When looking for academic journal articles you can use the 'everything' search in Library Search or search directly in the databases below, which we’ve selected as being most relevant to your subject area.
Databases are the best place to find academic journal articles as they offer advanced search tools, metric data, and export options for referencing. These databases also often provide access to information types such as conference papers, book chapters, review articles, trade magazines, and more. BrowZine can also be used to explore e-journal titles in your subject.
While most of our collection is now available digitally, some titles may only be accessible in print. You can find these journal titles using an ‘everything except articles’ search in Library Search.
You’ll also find links to essential reading for your programme in your module reading lists on Canvas.
Key Databases and E-journal Collections
Databases will either provide you with the full text of the journal or they will give you the bibliographic details of an article. Where full text is not available, look for the
link and follow this to see if we have the full text available via Library Search.
Subject databases
Subject databases are tailored to particular subject areas. They tend to use precise terminology relating to the subject area, making searches more accurate, and can include subject specific tools and features.
- ASCE Proceedings This link opens in a new windowAccess a collection of journals and the proceedings from the American Society of Civil Engineers. These titles are catalogued in Library Search, but contact the Library if you would like a complete list.
- Compendex (Ei Engineering Village) This link opens in a new windowA comprehensive engineering database that includes journals and conference materials from as early as 1884. Coverage includes nuclear technology, bioengineering, transportation, chemical and process engineering, light and optical technology, agricultural engineering and food technology, computers and data processing, applied physics, electronics and communications, control, civil, mechanical, materials, petroleum, aerospace and automotive engineering as well as narrower subtopics within all these and other major engineering fields. Numeric data is indexed so results can be filtered within specific data parameters.
- Construction Information Service (CIS) This link opens in a new windowThis database is particularly useful for architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, building control officers, building services engineers, and other professionals in the construction industry. It offers essential industry information and legislation, along with supplementary material related to various sectors. The extensive collection of full-text documents encompasses all aspects of building, engineering, design, and construction in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
- ENDS Report This link opens in a new window
An online news source covering key environmental topics. It offers commentary and analysis on environmental policy and legislation, exploring the implications for business across the carbon, environmental and sustainability agenda.
- ICE Virtual Library This link opens in a new windowThis Virtual Library includes all peer-reviewed technical papers published by the Institution of Civil Engineers since 1836. It covers a wide range of topics, including buildings and structures, coastal and offshore engineering, urban engineering, geology, geotechnical and ground engineering, transportation, as well as water engineering and wastewater management.
- IEEExplore This link opens in a new windowProvides comprehensive access to high-quality technical literature, journal articles, conference papers, and standards from IEEE and IET, covering subjects such as electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics.
- Knovel eBook Collection This link opens in a new windowThis e-book collection is valuable across various engineering fields, including biotechnology, computing, food science, marine technology, molecular biology, and chemistry. The platform also includes technical reference books, interactive graphs and tables, and data on material and substance properties. Additionally, the Data Search tool allows users to create queries focused on different materials or substances.
- Policy Commons: Global Think TanksGlobal Think Tanks is a collection of objective, fact-based research from the world’s leading policy experts, think tanks, IGOs and NGOs. It provides in-depth search and access to some 5 million reports from over 25,000 organisations.
Multidisciplinary databases
Much like Library Search, multidisciplinary databases cover a wide range of topics and are a great place to scope your search, or to use if your topic covers more than one subject area.
- Lyell Collection This link opens in a new window
One of the largest integrated collections of online Earth Science literature available.
- ProQuest Natural Science Collection This link opens in a new window
The Natural Science Collection includes the Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, the Earth, Atmospheric & Aquatic Science Database and the Biological Science Database. It provides full-text titles from around the world including scholarly journals, trade and industry journals, magazines, technical reports, conference proceedings, government publications, and more.
- SAGE Journals Online This link opens in a new windowSearchable database providing full-text access to many Sage titles. We have full-text access to almost all of them from 1999 onwards.
- Science Direct This link opens in a new window
A large database of peer-reviewed, full-text scientific, technical and health literature published by Elsevier.
- Scopus This link opens in a new windowAs a comprehensive, multidisciplinary resource, this database indexes peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, and trade publications. It supports cited reference searching to explore the literature in depth, along with tools for citation tracking, author and affiliation searches, visual analysis of results, journal analysis, and author identification for those interested in publishing.
- Web of Science This link opens in a new window
A multidisciplinary database which indexes scholarly journal articles, books, book chapters and conference proceedings. It provides cited reference searching, so you can navigate through the literature to uncover all the information relevant to your research. Use citation reports to see citation activity and geographical trends and the ‘analyse results’ tool to identify trends and publication patterns.
- TechRxivTechRxiv (pronounced "tech archive") is an open, moderated preprint server for unpublished research in electrical engineering, computer science, and related technology.
- Nineteenth Century Collections Online (NCCO): Science, Technology and Medicine (Part 1)
This collection traces the emergence and dissemination of scientific ideas during the "long" nineteenth century that preceded 1800 and extended to 1925. Covering science, social sciences, medicine and technology, journals and monographs allow you to track key debates and explore major episodes in the history of science.
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