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Chemistry Librarian
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
How to find...
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ChemSpiderFree chemical structure database providing fast text and structure search access to over 67 million structures from hundreds of data sources.
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The Materials Project Molecular DatabasePowered by open source software, search for molecular properties, computed structures, and find articles citing the chosen molecular structure.
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Merck Index Online This link opens in a new windowA database of over 10,000 significant chemicals, drugs, and biological substances, containing physical property data, safety data, literature references, and structures. Also includes Organic Name Reactions, which describes organic chemical reactions which have come to be recognized and referred to by name within the chemistry community.
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PubChemPubChem provides information on the biological activities of small molecules.
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American Chemical Society Publications This link opens in a new windowFull text access to the research journals produced by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
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Royal Society of Chemistry Journals This link opens in a new windowFull text access to the research journals produced by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
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SciFindern This link opens in a new windowFirst time users must register for SciFinder
Provides access to the full Chemical Abstracts database with citations to the literature of chemistry and patents, as well as compound information and substructure and reaction searching.
Once you register you can use SciFinder Mobile .
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Scopus This link opens in a new windowComprehensive and multidisciplinary abstract and citation database of scholarly literature, plus data and analytical tools.
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Web of Science Core Collection This link opens in a new windowIndexes thousands of the most prestigious, high impact research journals in the world. Also has cited reference searching and ways to refine and analyze your search results.
If you need help with technical writing, please contact the USC Peer Writing and Communications team or the USC Writing Center for help.
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Scientific Papers Made Easy
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Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2023This guide to writing provides expert tips and suggestions to writing academic and scientific papers. -
Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words
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Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2020A brief guide on how to clarify writing for an a wide variety of audience types. -
Write Like a Chemist
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Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2022An instructional text on the four main types of writing in the sciences: the journal article, conference abstract, scientific poster, and the research proposal.
Using a citation manager or organizer can a) help you create citations and b) allow you to keep all of your citations contained.
Citation Style Guides
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Citation Basics: AMA, APA, MLA, and ChicagoUpdated annually by USC librarians, this guide is a one-stop-shop for all of the major citation styles used at USC.
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Scientific Citation Styles: ACS, ASCE, CSE, GSA, and IEEEManaged by the USC Science Librarians, find citation styles used by the majority of the sciences.
Citation Managers
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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.
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Zotero TutorialsLearn how to get started with Zotero, a free and open-source citation manager available to anyone.