Have questions?
Contact me for research help on this subject.
Librarian
Finding Background Information for Physical Chemistry & Chemical Physics
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 Chemical Physics and Physical ChemistryThe Encyclopedia of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics introduces new areas, explains important experimental and computational techniques, describes modern research. The encyclopedia provides the basics, defines the scope of each sub-discipline, and indicates where to go for a more complete and detailed explanation.
- KnovelOnline access to books, databases, and conference proceedings from a number of publishers that cover all areas of engineering and includes content relevant to related sciences (e.g., chemistry and earth sciences). It includes interactive graphs and tables.
Finding Chemical & Physical Property 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.
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and PhysicsAnnually published reference source for chemical & physical property data, nomenclature, structure, & composition of substances. Includes physical constants of organic & inorganic compounds, conversion factors, & much more.
- KnovelOnline access to books, databases, and conference proceedings from a number of publishers that cover all areas of engineering and includes content relevant to related sciences (e.g., chemistry and earth sciences). It includes interactive graphs and tables.
- Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and BiologicalsClassic reference source for chemists with over 10,000 entries on drugs and pharmaceuticals, common organic chemicals and laboratory reagents. The entries include data such as chemical names, molecular formula, chemical structure, physical data, and literature references.
- NIST Chemistry WebBookChemical and physical property data from NIST Standard Reference Data Program and outside contributors. Searchable by name, chemical formula, CAS registry number, molecular weight, chemical structure, or selected ion energetics and spectral properties.
- 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 in Chemistry
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