Environmental Science
Why databases?
Searching the library catalogue allows users to complete basic searches of library material and will only shows you items that the library subscribes to, or books within our collections. This is fine in Stage 1 but progressing in your course will expose you to more in-depth content and require you to start searching for more obscure material. For your research project it may even be necessary to move beyond our subscriptions.
Library databases are expensive resources that we invest in to help you discover and access more content. There are generally 2 types:
Collections of journals that you can use from individual publishers such as Elsevier (Science Direct) or Ebsco (Environment Complete).
Indexing databases (Web of Science, Scopus) that draw together information about millions of articles from different publishers to help you discover items. These usually have a quality board that ensures that only trustworthy journals are included in your search. They include articles we do have access to, as well as articles we don't subscribe to.
The tutorials should help you understand why using an indexing databases is better for articles than Primo or Google Scholar and show you how to complete basic searches on the top 2 science indexing databases.
See below for links to the key collections and databases for Environmental Sciences. If you see a blue 'play' button next to the name, click through to see a tutorial.
(Note the 'Ebsco' databases may link to a database in Business Complete. This is because all Ebsco databases work in a similar way.)
Click here to practice boolean searching (AND/OR) with an interactive pizza menu game!
Databases for Environmental Sciences
- Web of Science This link opens in a new window Major research database of the worlds top Science & Technology journals and conference proceedings with some additional Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities coverage. Includes research tools e.g. citation reports and cited reference searching.
This link opens in a new window
- Scopus This link opens in a new window Scopus is a journal indexing and abstracting database with citation metrics from Elsevier. It covers international research output in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities (with a growing coverage of book chapters).
- This link opens in a new window
- Environment Complete This link opens in a new window Research database covering environment related disciplines. Many hits will be full text and the SFX button will check other hits for full text via Primo.
- This link opens in a new window
- GreenFILE This link opens in a new window Indexing and abstract database covering global warming, climate change and related disciplines. Some hits will be full text and others can be checked for full text via Primo using the SFX button.
