LibrarySkills@UCL: Searching for information

If you're carrying out a thorough search for information to support your work, it's important that you are familiar with the most relevant databases and other sources.

Remember that all databases work a little differently. It's vital that you understand how the database you are using will interpret your search terms. Familiarise yourself with the help pages for the database, and make sure you understand the search rules.

UCL Library Skills have produced some guides for some of the well used database platforms (such as Ovid) and specfic databases (such as PubMed). 

Most databases that index journal literature allow you to set up email alerts for new articles on a particular topic or in a particular journal. Many individual journals will also have an alerting facility on their website. Find out more on our guide to keeping up to date.

Preprints are draft or manuscript versions, of research works, often journal articles. Preprint repositories are useful for keeping up to date in your subject area because they provide access to preprint journal articles, working papers and datasets which may not yet have been formally published. Find out more on our guide to repositories: