| Engineering indexes

Engineering information resources

Indexes and Databases for Engineering

Finding what articles there are on a topic using Indexes and Databases

You cannot use the Library's Catalogue to find journal articles on a topic.
Published indexes, known as databases in electronic form, enable you to find out what has been written in individual articles from journals, in papers given at conferences and in books on a particular topic. Most of these indexes are commercial services which are not freely available on the internet.

This section lists the databases and indexes, available through Library subscriptions, in electronic and/or print form, that cover aspects of engineering.
Follow the links for access to the databases. Most publishers restrict access to the electronic form of their publications; databases, journals or books; to staff and students of the subscribing University, so you be asked for authentication of your status before you are linked to the database.

Remember - these indexes are international in coverage; the Barr Smith Library does not provide access to all of the articles listed in the indexes.

Finding the text of an article
In some databases there will be a link from the reference to the full text of the article, where the Library has a subscription to the journal.

If this is not the case, check the Library's Catalogue (by: Journal or Newspaper Title) for the title of the journal in which the article is published. Where your reference is to a conference paper search by: Keyword (use and, or, not " ") and type in selected words from the name of the conference with the command word and in between each search word.

Remember to compare your reference with the range of issues (Holdings) the Library has for a particular journal or conference. If the Library does not have the item you want click here to see if another library in Adelaide has the journal you want or use the Library's Document Delivery service.

If you have any queries contact Kay Leverett, the Engineering Librarian.

Useful Shortcuts
ACM Digital Library
AESIS
AGIS
AGRICOLA
APA-FT
ARCH
ATRI
Australian Standards Online
AVE
BUILD
Business Source Complete
CAB Abstracts
CEDB
CHERUB
Compendex
DoE Information Bridge
Earthquake engineering abstracts
Elibrary
Elixir
EnergyFiles
Emerad Fulltextl
ENGINE
EVA
Expanded Academic ASAP GeoBase
GeoRef
IngentaConnect
INSPEC
MathSciNet
NISEE
Patents
Philosopher's index
PIO: Periodicals Index Online
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
PubMed
RAM-PC
SciFinder Scholar
STREAMLINE
Standards s
TRIS
Water resources abstracts

Library Catalogue
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Intercampus requests InterLibrary Loans
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Library home page

The School of Engineering
University of Adelaide

Indexes and databases for all engineering disciplines

These sources cover journal articles, conference papers and research reports. A note is given where an index or database covers additional types of materials.

The titles listed below have a broad coverage; more specific abstracts and indexes are listed in subject groups. The date of coverage is given after the title; check this if you are interested only in current material. In a few cases the publishers do not supply this information!

Compendex 1884-
An international coverage of the engineering literature. Abstracts are given in English with an indication of the original language where this is not English.

For electrical and electronic engineering, manufacturing, robotics, applications of computer science see
INSPEC 1898-
An international coverage. Abstracts are given in English with an indication of the original language where this is not English.

Applied mechanics reviews 1948-1999
Reference collection 620.105 A6525

Applied science and technology index 1958-1996
Joint Store PPP 25644-25696

Australian science abstracts 1922-1957
Reference collection 505 A93
continued in
Australian science index 1957-1983
Reference collection 505 A93.2

British technology index 1962-1980
Joint Store PPP 26232-26250
continued in
Current technology index 1981-1995
Joint Store PPP 25229-25243

CSIRO published papers: subject index 1916-1968
Reference collection 505 A93cc
continued in
CSIRO abstracts 1958-1974
Reference collection 505 A93c
continued in
CSIRO index 1975-1986
Reference collection 505 A93cs

GrayLIT Network: a science portal of technical reports
A search tool for access to a wide range of US government-funded research reports

Industrial arts index 1913-1957
Reference collection 605 A649
continued in
Applied science & technology index 1958-1996
Reference collection 605 A649

