LibGuides: Mellon College of Science: 38-304: PROPEL: Science Communication and Social Impact (Spring 2021): Finding a Research Topic

Use Background Material or Scientific Reviews to Find an Article with Intrigue

Although some of you have already worked in a lab and have great topic ideas to use to find an article for the final assignment, others may not. For those of you not working in a research setting, this page should help! As you read background or review literature be especially mindful of article segments pertaining to future research, discussion or conclusions. They could lead you to a really exciting primary research article related to climate change. With an exciting article, that will allow you to focus more on the rubric for the assignment (your oral presentation skills and the quality of your slides).

Locate Background Material

The resources below can provide succinct overviews of the various aspects of climate change. Some might even suggest areas of future work or indicate active research areas. In addition to these databases, consider trying to find a recent scientific review article that is related to the topic. See the box to the right.

AccessEngineering This link opens in a new window
This is a "reference tool for professionals, academics, and students that provides seamless access to the world's best-known, most-used collection of authoritative, regularly updated engineering reference information. AccessEngineering also comprises dynamic online features, such as instructional, faculty made videos, calculators, interactive tables and charts, as well as personalization tools allowing users to organize crucial project information as they work." AccessEngineering includes the well-known Schaum's Outline series of books. Database Guide.
AccessScience This link opens in a new window
The McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology on the web, provides full access to articles, dictionary terms, and hundreds of research updates in all areas of science and technology.
Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology This link opens in a new window
Compendium of articles on biotechnology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, molecular biology, physics and robotics.
Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology This link opens in a new window
Descriptions of chemical substances, including their properties, manufacturing, and uses fundamental to industrial processes and unit operations in chemical engineering.
Knovel This link opens in a new window
Full text interactive reference books and information resources from some of the leading science and engineering reference handbooks, databases, and conference proceedings. New to Knovel? View this video!

Encyclopedias Devoted to the Topic
This is a search of the online specialized encyclopedic resources that the library has acquired for your use.

Locating Review Articles

In many cases, finding a scientific review article will entail taking the results of a topical search and then simply finding those which contain the word "review" OR "survey" OR the phrase "state of the art" in the title. Many of these review articles will help to identify knowledge gaps in the field, near-term opportunities for scientific advancement or prime areas for problem-solving applications.

A few databases actually allow you to search for a "Review Article" document type. They are:

Scopus This link opens in a new window
Academic database covering peer-reviewed journals, book series, and conference proceedings - includes scientific, medical, technical and social science topics, with emphasis on citation analysis. Scival feature requires registration but is free to CMU affiliates.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
A multidisciplinary database, with searchable author abstracts, covering the literature of the sciences, social sciences and the arts & humanities providing indexes and links to cited references for each article.