Subject Guides: Physics: Articles

Library Tutorial

Advanced Library Skills for Physics Research
Advanced literature searching and information evaluation for upper level undergraduates and Master's students in Physics.

Use the CRAAP Test

Currency - Is it timely?

Relevance - Useful for your purposes?

Authority - Who? What is the source?

Accuracy - References to back it up?

Purpose - Why? Is there a bias?

More detailed information on the CRAAP Test

Physics and Interdisciplinary Databases

The following databases feature good coverage of physics in general.

arXiv.org This link opens in a new window
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arXiv.org is an electronic archive and distribution server for open access research papers in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Quantitative Biology and Statistics. It is the best place to find the latest research.
Inspec Archive (1898-1968) This link opens in a new window
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A database covering material in the fields of physics, electrical engineering and electronics, computers and control engineering, and information technology.
Scopus This link opens in a new window
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The world's largest interdisciplinary literature index, including over 67 million journal records. Especially strong in science, engineering, technology, and medicine.
Web of Science - All Databases This link opens in a new window
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A major multidisciplinary database for the sciences and the social sciences, as well as a great research metrics tool.

Medical Physics Database

PubMed (with links to UofA e-journals) This link opens in a new window
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PubMed (1946 to the present) covers the world's biomedical and health sciences journal literature. Includes links to full text licensed by the University of Alberta.

Geophysics Database

Astronomy Databases

Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
ADS is a digital library portal for researchers in astronomy and physics. ADS contains more than 13 million records covering publications in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, and the arXiv preprints.
The Strasbourg Astronomical Data Center (CDS) Portal
The CDS Portal hosts the SIMBAD astronomical database; the VizieR astronomical catalogue service. and the Aladin interactive sky atlas. The CDS Portal searches these databases simultaneously using either object name or coordinates. CDS is best when searching for information and literature about specific astronomical objects.

Particle Physics Database

INSPIRE
INSPIRE is an information platform for high energy physics, that also includes some coverage of related areas including condensed matter physics. It is previously know as SPIRES. Additionally, INSPIRE contains arXiv preprints relevant to particle physics.

Springer Materials This link opens in a new window
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This is the world’s largest database for the identification of physical and chemical properties in Materials Science. It covers data from Materials Science, Physics, Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, Engineering and other related fields. It supports research in the fields of bulk and fine chemical manufacturing, petroleum and petrochemicals, semiconductors and electronic materials, optical metals, ceramics, polymer synthesis and processing, and materials for fuels and energy application.
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics This link opens in a new window
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Coverage includes physical constants of organic compounds, properties of the elements and inorganic compounds, thermochemistry, electrochemistry and kinetics, fluid properties, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, molecular structure ,spectroscopy, atomic, molecular and optical physics, nuclear and particle physics, properties of solids, polymer properties, geophysics, astronomy, acoustics, practical laboratory data, health and safety information. Searchable by text, and by substance/property.

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