Institution of Engineers, Australia. Author and subject index of publications 1920-1968; 1975-1981
Reference collection 620.6 I59a
continued in
ENGINE 1980-

International catalogue of scientific literature 1902-1915 [sections B, Mechanics; C, Physics; D, Chemistry]
Reference collection 505 I609

J.C. Poggendorff Biographisch-literarisches Handwörterbuch der exakten Naturwissenschaften [up to 1962. New series to date]
Reference collection 501.6 P74

Repertorium commentationum [T.7, Mathesis; Mechanica; Hydrostatica; Hydraulica; Hydrotechnia; Aerostatica; Pneumatica; Technologia; Architectura Civilis; Scientia Navalis; Scientia Militaris] [papers published in the 17th and 18th centuries]
Reference collection 501.6 R446

Royal Society of London. Catalogue of scientific papers 1800-1900
Reference collection 501.6 R8

Science citation index 1970-1979
Main Collection 505 S41045

Web of Science 1980-
Having some overlap into engineering, Web of Science indexes the names of authors of both current articles and the articles listed as references in the current articles.
This database may be useful where you want to know if another article is listing as a reference (citing) an article that is interesting to your work.

A selection of broad general databases are listed at the end of this page. These may be useful for public comment such as in newspapers and public comment journals.

Specialised indexes for aspects of engineering

In addition to the broad coverage databases and indexes listed above, there are many with a specialised coverage. A selection is listed below by broad subject.
For an alphabetical list of databases available see the left-hand column.

See also Resource Guides for other Subjects | Agriculture | Architecture | Business | Computer Science | Environmental Studies | Education | Engineering history & heritage | Geography | government publications | Law | Management | Mathematics | Medicine | newspapers | Philosophy l Plants and Animals | multidisciplinary databases |

For acoustics and vibrations see

Acoustics abstracts 1967-1993
Reference collection 534.05 A185
Later issues are kept in the Mechanical Engineering School.

For aerospace engineering

IAA: International aerospace abstracts 1961-1986
Reference collection 629.1305 I61

Industrial aerodynamics abstracts 1970-1990
Reference collection 533.6205 I42

STAR: scientific and technical aerospace reports 1963-1995
Main collection 629.1305 S416

NASA Technical Reports Server includes -

NACA Collection 1917-1958

NASA Collection 1958-

For an Australian perspective see

AESIS: Australia's National Geosciences, Minerals and Petroleum Reference Database 1975-2001

ATRI: Australian transport index 1976-

BUILD: Australian Building Construction and Engineering 1985-2000

ENGINE: Australian Engineering Database 1980-

For automobile engineering

SAE transactions and literature developed 1966-1983
Reference collection 629.0405 S127
continued in
Annual index/abstracts of SAE technical papers 1984-
Reference collection 629.0405 S127.2

For chemical engineering, chemical substances, engineering materials see

SciFinder Scholar 1907-
The international index to all aspects of chemistry, its theories and applications. Includes patents.

CHERUB 1989-
Indexes the content of the major English-language chemical engineering journals.

Solid-liquid flow abstracts 1973-1990
Reference collection 620.5 S686
continued in
Fluid abstracts: process engineering 1992-1999
Reference collection 620.10605 F646

Theoretical chemical engineering abstracts 1964-2000
Reference collection 660.05 T25

For civil engineering see also

CEDB: Civil Engineering DataBase 1973-

Abstract journal in earthquake engineering 1972-1996
Reference collection 624.176205 A164
continued in
Earthquake Engineering Abstracts 1971-

Concrete abstracts 1977-1999
Reference collection 624.183405 C744

Construction references 1970-1990
Reference collection 690.05 C758

GeoBase 1980-

NISEE : National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering 1972-

For communications

Electronics & Communications Abstracts 1967-1993
Joint Store P27408-27453

JICST-E file standard SDI. Electronics & communications Y.
Joint Store PPP 12881-12893

