and 'not' to narrow a search and 'or' to widen.
• Put phrases in quotes: "supernova remnant"
• Perform more than one search
• Perform the same searches in more than one database, search engine, etc.
• Evaluate sources - see checklist
  
  

• This is a database of abstracts. It is good for locating articles on a particular subject or topic, or by a particular author or authors. Some full text articles can be accessed through ADS, but not all. ADS is good for getting citation information on articles that interest you.
• Have a plan for your search. What is the best approach: search by author(s)? Object? Title terms? Date range? Journal(s)?
• Use as many unique terms or combinations thereof as possible. Mine terms from abstracts if needed.
• Authors specialize – search by name, co-authors, etc.
• If you are getting too many results, utilize the filters, sorting and settings options to further refine your search.
• To find related articles:
  • use the keyword search, or
  • follow 'U' (Also-read articles) links, or
  • Find Similar Abstracts links within the citation hyperlinks.

It is divided into four sections from top to bottom:

1. Abstract Query Form - you should master this
2. Filters - you probably won't use this much
3. Sorting - only needed in certain circumstances
4. Settings - can be useful
   
   

1. Abstract Query Form

• Preferences - Use the preferences form if you are a regular user of the database. The forms let you customize some settings for viewing and printing articles. More information.
  
  
• Database query choices Next you can choose which databases to query. You can select more than one: Astronomy, Instrumentation, Physics/Geophysics, LANL Preprints.
  
  
• Authors
  
  
  1. Use the Exact Author name search to find all variations of an author or authors’ name(s). Just input your authors last name – or the first few letters followed by an "*" (example: chandr*) – and the first letter of his/her first name followed by an "*". (chandr*, s*). Press send and it will jump to that place in the list.
     
     
  2. Check the boxes next to all variations of the author names. You can do more than one author at a time. Press Send
     
     
     • Use the checkboxes if you are searching for the work of one author.
     • Use the checkboxes if you want all works by two or more authors. This will not limit results to co-authored works.
       
       
  3. When using the textbox, type one author name per line or separate with semi-colons.
     
     
     • Use the textbox to search for co- or multiple-authored works. Use the and radio button.
       
       
  4. Scroll down the form to Sorting and select sort by author first name of you are targeting a particular author.
     
     
  5. Scroll down the form to Settings and select Require field for selection: Authors, if you are targeting a particular author.

  
  Warning: If you bypass selecting your author through the checkboxes provided through the Authors link or the Exact author name search, and just type a name into the text box, you may miss some articles because you did not search all variations on their name (Schramm, David Norman; Schramm, David N.; Schramm D. N., etc).

  Note: You cannot search ADS by author affiliation. More information.

• Object Name search
  
  If you are searching for data on an object, select the appropriate database: SIMBAD is galactic objects, NED is extragalactic stuff, LPI is lunar and planetary targets, and IAUC Objects are transient phenomena like comets, supernovae, variable stars, etc.
  
  
  • Click the Objects link for more information.
    
    
• Use the Object Name Search link to identify all names of a particular object.
  
  
• Scroll down the form to Settings and select Require field for selection if you’re targeting a particular object.
  
  
• Publication date
  
  Narrow your search by limiting the date. If no limits are set, the full date range (Back to volume 1 for scanned articles, or back to 1975 for unscanned ones.) will be searched.
  
  
• Title Words
  
  
  • Use this instead of the keyword text box to retrieve a smaller pool of results.
    
    
  • Put phrases in quotes, i.e., "baryonic dark matter"
    
    
  • Use and radio button.
    
    
• Text Words
  
  
  • Combine search terms with and radio button
    
    
  • Put phrases in quotes: "eclipsing binary"
    
    
• Journal/Volume/Page

  Use if you want to search a particular journal. Most journal Web sites lack a quick and easy way to search past articles by topic. Keep this option in mind.

• Current Journals/Unread Journals
  
  Wow! A great feature. Provides abstracts of articles in the recent major astronomy journals. One stop shopping. ADS is worth this feature alone.
  

2. Filters - you probably won't use this much.

• Entry date

Enter "-31" in the Day field to select all new entries in ADS in the past month.

• Minimum Score

  You will probably never use this!

• Select References From
  
  
  • Use to limit your search to refereed or non-refereed sources.
    
    
  • See source descriptions for more information.
    
  
  
• Select References With/Select References In
  
  
• Use if you want to tailor your citations.

3. Sorting – only needed in certain circumstances

• Sort based on what you are looking for. This option can be useful if you are looking for older material or the work of a particular author or authors.

 

4. Settings – can be useful

• Require field for selection

  This setting is very useful for focusing your search on a particular author or object and eliminating material of lesser importance.

• Synonym replacement
  
  
  • Turn this off!
    
    
  • Put a "#" symbol in front of individual words you would like to retain synonym replacement for.
    
    
  • Use truncation symbols instead (accret* = accretion, accrete, accreting, etc.)
    
    
    
• Relative Weights/Use for Weighting/Weighted Scoring

  Use if you like to further refine importance of author, object, title, abstract fields in your search.

Once you get some results you like

• Select articles you would like by checking the check box next to the citation. Click on the citation for more information.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Retrieve selected references
• Under Find papers related to the above articles select any choice you would like. Most of those choices will retrieve a huge number of further references.
• If you use Find papers similar to selected articles, select only the Titles checkbox next to the button, to get a more reasonable number of results.
• Print out full text of papers you want or print citations and access individually. See ADS Viewing/Printing Options for more information on printing articles.