Finding Background & Property Information on Polymers
Encyclopedias and handbooks are a good way to get a broad overview and context for a subject and helpful for deciphering research articles. References at the ends of articles lead you to further relevant information.
Other helpful sources of background information are review articles and trade magazines. You can find those using databases like SciFinder-n, Scopus, and Web of Science and limiting by Document Type or Treatment Type.
- Encyclopedia of polymer science and technologyOver 500 articles addressing all areas of polymer science. Updated quarterly with new and substantially revised articles, the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology provides information about polymers, plastics, fibers, biomaterials, elastomers, and polymerization processes. Article coverage for 2007 and prior only.
- Polymer Handbook, 4th edClassic source of property data for "synthetic polymers, poly(saccharides) and derivatives, and oligomers." Primary focus is on "fundamental constants and parameters that refer to the polymer molecule, that describe the solid state of polymer molecules, or that describe polymer solutions" and not spectroscopic, rheological, and mechanical data.
- Tutorial: How to Find Chemical and Physical Property InformationFinding chemical and physical property data is not always easy because there is no one place where all types of data for all substances is located, and it is not always clear where to look or whether you have looked in the right places. This tutorial will show you how and where to search.
- Polymers: a Property DatabaseA user-friendly interface gives access to names, physical property data, supplier information, structures, applications, & manufacturing processes.
- Property Data for Chemicals and MaterialsFind additional sources of chemical and physical property data, spectra, and thermodynamic properties as well as safety information.
Finding Research Articles on Polymers
Articles are the primary way scientists communicate research results. Use an article index or database to find articles on your topic; the citation includes article information like article title, author, journal name, issue, year, and the abstract.
When you are starting to delve into a new subject, review articles are your best friends. Most article databases will allow you to limit your search just to this type of publication or document. The long reference lists in review articles are also a good way to identify key articles.
- Tutorial: Using citations to find journal articles and booksLearn how to use citations in journal articles to identify other relevant articles and books and use Libraries Search to find them.
- SciFinder-nSciFinder-n is the updated version of SciFinder and is the best database for topics related to chemistry and adjacent fields. It includes journal articles, book chapters, dissertations, and patents. Find substance and reaction information as well as suppliers and chemical regulatory data.
- Web of ScienceA comprehensive interdisciplinary collection of journal article citations. Subjects generally covered are within science and technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- Tutorial: How to read and comprehend scientific research articlesLearn tips on how to read a scientific article, how to find the main points of the article, and how to take effective notes.
Creating References & Bibliographies
- ACS Style Quick GuideExamples for some of the most common source type citations in ACS Style
- CAS Source Index Search ToolUse this tool to quickly identify or confirm journal titles and abbreviations for publications indexed by CAS since 1907. Use the journal title abbreviations specified in CASSI for ACS Style citations.
- Zotero (Citation tool)Free, web-based software that is useful for organizing your research sources, creating bibliographies and sharing sources with others.
Importing to Zotero from SciFinder-n:
- Select reference(s) of interest by checking numbered box(es)
- Select Download Results (down arrow icon) at the top right of results list.
- Under File Type, select Citation (.ris).
- Change the File Name to something you'll recognize.
- Select Download.
- You can choose to Open the file with Zotero (it will import). Otherwise, save the file, open Zotero, select File then Import, locate the RIS file and select it, and it will be added to your Zotero library.
ACS Style is not a default style in Zotero. Go to the Zotero Style Repository to download the ACS .csl file at
https://www.zotero.org/styles?q=American%20Chemical%20Society. Find instructions on installing new styles at https://www.zotero.org/support/styles.
- Help Using ZoteroFind resources for support using Zotero
Off-Campus Access to Library Journals & Databases
In addition to going through links on the library website, we have 2 other ways to access resources from off-campus.
- Proxy Bookmarklet for off-campus accessAdd this button to your browser toolbar and click on it to reload a page and authenticate as a U of M user.
- Virtual Private Network (VPN)Download and log in to VPN before accessing resources