For applications of computing to aspects of engineering try

ACM digital library 1985-

For defence science and engineering

Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Technical Reports Collection

For electronics

Electronics & Communications Abstracts 1967-1993
Joint Store P27408-27453

For energy issues see

Abstracts of science & technology in Japan: energy technology 1987-1993
Reference collection 621.04205 A1671

DOE Information Bridge

EnergyFiles

EPRI journal 1993-2001; 2005-

Fuel and Energy Abstracts 1978-2000
Reference collection 662.05 F95.3

Fuel and Energy Abstracts Online 1995-

JICST-E file standard SDI. Energy technology Z 1994-1998
Reference collection 621.04205 A1671

For fire technology

References to scientific literature on fire 1944-1980
Reference collection 628.9205 F522
continued in
Fire science abstracts 1981-1985
Reference collection 628.9205 F323
continued in
Fire information bulletin 1994-1999
Reference collection 628.9205 F323

For food technology

Food science and technology abstracts 1969-1997
Waite Library Reference 664.05 F6865

For geotechnical engineering see

AESIS: Australia's National Geosciences, Minerals and Petroleum Reference Database 1975-2001

GeoRef 1933- for international coverage, 1785- for North American material

Geotechnical abstracts 1970-1993
Reference collection 624.1505 G352

For heat and thermal engineering

Heat bibliography 1958-1975
Reference collection 536.05 H437

Heat transfer & fluid flow digest 1977-1984
Reference collection 536.05 H4377
continued in
HTFS digest 1992-2001
Reference collection 536.05 H4377

For hydraulics

Civil engineering hydraulics abstracts 1974-1990
Joint Store PPP 26556-26575
continued in
Fluid abstracts: civil engineering 1991-1999
Joint Store PPP 22576-26593

For engineering materials see

BCIRA abstracts 1969-1996
Reference collection 671.06 B8b

Metallurgical abstracts 1934-1967
Reference collection 669.05 M581
continued in
Metals abstracts 1968-1995
Reference collection 669.05 M5882

For manufacturing

RAM-PC: Recent Advances in Manufacturing 1984-

For mathematics

International abstracts in operations research 1961-1999
Main Collection 658.05 I61

MathSciNet 1940-

Statistical theory and method abstracts 1964-2001
Main Collection 310.5 S79

Zentralblatt fur Mathematik (Mathematics abstracts)   1931-1996
Main collection 510.5 Z5

For mechanical engineering

ISMEC 1973-1993
Joint Store P27309-27352

Tribos 1968-1991
Reference collection 621.8905 T822

For mining

IMM abstracts 1966-2006
Reference collection 622.06 I48
from 1995 the annual index is on CD-ROM in the AV collection 622.06 I48

For petroleum

SPE eLibrary

International petroleum abstracts 1973-1998
Reference collection 665.05 I61

Fuel and Energy Abstracts 1978-2000
Reference collection 662.05 F95.3

Fuel and Energy Abstracts Online 1995-

For regional and social issues

CEDB: Civil Engineering DataBase 1973-

GeoBase 1980-

For structural engineering see

BUILD: Australian Building Construction and Engineering 1985-

Concrete abstracts 1977-1999
Reference collection 624.183405 C744

Construction references 1970-1990
Reference collection 690.05 C758

International building services abstracts 1978-
Reference collection 697.05 I61

For transportation see

ATRI: Australian transport index 1960-

Automobile abstracts 1968-1971
Reference collection 629.205 A937
continued in
MIRA automobile abstracts 1975-2000
Reference collection 629.205 A937

TRIS Online: Transportation research information service. National Transportation Library 1966 -

For water engineering

Civil engineering hydraulics abstracts 1974-1990
Joint Store PPP 26556-26575
continued in
Fluid abstracts: civil engineering 1991-1999
Joint Store PPP 22576-26593

STREAMLINE: Australia's Natural Resources Database 1982-

Water Resources Abstracts 1967-

Specialised indexes from other disciplines - useful for aspects of engineering

From Agriculture

AGRICOLA 1970-

CAB Abstracts 1910-

for an Australian emphasis see -

ANR-index: Agriculture & Natural Resources Index 2000-

ANR-Index: Archive 1975-2000

AANRO: Australian Agriculture and Natural Resources Online. From the CSIRO.

