Research Databases in the
Atmospheric Sciences
February 2004
Research Databases in the
Atmospheric Sciences
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http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/library/
Searching
Define research problem
MadCat, the library catalog
Finding journal articles
Finding government documents
Finding dissertations
Recap
Literature Review
Searching
• Plan your search
• Remember variant word endings, Boolean connectors and synonyms
• Limit search terms to specific fields (title, subject heading), within a
certain proximity to each other, year ranges
• To narrow a search: limit by theoretical approach, one aspect of
subject, by time, by geographic location
• To broaden a search: generalize your topic, check more databases,
limit jargon, check newspaper databases if topic is too new
• Note controlled vocabularies
• Perform search, review results, refine search, search again, refine
search, search again, export results
Define Research Problem
• What papers have been published that
define the historical roots of the QG Omega
Equation?
• Synonyms: QG theory, Quasi-geostrophic
theory, QG Omega equation, Quasigeostrophic equation, Quasi-geostrophic
Omega equation, mathematical equations,
Omega equation
MadCat
• The Library catalog, used to find books,
government reports, journal titles and their
locations
• Journal articles or contents of books (specific
chapters) ARE NOT in MadCat – find them in
appropriate database, then search for journal or
book title in MadCat
• Schwerdtfeger Library holdings in MadCat
MadCat Options
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View your library record
Renew books, check status of recalls, check for fines
View course reserves
Place requests
Searching
E-mail search results
Proxy Service
About electronic journals
Basic vs Guided Search
MadCat Guided Search
Finding Journal Articles
• UW-Madison Libraries have licensed many
databases for your use
• Information cannot be accessed by using Google
• Emphasis is on finding literature related to the
atmospheric sciences
• After finding specific articles, search for the
journal title in MadCat for location on campus
• Some databases may have links to full-text
Databases
• History of Science, Technology and Medicine
• Meteorological & Geoastrophysical Abstracts
(MGA)
• NTIS
• Oceanic Abstracts
• Aerospace Database
• Web of Science
• Inspec
• Georef
History of Science, Technology and
Medicine
• Produced by the Center for Research Libraries
• Covers 1975 • Describes journal articles, conference proceedings,
books, book reviews, and dissertations in the
history of science, technology, and medicine
• http://www.library.wisc.edu/elib.coreguide.1/isis.h
tml
Meteorological & Geoastrophysical
Abstracts (MGA)
• Updated monthly, July 1974 –
• MGA covers meteorology, climatology, oceanography,
remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, hydrology, etc.
• Indexes journal articles, conference proceedings, books,
technical reports
• Includes abstract for most entries
• Includes links to full-text for AMS journals
• Pre-1974 literature can be found using print equivalent
Aerospace Database
• Updated quarterly, 1962 –
• Journal articles, conferences, books, reports,
theses and patents
• Covers aerospace engineering, technology,
and space-related research, including
meteorology
• Same search interface as Met Abstracts and
Oceanic Abstracts
Oceanic Abstracts
• Updated monthly, 1984 –
• Premier database for marine resources
• Covers biology, ecology, marine
geology,Geophysics, geochemistry,
oceanography, marine pollution,
environmental protection
• Same interface as Met Abstracts, Aerospace
& High Technology Database
NTIS Bibliographic Index
• Updated quarterly, 1964 –
• Contains descriptions of U.S. government sponsored
sci/tech research from DOD, DOE, EPA, NASA, NOAA…
• Covers astronomy, atmospheric science, biotechnology,
computers, energy, engineering, etc.
• Included are: reports on contracts/grants, technical
memoranda, technical reports, dissertations, etc.
• Pre-1964, consult Government Reports and
Announcements Index in print
• Same interface as MGA
Finding Government Documents
• What are they? Conference literature, government reports, internal
reports, reports on contracts, etc.
• Why are they important? Cited in literature and historically have
provided a rapid means of scientific communication.
• Who publishes them? Agencies, governmental bodies, professional
societies, federal contractors, etc.
• What characteristics do they have? Alpha-numeric report numbers,
accession numbers, grant or contract numbers, sponsoring agency, no
commercial publisher, distributed through facility like NTIS.
• Where can I find them? 1)Libraries: Campus libraries have most
reports distributed 2)NTIS, DTIS, NASA, STI 3)Author 4)Issuing
agency
Searching MGA, Aerospace, NTIS,
Oceanic Abstracts
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Select “Advanced Search”
Descriptors – subject terms
Author index
Search history
Search results – retrieve full-text for AMS
journals, e-mail or export results
TI=qg omega equation
KW=qg omega equation
View Abstract for Search Terms
KW=(qg theory) or (qg omega equation) or
(quasi*geostrophic omega equation) or
(quasi*geostrophic equation)
KW=TI, AB, DE
Descriptors
Review Records
Full-Text Articles
Check Your Library: MadCat
Report Numbers/Accession
Numbers: N96-34905
E-mail, Save Records
Author Index
Select Name and Variants
Search History
MGA in Print: v.1, 1950
Selected Bibliography
v.1, no.5, 1950, E-69
Web of Science
• Updated weekly, 1982 –
• Combination of three databases
• Indexes peer-reviewed journal literature only – does not
include reports, conference proceedings, dissertations…
• Known for its currency and meticulous indexing
• Used to do general, cited reference or author searching
• Pre-1981, use Science Citation Index in print
• Journal Citation Reports is companion database
Search Web of Science
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Full Search
Select “Science Citation Index” and coverage
No links to full-text
General search
Cited reference search
Formatting and exporting search results
Full Search, Database & Limits
Topic Search: qg theory OR
quasi$geostrophic theory OR qg omega equation
OR quasi$geostrophic equation
Review Results
Review/Mark Records
Check Cited References
Review Citing Articles
Related Records Contain
Shared References
Cited Reference Search
Cited Reference Results
Papers Citing Sutcliffe, 1947
Print/Save/E-mail Records
Other Databases
• INSPEC, updated monthly, 1969 • Covers physics, electrical engineering, electronics, computers, etc.
• Includes journal articles, conference papers, significant books, tech
reports, dissertations
• Pre-1969, consult Computer and Control Abstracts
• Georef, updated bimonthly, 1785 • Indexes earth sciences literature of the world
• Includes journal articles, conference papers, reports, guidebooks,
theses, monographs
Finding Dissertations on Campus
• Schwerdtfeger Library holds masters theses and doctoral
dissertations for AOS
• Memorial Library is the depository for all PhD
dissertations; not all masters theses are deposited in
libraries and not all masters circulate
• Search MadCat for location
• Contact a library for interlibrary loan, to see if it was
published in report form or to purchase
• Some dissertations published as journal articles or reports
if funded by government contract
Finding Dissertations: Databases
• Proquest Digital Dissertations, 1861 –
http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/search
• Current Research @ UW-Madison
http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/wisc/main
• Index to Theses…Great Britain and Ireland
http://www.theses.com/
• CRL Foreign Doctoral Dissertations Database
http://www.crl.edu/content.asp?l1=5&l2=23&l3=44&l4=25
Search Proquest Digital Dissertations
Check MadCat/Databases for
Locations/Availability
Recap
• Determine search criteria or what it is you’re
searching for
• Select database(s) to be searched: MGA, Web of
Science, NTIS
• Check MadCat for availability and location
• http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/library/
• http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/library/cimss_grads2004
.ppt
• Questions: Ask a librarian
Literature Review Guidelines
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Books
Peer-reviewed journal literature
Conference literature
Government/technical reports or documents
Relevant dissertations