Research Databases in the Atmospheric Sciences

October 2004

Research Databases in the Atmospheric Sciences

• Databases, MadCat, e-journals can be found here: http://library.ssec.wisc.edu/

• MadCat, the library catalog• Searching• Databases for finding journal articles, government documents• Define research problem• Sample Search• Finding dissertations• Recap

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 or use

• Check when you know citation• Schwerdtfeger Library holdings in MadCat

MadCat Options

• 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

My MadCat Account

Patron Information

• Update address/contact information• Check for patron blocks• View and renew items checked out• Check on requests pending or items available

(important)• Check fines and fees

Place Request: Dynamics of the Atmosphere

Recall or Retrieve

ID, Pickup Desk, Submit Request

MadCat: Basic vs Guided Search

Basic Search: IRS ‘84

Guided Search: IRS ‘84

Results

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

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 facilitated by • Links to databases from our home page

Databases

• Meteorological and Geoastrophysical Abstracts (MGA)

• NTIS• Oceanic Abstracts• Aerospace Database• Web of Science• Inspec• Georef

Meteorological & Geoastrophysical Abstracts (MGA)

• Updated quarterly, 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 and other journals if the campus has a license

• 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 MGA, Oceanic Abstracts and NTIS

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 MGA, Aerospace Database, NTIS and Oceanic Abstracts

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

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, Quasi-geostrophic equation, Quasi-geostrophic Omega equation, mathematical equations, Omega equation

Searching MGA, Aerospace, NTIS

• Select databases to be searched• Select “Advanced Search”• Descriptors – subject terms• Author index• Search history• Search results – retrieve full-text for AMS

journals and other journals with , e-mail or export results

Open MGA: Change Database

Select Databases

TI=qg omega equation

TI=qg omega equation

KW=qg omega equationKW=TI, AB, DE

View Abstract for Search Terms

Descriptors(Subject Headings, Identifiers)

KW=(qg theory) or (quasi*geostrophic theory) or (qg omega equation) or (quasi*geostrophic omega equation)

or (quasi*geostrophic equation)KW=TI, AB, DE

Review Records

Find It

Retrieve Full-Text

Use Carefully

Note Source Field

No Records Found

Redo Using Guided Search

Report Numbers/Accession Numbers: N96-34905

E-mail, Save Records

Author Index

Select Name and Variants

Search History

MGA in Print

• QG Theory is one of the most important concepts put forth in late 1940s (Sutcliff[e] 1947, Charney 1948) for interpreting present state of atmosphere…

MGA in Print: v.1, 1950

Selected Bibliographyv.1, no.5, 1950, E-69

Web of Science

• Updated weekly, 1970 –

• 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

• Full Search• Select “Science Citation Index” and coverage• Use to link to full-text• General search• Cited reference search• Formatting and exporting search results

Search/Database Options, Limits

Topic Search: qg theory OR quasi$geostrophic theory OR qg omega equation OR quasi$geostrophic

omega equation OR quasi$geostrophic equation

Review Results

Review/Mark Records

Check Cited References

Review Citing Articles

Related Records Contain Shared References

Print/Save/Email Records

Cited Reference Search

Cited Reference Results

Papers Citing Sutcliffe, 1947

Print/Save/E-mail Records

• Mark records

• Print/Save/E-mail records

• Use to locate full-text

• Use MadCat for other locations

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://library.ssec.wisc.edu/• http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/library/research_databas

es_fall2004.ppt• Questions: Ask a librarian