Searching in library databases is a great way to find journal articles for your research projects. These databases have advanced tools that will make your search more efficient and effective. Some databases are even built specifically for chemistry, with unique features to help you find chemical information.

Databases are also great for citation tracking, allowing you to find articles that cite and are cited by an important article in the field to understand how the research topic has evolved over time. Learn more about how to use and access key databases for chemistry below.

Chemistry-Specific Databases

Other Useful Databases

If you have time, it's always a good idea to search multiple databases to avoid missing important information. No two databases contain exactly the same set of articles, and they often vary in their tools and indexing rules, allowing you to find unique results.

Use the methods below to find and access the full-text of a known article. Still can't find what you're looking for? Contact your Chemistry Librarian for help.

You can also search for articles within peer-reviewed journals in biological chemistry. Below are a few key journals that may be good starting points:

Scientific journal articles are typically peer-reviewed by other experts in the field to confirm that methods are valid for answering the research question, conclusions are backed up by results, and limitations of the study are acknowledged.

How to determine if a journal is peer-reviewed

Peer-review is an important part of the scientific process, but it is not perfect! You should still critically evaluate peer-reviewed journal articles.