LibGuides@Southampton: Physics and Astronomy: Home

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Your Academic Engagement Librarian for Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate students*

Name: Marcia Ostrowski
Email: libenqs@soton.ac.uk
Tel: 023 8059 4247 or Internal 24247

Subject Areas: Biological Sciences, Foundation Science, Chemistry, Chemistry Engineering, Zepler Institute for Photonics and Nanoelectronics (Optoelectronics Research Centre), Physics and Astronomy

If you are a Research Postgraduate student, please contact the Research Engagement Librarian

What is a database?

A database is an organised collection of data, which can be facts, statistics and information. What goes into a database is determined by its purpose, subject, and the potential users of the database. What you get out of a database is determined by the way you use it. This introduction is about understanding databases and how you can make the most of using them.

Using a university database can save you time in your research and provide you with academic peer-reviewed articles.

Introduction to Databases

This is an introduction to the components of databases that are available at the university. Click on the interactive PowerPoint (with a quiz) to download and open it. The PowerPoint has audio, so you may need to adjust your volume.

Transcript of PowerPoint This PDF is the transcript for the Introduction to Databases tutorial.

A to Z Resources for Your Subject Area

Choose the library databases for your research
Choose by Subject, Database Type, Vendor/Provider or Search for a database.

Key Databases

Key Subject Resources

Accessing library resources from home

To connect to library resources such as databases and journals you will need to use the University’s VPN service called Globalprotect. Advice on how to set your connection up can be found on the iSolutions page How do I set up VPN on my device?

ADS (Astrophysics Data System)
The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System is a Digital Library portal for researchers in Astronomy and Physics. It contains searchable bibliographic records across the disciplines, and full-text scans of much of the astronomical literature. Further information.
Compendex
Compendex is the broadest and most complete engineering literature database available in the world. It provides a truly holistic and global view of peer reviewed and indexed publications with over 20 million records from 77 countries across 190 engineering disciplines. Further information.
HEP-INSPIRE
A high energy physics information system combining SPIRES database content, curated at DESY, Fermilab and SLAC, with digital library technology developed at CERN.
INSPEC
- This link opens in a new window
A leading database in the fields of physics, electronics and electrical engineering, computers and control, and information technology. It contains abstracts of articles from over 3000 journals, as well as conference proceedings, books, technical reports and dissertations. Coverage: 1966 to date. Further information
SPIE Digital Library
This resource gives access to all the publications of the SPIE including: Spie Proceedings - original research papers presented at SPIE conferences (available two to four weeks after each event); SPIE Journals - peer-reviewed articles on applied research in optics and photonics; Spie eBooks - a collection of more than 160 optics and photonics titles incorporating monographs, tutorial texts and field guides.

To learn more about SPIE, view the video or view the User Guide (pdf)

To see more databases go to the Databases and Tutorials tab

Transcript
Transcript for Your Subject Page

New Resources:

Very Short Introductions: Concise introductions to diverse range of subjects https://www.veryshortintroductions.com/

University Press Scholarship Online https://www.universitypressscholarship.com/

Springer eBooks EBA https://link.springer.com/books/a/1

Oxford Scholarly Editions Online https://www.oxfordscholarlyeditions.com/

Oxford Research Encyclopedias https://oxfordre.com/

Oxford's Handbooks Online https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging https://library.soton.ac.uk/diversity

Library Services now offers all our users access to Oxford Scholarship Online (OSO) and Henry Stewart Talks (https://hstalks.com/ ) Here is a short clip from one of the videos on nanomedicines Check out the Institute of Physics which works to advance physics education, research and application.