I need to do some research in Physics. Where do I start?

SEARCH KEYWORDS

To improve your results in HOLLIS, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier, and other multidisciplinary resources, try adding a subtopic, for example, ‘high-energy superconductors,’ or ‘supersymmetry.’

FURTHER GUIDANCE

Marina Werbeloff, the library liaison to the Physics department, is available to support researchers via email or in-person consultation.

Physics Online Information Resources provides a helpful overview of most important physics indexes and preprint databases.

KEY DATABASES

INSPEC (Harvard login): The most complete resource for published physics literature. INSPEC searches over 13 million records, international in scope, in all fields of physics, materials science, computer science, and engineering. Use 'Advanced Search' to limit your keywords to certain fields (e.g., author affiliation, numerical data, etc.) in order to produce more focused results.

Note: INSPEC does not include preprints!

arXiv: A cutting-edge preprint server for many (but not all) major physics fields. Use it to read articles before they are published. Searching options are somewhat limited; some fields of physics not covered.

The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS): A digital library portal for research in Astronomy and Physics. Searches 11.9 million records, covering publications in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, and the arXiv e-prints. If you have limited time to do your research, ADS is an excellent database to use, combining many features of both INSPEC and arXiv.

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