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Library Welcome Guide: Searching Science Direct

This is your portal to information, resources and services to assist your studies.

The database Science Direct provides access to a vast amount of information on a variety of topics (including  physical sciences, engineering, life sciences, health sciences, social sciences and humanities) from around the world.  Learn how to use both the basic and advanced search functions to locate useful information effectively and efficiently. 

How to search Science Direct

A basic search can be approached a number of ways.

  • Enter keywords that relate to your subject e.g. ocean and pollution.
  • Enter an author's surname if known.
  • Enter the title if known.

The advanced search allows you to use multiple keywords in your search and limit your search to a date range.  You can use different search techniques within the search bar e.g. phrase searching, nested searching and Boolean operators. 

  • Please note the search technique truncation cannot be used in Science Direct.

When the database returns the search results, use limiters to reduce and refine those results.  Some useful limiters are article type, access type, publication date and subject area. 

On the sub-page Searching the Online Databases the functions of common limiters are explained. 

To read an article click on the title.  Some articles may be an abstract only.  In this situation the SIT Library can interloan the article from another library for you.

 

Clicking on a title will take you to the article.  Some will have the option of HTML full text and/or PDF full text.  There is a difference between HTML full text and PDF full text.  HTML displays as one long continuous page and does not display page numbers.  You will need to reference a HTML article as an electronic source with counted paragraphs.  PDF is a scanned copy of the original article.

Scroll down the page to view the article in HTML format or select a particular section of the article from the outline menu.  Click on View PDF to view the article in PDF format.  You can then save or print the article.

Download or print a PDF article:

1. Click View PDF. → 2. Select either download or print.

 

 

Science Direct Tutorial Videos

Science Direct Tutorials provide visual guides to using the database including performing an advanced search, reviewing documents and browsing journals.  Click the link below to access these tutorials.