From Architecture and Design

ARCH: Australian architecture database 1980-

Royal Institute of British Architects Library RIBA Online catalogue

AVE: Avery index to architectural periodicals 1880-

From Business, Economics & Management

ABIX on CD-ROM: Australasian Business Intelligence 1992- 1998
Electronic database machine 333

Business Australia Online A selection of small, specialised databases with the date of coverage depending on the database supplier.

Business source complete 1965-

Emerald Fulltext 1989-

GIBLIN: Giblin Working Papers Database Current 5 years of a range of academic and financial reports

International abstracts in operations research 1961-1999
Reference collection 658.05 I61

IREL: Australian industrial relations database 1983-

MEDGE: Management EDGE 1985-

Operations research/Management science 1961-1999
Main collection 658.05 O615

Quality control and applied statistics 1966-1999
Main collection 658.505 Q2

From Ecology and Environment

Aquatic sciences and fisheries abstracts -
ASFA 1: Biological sciences and living resources 1971-
ASFA2: Ocean technology, policy and non-living resources 1978-1998
Main Collection 574.9205 A657
ASFA 3: Aquatic pollution and environmental quality 1990-

BIOSIS previews: Biological abstracts 1980-

Geobase 1980- Includes Ecological abstracts

EVA: environmental abstracts 1987-

From Education

AEI: Australian Education Index 1978-

ERIC: Education Resources Information Center 1966-

From History

Historical abstracts 1967-

for Australia see
APA-FT 1978-
AHB: Australian heritage bibliography 1987-

for United Kingdom see
Royal Historical Society Bibliography 1900

for Asia see
Bibliography of Asian Studies 1971-

for history of science see

ISIS 1913-

From Law

AFPD: Australian Federal Police Database 1991-

AGIS: Attorney General's Information Service 1974-

CINCH: Australian criminology database 1976-

Index to legal periodicals 1981-

Legal periodicals retro 1918-1981

LexisNexis AU 2004-

From Medicine

AustHealth 1997-

DRUG 1974-

PsycInfo 1983-

PubMED 1966-

From Philosophy

Philosopher's index 1940-

From the Social Sciences

APA-FT: Australian public affairs Full text 1978-

ATI: Australian tourism index 1982-2000

AUSPORT 1988-

Contemporary Women's Issues 1992-

FAMILY: Australian family and society abstracts 1980-

MAIS: Multicultural Australia & Immigration Studies 1988-

Popline: POPulation information on LINE 1970-

Sociological abstracts 1952-

Multidisciplinary indexes which may offer useful comment on issues in engineering

Academic Search Premier 1865-

Proquest dissertations and theses 1861- An index to North American higher degree theses. Gradually some universities from other countries are being included.

Elibrary 1995-

Expanded academic index 1980-

IngentaConnect 1988-

Periodicals index online 1665-1995 An international index to some 4,500 journals from their first volume to 1995

Newspapers

Can be useful sources of contemporary comment on an event. Full text is provided with many of the electronic versions of these indexes.

BNI: British newspaper index 1994-2000
Library workstation 331

Dow Jones business news 1997-

Elibrary 1900-

New York Times index 1851-
Reference collection 05 N53y

Palmers index to the Times 1790-1905
Library workstation 331
continued in
Times index 1906-1992
Reference collection 05 T58a
continued in
BNI: British newspaper index 1990-
Library workstation 331

Factiva 1995-
Offers a current news service with an international coverage from a large number of newspapers.

For more links go to the Library's Newspapers and News services site