Subject 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 Dictionary of Weights, Measures, and UnitsThis comprehensive dictionary provides clear definitions of all the units, prefixes, and styling of the Système International (SI), as well as industry-specific and traditional terms currently in use.
- Oxford Dictionary of ScientistsFrom Archimedes and Copernicus to Stephen Hawking and Stephen Jay Gould, this is the most authoritative and up-to-date biographical dictionary of scientists currently available. Spanning over 2,500 years, it covers all areas of science.
- Smithsonian Physical Tables (9th Revised Edition)901 tables of general interest to scientists and engineers, and of particular interest to those involved with physics in its larger sense.
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
Choosing a Topic
Taking the time to carefully choose and refine your topic can save you significant time and effort later in your research.
- How to Choose a TopicThis short video tells you the questions to ask and describes the process of choosing a workable research question.
How Do I...?
- Request Interlibrary Loan MaterialsInterlibrary Loan is a free service to students, faculty and staff. Request materials we don't have or request scans of articles and book chapters from the library's shelves.