1. Physics, Engineering and Computing: Key databases
Ljilja Ristic, MScChem PGDiplLIS MCLIP
Physical Sciences Librarian
Subject Consultant
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

2. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Session overview
Resources for research
Electronic resources on Oxlip+
How to find databases, e-journals, e-books…
Key databases and how to search them
Chance to practise
RSL subject web pages
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

3. Electronic resources at Oxford
An extensive collection of electronic databases, e-journals,
e-books, standards online, conference proceedings …
Oxlip+ - Oxford University e-resources
MetaLib search engine provides Find resource by (title or subject);
Crossearch option (multiple sources); and My Resources space.
Search or browse the resources from Subject or Title List.
Direct access from University Network
Use your SSO for remote access
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

4. Union Catalogue of Oxford’s libraries
Accessing Oxford’s print collections:
SOLO – Search Oxford Libraries Online
OLIS - Union Catalogue of Oxford Libraries
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

5. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Electronic databases
Include published research
Subject specific
Index thousands of journals
International literature
Peer reviewed
Provide references and abstracts
Accessing databases:
Directly from Oxford University network (no password required)
For remote access
use your SSO log in
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

6. Subject specific databases
ANTE CSA - Abstracts in New Technologies and Engineering - Computing
High Technology Research with Aerospace
INSPEC - Physics, Engineering, Computing
MathSciNet– AMS Mathematical Reviews
Compendex Ei – Engineering
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

7. Subject specific databases
CSA High Technology Research with Aerospace
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
Sources covered include over 3,000 periodicals,
conference proceedings, technical reports, trade
journal, patents, books, and press releases.
Subfiles can be searched separately:
Aerospace and High Technology database
Computer and Information systems
Electronics and Communications Abstracts
Solid state and Superconductivity Abstracts
Information Technology Case Studies
The subfiles can also be CrossSearched on Oxlip+
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

8. Subject specific databases
INSPEC
For Physics, Engineering, Computing , Applied Maths …
Comprehensive database covering physics, computing, electrical and electronic engineering
Indexes approx 4200 journals, 1000 conferences,books, reports, dissertations
Coverage from 1969 – to date/Updated weekly
Published by the IET
Available from Engineering Village
Access this database from Oxlip+
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

9. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

10. Multidisciplinary databases
Web of Knowledge
Web of Science® with Conference Proceedings
Science Citation Index Expanded (1945-present)
databases cover more than 4000 journals
Social Sciences Citation Index (1956-present)
Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present)
Journal Citation Reports® ( )
Produced by ISI/Thomson
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

11. More electronic resources
ACM Digital Archive e-journals, proceedings …
AIP Conference Proceedings
British Standards Online - BSOL
IEEE/IEE Electronic Library
e-journals, conference proceedings, standards 
Lecture Notes in Computer Science (e-book series)
Lecture Notes in Mathematics (e-book series)
SIAM e-journals
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

12. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Internet gateways
Quality assessed Internet sites:
ADS – Astrophysics Data System
arXiv.org – Open Access Physics, Maths, Comp
CoRR – Computing Research Repository
Intute - Science, Engineering and Technology
PhysMathCentral
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

13. E-journals http://sfx7.exlibrisgroup.com/oxford/az
Oxford University electronic journals
OU e-journals
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

14. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

15. Searching e-databases
Define a topic/a search question
Break your search question into concepts
Select search terms to describe concepts
Create a search strategy
Select appropriate subject database(s)
Search electronic databases
Find more search terms from retrieved records
Repeat a search in another database
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

16. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Search techniques
Boolean operators:
AND to narrows down a search
OR to broaden a search (synonyms)
NOT to exclude some terms
Search tips:
Use wildcard and truncation (?, *)
Include alternative terms
Include different spelling
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

17. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Sample search
We are interested in:
“Quantum programming languages”
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

18. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
AND, OR, NOT
Imagine each circle contains the articles you would find by doing a search.
Lilac circle shows what you would find if you searched for the term Genetics.
Green circle shows what you would find if you searched for Population
Blue circle shows what you would find if you searched for Molecular.
Search for Genetics OR Population OR Molecular would find all the results.
Genetics AND Population would find the green/lilac overlap
Genetics AND molecular would find the lilac/blue overlap
Genetics AND Population AND Molecular would find only the triangular bit in the middle
NOT will start excluding areas e.g. Genetics NOT Molecular would find all of the lilac area, except for the blue overlap.
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

19. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Reference tools
Keeping and organising your references:
Export your search results into reference management software
Save results using an appropriate file format
or Print results and then enter into the software
Keep up-to-date by setting up database alerts
Update your search regularly
Link to reference management software
(Refworks and Endnote Web)
You may want to purchase your own copy of EndNote.
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

20. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
The Copyright Law
Photocopying, printing and downloading
from printed and electronic books and journals:
one book chapter
one journal article
Up to 5%
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

21. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
“ ..is the act of representing as one’s own original work
the creative works of another, without appropriate acknowledgment of the author or source
(University of Melbourne, 2007)
“.. Is copying or paraphrasing of other people’s work or ideas into your own work without full acknowledgment
(Educational Policy and Standards - University of Oxford
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

22. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
How do you avoid it?
To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you
use:
another person’s idea, opinion, or theory;
any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of information—that are not common knowledge;
quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words; or
paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words.
These guidelines were taken from the Student Code of Rights,
Responsibilities and Conduct, Indiana University website.
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

23. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Subject support
Visit the RSL Subject web pages
Contact your subject librarian for:
Group and individual consultation about resources
Literature searching of electronic databases
Finding full-text articles
Exporting references
Setting up alerts
Keeping up-to-date
Using reference management software
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800

24. Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800
Contacts
Ljilja Ristic, MScChem PGDiplLIS MCLIP
Physical Sciences Librarian Subject Consultant
Tel.(01865)
The Radcliffe Science Library – Enquiry Desks
Tel or
Or visit the RSL Library web site
Radcliffe Science Library, Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QP, Tel.(01865)272800