Guide to science resources and research
The Library has a great range of handpicked resources for our science students and researchers...
... and this guide will help you to find and use them! This is the general guide for Science. For subject or discipline specific resources, please use the links on the right. If you're confident with using the library and searching for information, you might want to head directly to the guide for postgraduates and staff in the sciences.
Find out how to:
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Finding information for your topic, subject or assignment:
The type of information that you're looking for will determine how to go about finding it. The most common sources of information are:
- Books and specific journals: search the library catalogue
- Journal articles on a specific subject: you'll need to search a database (see below)
Searching for Journals Vs Journal articles. There is a BIG difference! If you're looking for articles on a specific subject, you'll need to search a database. If you know the title of the specific journal you're after (ie: you know that the article was published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry) and just need to find out whether we have the journal here in the library, the best place to look is the library catalogue.
You may also be interested in finding more specific types of information:
Recommended databases for science
There are a couple of large databases that provide broad coverage of the sciences, however we generally recommend you use the databases that are most relevant to your subject area. Subject specific database recommendations are available on the Resource Guides. But if you're still keen, two databases that cover a broad range of science subjects areas are:
- Web of Science or Scopus
Large databases covering science and other subjects, which let you search for specific topics.
- Academic Onefile or Academic search premier
Good for quickly finding full-text information for essays and assignments but not nearly as comprehensive as those listed above. These two cover a broad range of information, and some of the major science publications. However if you're wanting to do a thorough search you will need to use other databases as well (such as Web of Science and Scopus).
Need a book or journal that's not available in the Library?
There may be a specific book or journal that you'd like to look at. Or you may find that the Library doesn't have a wide range of books or journals on your topic. To find out what else there is out there, or to find which Libraries already have the items you're interested in, you may like to:
- Check the catalogues of other South Australian University Libraries and the State Library of SA (don't forget that UoA students have borrowing rights at UniSA and Flinders, although there is some fine print, so please check before you go visiting!).
- Search Libraries Australia to see if the item is held in an Australian Library.
- There are also a number of international catalogues that you can search.
If the item is not held locally - or it is in one of the many special libraries in SA from which you can't borrow directly - you can use the document delivery service. Read more on document delivery.
Blitz your studies: top 4 Library tips!
- Make a request
Item held at the Joint Store, Waite or Roseworthy? Someone else got it out on loan? You can request the item and have it waiting for you on the holds shelf once it arrives back at the Barr Smith. Requesting is easy, painless and very, very useful! Read more about requesting items...
- Get to know Endnote
Have you ever finished your assignment... only to realise that you've still got to spend ages formatting and tidying up your reference list? EndNote is software that lets you keep track of the references you use in your assignments or essays, and it is freely available to all University of Adelaide staff and students. Once you've started using EndNote you'll be wondering how you ever survived without it! Read more about EndNote...
- Google is good but a library database may just be better!
Google is fantastic, but often you'll save time and effort by using a library database (which is a lot like Google, but only includes scholarly or academically approved results). Use a resource guide to find out which databases are best for your subject.
- If you're stuck, make sure to ask a library staff member. We're here to help you get the most from your studies!
Help and further information...
Library staff are always on hand to help. In fact, we actually like to help! Just ask at the information desk, give us a call on +61 8 8303 5372 or send an email to library@adelaide.edu.au. Alternatively, you can contact your subject area's Research Librarian or check out the Library A to Z, which has information on most library services and resources. You might also like to have a go at the Science Library tutorial for Undergraduate students!
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