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Finding journal articles: learn more

Using specialist databases

A specialist bibliographic database covers a specific subject area.

You can use the databases section of a specific Virtual Knowledge Centre (navigate to Information Resources, Databases) to identify relevant specialist databases.

For example, for Architecture you can use ABSIS, a bibliographic database produced by TU Delft Library.

Although the results may not be as comprehensive as a search using a general database such as Scopus, they will often be more relevant.
Also, specialist databases often offer enhanced search tools, e.g.:

• Specialist thesaurus terms.
  For example, the CSA Biotechnology and Bioengineering Abstracts database uses a thesaurus (Life Sciences Thesaurus) with almost 10,000 descriptors.
• Unique search fields.
  For example: in ABSIS you can search on specific designers or the location of a building.

Using RSS Table of Contents (TOC) alerts

Once you have uncovered interesting journals, you can keep yourself informed by setting up alerts for these titles, by subscribing to the RSS-feed of a journal's Table of Contents (TOC), for example.