Review Publications
Review publications contain articles that review the research already done in a given area. A review article can give you a synthesis of a particular topic and provide you with an extensive bibliography. All of the following review publications are shelved by title with the science periodicals. Holdings can be found by searching the Print & Electronic Journals page.
To identify review articles, most databases allow you to search by article type (review) or limit your search to reviews. Reed Library also subscribes to annual reviews and review journals. You can browse the annual reviews by title, or you can search by topic. These resources are available to the Reed community only. Off campus access is available.
Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry
Annual Review of … (search or browse all titles)
Reed subscribes to the entire collect of 38 Annual Review titles. A selection relevant to chemistry includes:
Annual Review of Biochemistry
Annual Review of Biophysics and Biomolecular Structure
Annual Review of Materials Research
Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Annual Review of Physical Chemistry
Chemical Reviews
Provides "authoritative, critical reviews and comprehensive summaries of recent research in all aspects of chemistry."
Chemical Society Reviews
Contains three types of articles: "personalized accounts of their own contributions by recognized authorities; in-depth articles covering the state-of-the-art of the subject under review; introductory reviews of new topics, suitable for non-specialist readers."
Current Opinion in …
Provides views of experts on current advances, as well as annotated excerpts from important papers.
Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
Current Opinion in Structural Biology
Trends in...: A good place to find a shortish review article on a "hot" topic. Trends journals are indexed in Agricola and Web of Science.
Guides to the Literature
Information Sources in Chemistry
Ref QD8.5 .I47 1992
Concise and well-organized. Chapters identify important books, core journals, and review publications in the areas of general, pure, and industrial chemistry.
How to Find Chemical Information
Ref QD8.5 .M34 1998
Good introduction to the "nature" of chemical information and the databases, reference works, and journals of chemistry. Also includes sections on patents and safety information.
Getting Started
There are many handbooks, dictionaries, and encyclopedias that describe chemical terms, structures, data, etc. If you are not clear about your topic, try establishing its limits with a good definition and some introductory information.
Before you get started, you might want to take a look at The Evolution of Scientific Information, which maps out the scientific publication process (NOTE: this chart was taken from a book published in 1979. Notice anything missing?) There is also a resource from the UCLA libraries called the Flow of Information which might help you understand the process.
AccessScience
Covers all of science; much information related to chemistry. Includes a scientific dictionary, images, and biographies of famous scientists. Also includes links to related websites.
Dictionary of Chemistry
Contains entries for over 4200 terms related to chemistry.
Encyclopedia of Life Science
A comprehensive life sciences resource. The electronic version interacts with Nature's web site to provide links to relevant news/articles. Also includes illustrations, a glossary, and related web resources.
Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology
Comprehensive encyclopedia covering chemical technology, industrial processes and applications.
Macmillan Encyclopedia of Chemistry
Ref QD4 .M33 1997
Covers a broad range of topics that are generally associated with chemistry. Includes the sub-disciplines and branches of chemistry, as well as common substances and biographies of chemists "who made seminal contributions" to chemistry.
Dictionaries, Terminology & Style
The ACS Style Guide
Ref QD8.5 .A25 2006
In addition to instructions for contributors of ACS journals, also contains an overview of preparing chemical literature and guidelines for oral presentations.
Gardner's Chemical Synonyms and Trade Names
Ref TP9 .G286 1999
Entries describe compounds (usually including chemical composition and use), or cross-reference to another name.
Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary
Ref QD5 .C5 2002
Quick reference for descriptions of chemicals and chemical phenomena. Source for trade names and CAS registry numbers.
Foreign Language Dictionaries
Dictionary of Chemistry: German-English, English-German
Ref QD5 .K78 1997
Callaham's Russian-English Dictionary of Science and Technology
Ref QD5 .C33 1995
Wiley's English-Spanish, Spanish-English Chemistry Dictionary
Ref QD5 .K294 1998
Last Update: 17 Aug 14:52