LibGuides: Chemistry: A Guide to Research Resources: Journals & Databases

Chemistry-related Databases at Otago

Article databases list and classify articles from scholarly publications, primarily peer-reviewed journals. Each database covers different publications, depending upon its subject matter and scope. Databases link through to the Library's e-journals collections to full-text articles wherever possible.

Note: First-time users must register to use SciFinder-n (CAS).

SciFinder-n (CAS) - access (Subscribed resource)
Group of databases for chemistry information from the American Chemical Society, also called CAS. SciFinder-n is the new platform for SciFinder. First time users must register (below). If you have previously registered using the old version of SciFinder, this existing login will work for SciFinder-n. This comprehensive database for chemical reactions, substances, structures and indexed chemistry patents includes journal abstracts, patents and other literature references on all areas of science and its applications. Also containing detailed information on compounds and substances including their properties, reactions and full synthetic methods as well as protein and nucleotide sequences. A sophisticated Retrosynthesis Planner can also be found in SciFinder-n.
SciFinder-n (CAS) - Registration
First time users must register. Use this link.
SciFinder Training resources
Here are a few helpful resources and links to get you up to speed with SciFinder.

SciFinder-n Quick Reference Guide

CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform This link opens in a new window
The CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform is designed to support multiple stages and types of scientific research. It combines task-specific information solutions including CAS SciFinder-n, CAS Formulus®, CAS Analytical Methods™ and other CAS resources. The CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform supports multifaceted scientific research such as retrosynthetic planning, formulation design, testing-related methods research, and biosequence searching. Access the platform using your SciFinder-n username and password, or first time users must register using the "CAS SciFinder-n registration" link above.
CAS: Analytical Methods This link opens in a new window
CAS Analytical MethodsTM is a curated collection of over 500 K step-by-step analytical protocols, extracted from peer reviewed literature and patent sources. Cut down on time searching for analytical methodologies with CAS Analytical MethodsTM, a platform containing collated methodologies highlighting analytes, matrices, reagents, instruments, consumables and validation information, in easy to read and downloadable documents. Access CAS Analytical Methods using your SciFinder-n username and password, or first time users must register using the "CAS SciFinder-n registration" link above.
CAS: Formulus This link opens in a new window
CAS Formulus® is a curated collection of over five million formulation records from peer reviewed literature, patents and product inserts from the US FDA. Access a world leading collection of formulations to evaluate ingredients, manufacturing processes and regulatory information in a user friendly interface. Access CAS Formulus using your SciFinder-n username and password, or first time users must register using the "CAS SciFinder-n registration" link above.
Web of Science All Databases This link opens in a new window
Search across Web of Science Core Collection, BIOSIS Citation Index, Current Contents Connect, Inspec, KCI-Korean Journal Database, Medline, SciELO Citation Index and Zoological Record for comprehensive, multidisciplinary results. 1864+

Inspec (Web of Science, Subscribed resource)
An abstracting/indexing database for journal and proceedings literature in physics, electrical/electronic engineering, computing, control engineering, mechanical engineering, production and manufacturing engineering, and information technology
BIOSIS Citation Index (Web of Science, Subscribed resource)
A citation database covering all major areas in the life sciences, with broad coverage in molecular and cell biology, pharmacology, endocrinology, genetics, neurosciences, infectious diseases, ecology and organismal biology.

Scopus This link opens in a new window
Scopus is a very large abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature, including journals, books and conference proceedings. It covers over 23,000 titles in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, arts and humanities, Though it includes much older content, it reliably covers from 1970-present.
Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites.

Open-Access Databases

Cambridge Structural Database
The CSD records bibliographic, chemical and crystallographic information for organic molecules and metal-organic compounds, whose 3D structures have been determined using X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction.
PubChem
PubChem is a freely accessible online database for chemical information, providing comprehensive information on various chemical entities. Search chemicals by name, molecular formula, structure, and other identifiers.
PubMed
Index to biomedical literature from Medline. Access to full-text articles will be limited to those provided for free by their publishers, unless you access PubMed through the Library (i.e. this page). This way, PubMed connects to the Library's e-journal collections.

Assess your findings

Evaluating and thinking critically about sources of information are important skills to develop and apply while undertaking research.

Not all information is reliable and appropriate for academic work, and not all information is relevant to your particular topic.

You should challenge and reflect on information that you find; don’t just accept everything you read.

Rauru Whakarare Evaluation Framework

Assess sources, based on:
OROKOHANGA - ‘The Origins’: The source of the information
MANA - ‘The Authority’ of the information
WHAKAPAPA - ‘The Background’ of the information
MĀRAMATANGA - ‘The Content’ and usability of the
information
ARONGA - ‘The Lens’ or objectivity of the information

Tutorial link

Work through this tutorial to develop your skills in evaluating information that you find online:

SIFT - Evaluating Information Tutorial

Even though the library databases are good sources of information, we still need to evaluate that information before we decide to use it. You can do this by asking the following questions:

Is the information relevant to your topic?
Who are the authors, are they experts in the field? Who do they work for? What else have they written?
What evidence is given, what references are given, and what methodology is used?
How is the study funded? Is there a bias?
When was the information written, is it still relevant? Has it been updated or amended in light of new evidence?

How to evaluate websites

Use the acronym BADURL to help you evaluate online sources:
B ... Bias
A ... Authority
D ... Date
U ... URL
R ... Relevance
L ... Links

Work through this tutorial to develop your skills in evaluating information that you find online:

What the CRAPP Tutorial

Or apply these terms to assess if the information you have found answers your research question.

Currency

Reliability

Authority

Purpose/Point of view

Research tools

SAGE Campus This link opens in a new window
SAGE Campus supports the teaching and learning of skills and research methods. Online courses are self-paced and instructor-led, engaging mix of SAGE-quality content, video, interactives, and formative assessments. Covers critical skills and research methods for across all stages of academic study; navigating information, data literacy, research skills, data science skills, and getting published.
SAGE Research Methods This link opens in a new window
SAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process. Nearly everyone at a university is involved in research, from students learning how to conduct research to faculty conducting research for publication to librarians delivering research skills training and doing research on the efficacy of library services. SAGE Research Methods has the answer for each of these user groups, from a quick dictionary definition, a case study example from a researcher in the field, a downloadable teaching dataset, a full-text title from the Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences series, or a video tutorial showing research in action.

If the article you need is not online...

Try these options:

Library Search | Ketu
Search the journal title to see if Otago holds the hardcopy of the issue you need.
Interloans
If Otago does not hold the issue in hardcopy, submit an Interloans request for the article. Staff will try to get the article for you from another Library. Article requests are free.

Featured Chemistry Resource

Here is the free complete open-access version of the long-standing peer-reviewed journal, Organic Syntheses.

Review Article Sources

Review articles provide an introduction to and overview of developments in a particular field. They summarise the current state of knowledge and identify articles which have had significant impact.

Here are three journals that are excellent sources of review articles:

Accounts of Chemical Research
From the ACS. Volume 1 (1968) to the present.
Chemical Reviews
From the ACS. Volume 1 (1924) to the present.
Chemical Society Reviews
From the RSC. Volume 1 (1972) to the present.

LibWizard Tutorials

These tutorials are designed to provide a basic introduction to searching the databases.