Chemistry Librarian
Finding Background Information
Use these sources to gain familiarity with your topic, narrow your research question, provide context, and identify experts.
- Find It @ USC LibrariesSearch for articles, books, and more or limit to USC Libraries collection.
- Oxford Reference This link opens in a new windowFully indexed, cross-searchable database of dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works in the sciences published by Oxford University Press. To access reference materials related to chemistry, click the Subject tab, then select Science and Technology.
Understanding Scientific Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary sources = Original Research
- Written by the scientists(s) or researcher(s) who conducted the experiment or study
- Should include sections detailing how the research was performed such as methodology, results, and discussion/conclusions
Secondary sources = Summarize, Review or Compare
- Authors did not conduct the research studies which are mentioned or cited in the article themselves
- Purpose is to summarize, review, or compare the published research on a specific topic
Citation Managers
Citation managers let you collect, organize, cite, and share your personal library of research sources.
- EndNote Desktop IntroductionA guide to using EndNote Desktop, which is available for purchase from Clarivate. A free version with limited capabilities, EndNote Basic, is also available to anyone.
- MendeleyA guide to installing and using Mendeley, a free reference manager available as a desktop and online platform.
- Zotero TutorialsLearn how to get started with Zotero, a free and open-source citation manager available to anyone.