#  Physics Online Information Resources 

 



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A brief overview of most useful resources for physics research online:

### [**Inspec**](https://databases.hollis.harvard.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=01HVD_ALMA612262440320003941&context=L&vid=HVD_DB&lang=en_US&search_scope=default_scope&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=everything&query=any%2Ccontains%2Cinspec&offset=0)

Most complete physics resource. Over 17 million records, international in scope, in all fields of physics, materials science, computer science, and engineering.  
**PROS:**  
• Much greater historical backlog (starting 1898)  
• Coverage much broader than arXiv  
• Coverage contains published works not found in GS  
**CONS:**   
• Basic searching not as “smart” as Google Search

### [**Google Scholar**](http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.eresource:gscholar)

This service can be used to find articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web. It has the fastest, simplest interface.  
**PROS:**  
• Fewer clicks  
• Very smart, very flexible unstructured searching (you can copy and paste citations into the search box)  
• Shows multiple versions of each article in multiple publications (when available)  
• Includes non-peer-reviewed publications (including the arXiv)  
• Includes Google Books (some full text)  
**CONS:**   
• Less comprehensive than Inspec, especially for older materials

### [**ADS**](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/) (Smithsonian/NASA Astrophysics Data System)

A Digital Library portal for research in Astronomy and Physics.  
**PROS:**  
• Highly customizable searching  
• Broad coverage of physics topics  
• Searches all of arXiv  
**CONS:**   
• May not include all the materials covered by Inspec

### [**Web of Science**](https://www-webofscience-com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/wos/woscc/basic-search) (Science Citation Indez Expanded)

Indexes major journals in science disciplines.  
**PROS:**  
• Very good cited literature search features  
• Goes back to 1900  
**CONS:**   
• Does not have the depth of coverage of INSPEC or ADS

### [**arXiv**](http://arxiv.org)

Cutting-edge preprint server for many (but not all) major physics fields.  
**PROS:**  
• Most up-to-date resource  
• Preprints  
• Always full text  
• Always free  
• Shows today’s papers  
**CONS:**   
• No peer review  
• Quality control issues  
• Not all subfields upload regularly to the arXiv

### [**Inspire**](http://inspirehep.net)

High-Energy Physics Literature Database.  
**PROS:**  
• Very good search and citation statistics features  
**CONS:**   
• Limited to HEP subjects

### [**American Journal of Physics**](https://aapt-scitation-org.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/toc/ajp/current)

Primary journal resource for pedagogical and student-friendly physics articles.  
**PROS:**  
• Papers are highly readable.  
• Good for quickly getting background and context in a new topic  
• Good for coursework and teaching materials.  
**CONS:**   
• Not best source to find cutting-edge research

### [**Dissertations and Theses Full Text (ProQuest)**](http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.eresource:dissabst)

The world's most comprehensive collection of full-text dissertations and theses.