Physics

Welcome to the Physics Research Guide

This guide will give you some ideas for places to start gathering information about topics in astronomy, as well as some tips and tricks for researching your topic.

The tabs on the left have more information about the following topics:

• Getting started with your research
• Plan your search
• Gather information
• Citing Sources

For help with your research, please contact your librarian, Paulina Borrego

Types of Information in Library Databases

Information Type	Content and uses	Authority	Audience	Example
Books	Technical information written by experts Learn about a topic, gather background information, historical and/or technical overviews	Author's and publisher's credentials	Varies depending on author's intent
Newspapers and Trade Magazines	News and journalistic reporting on events, industry developments Follow events, industry trends	Written & edited by journalists and industry experts	General public, scholars, and professionals
Scholarly Journals & Conference Proceedings	Research conducted by experts in a field Content is advanced & technical Read about primary research written by scholars	Peer-reviewed, edited by experts	Scholars, researchers, and professionals
Patents	Legal document disclosing a novel, useful invention Identify new research fronts or learn how something works	Created by inventors, reviewed by government patent examiners	Innovators and scholars
Technical Reports	Report on research to funding agency	Created by researchers	Funding agencies

Scholarly research articles are where physicists are communicating about their research. Look for academic, peer reviewed, scholarly research articles written for physics researchers in these databases. There are more database and book suggestions on the Gather Information tab.