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.
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 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.
Bibliographic databases give you an overview of the literature in a subject area. They provide an index to journal articles and conference papers from a wide range of publishers.
Compendex® in Engineering Village is an interdisciplinary engineering database with over 9 million records referencing 5,000 engineering journals and conference materials dating from 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.
This database is particularly useful for architects, civil and structural engineers, building control officers, building services engineers and other professionals in the construction industry. CIS provides fundamental industry information and legislation, as well as additional sector material. The extensive range of full-text documents cover all aspects of the building, engineering, design and construction process in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
Delivers full text access to high quality technical literature, journal articles, conference papers and standards, from the IEEE and IET. Covers topics such as electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics.
As well as all aspects of engineering, Knovel is useful for biotechnology, computing, food science, marine technology, molecular biology and chemistry. Subjects covered include technical reference books. There are Interactive graphs and tables,material and substance properties data and interactive equations. The Data Search tool can be used to build queries around different materials or substances.
Delivers full text access to high quality technical literature, journal articles, conference papers and standards, from the IEEE and IET. Covers topics such as electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics.
All databases should have a help section with tips and tricks on how to get the best out of using them, so do make yourself familiar with them. You also may find the following helpful:
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.
Explore further tools, guides and support from the Library.