Chemistry: IS2 Citation Database Search Skills

Beginners

This session introduces three citation databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed (if relevant to the audience). These databases index all the scientific literature that is published. When used efficiently, and in combination, they are a powerful tool for finding the research publications you need - so you don't miss out on anything. They will be compared and contrasted with each other, and with using Google or Google Scholar, to find citations.

You will be guided on how to search these databases effectively; the session includes a hands-on element where you can practice. The session covers how to set up email alerts for searches and citations, so you can keep up with research published in your field. It also covers how to find metrics and altmetrics available for a journal, journal article, or author, so you can evaluate the quality of a piece of research, or a particular author's research before collaborating with them, for example. It will cover how to export the citations you find to your reference manager so you can easily create a bibliography and/or cite publications in your own work.

The session will be most suitable for those who are new to searching citation databases or would like a refresher.

Please register via Zoom

• Postgraduates
• Further details regarding eligibility criteria are available

Number of sessions: 1

After attending this session participants will be able to:

• Evaluate which database or combination of databases are the most suitable to use for your particular research topic
• How to search a database by journal article title, author name, DOI, and other terms
• Access the full text of journal articles
• Find the correct author
• Find metrics for a journal, journal article, or author
• Refine searches using the search operators available and by combining searches
• Create bibliographies, save, email and print your results
• Export results to reference managers
• Receive alerts every time a particular citation or search (term) finds new results
• Develop an effective search strategy that aligns with the needs of your research topic

This session covers:

• Introduction to the online databases available for chemical literature and structure searching, including citation databases (Web of Knowledge, Scopus, PubMed) and search engines such as Google Scholar
• The best routes for access to databases within the University network and offsite
• How citation databases differ in content - their strengths and weaknesses in covering journal articles, conference proceedings, abstracts, patents, date coverage, books, chemical structures
• Search operators used by different databases
• Advantages and disadvantages of Google Scholar in comparison with citation databases
• Narrowing, widening, and combining searches
• Managing your results list
• Metrics
• Cited reference searching
• Citation alerts
• Unique author identifiers
• Using subject thesauri
• Opportunity for hands-on searching

Presentations, demonstrations, practical.

• One session of 1.5 hours

• Yearly