Physics

Articles, essays, book chapters, conference proceedings, etc., can be found in databases subscribed to by Columbia University Libraries (CUL).  Barnard affiliates can access all the CUL resources, which includes over 1600 databases. 

• The best way to access a database is via CLIO.  Each database has a special URL assigned by CUL, and you need to access the database using that URL in order to be able to read the full text articles that CUL subscribes to. (For example, the URL to use for Proquest is http://www.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/cul/resolve?clio8557099, not proquest.com).
• If you're searching for an article in a journal that CUL doesn't subscribe to, request the article via the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.
• For more tips, see the Database Searching Guide (from CUL)

Google Scholar is a good place to start, but it has limitations. 

• Because it's a full-text search, it can be hard to narrow down to the precise topic you're interested in.
• You can narrow your search by specifying that your keywords are in the title, by using the advanced search or by putting allintitle: in front of the keywords.
• Go to Settings and enable "Library Links" for Columbia University; this will make the Columbia e-Link show up in the results list so that you can easily go to the full text.

• arXiv.org
  Provides open access to preprints and eprints in physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance and statistics.
• Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
  Data for physics and astrophysics, as well as articles, papers, and preprints, operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
• IEEE Xplore
  From the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, contains the full text of all IEEE, IEE, and IET journal articles, conference papers, and standards.
• INSPEC / Compendex / Engineering Village
  Searches scholarly journal articles and conference proceedings in physics, astronomy, electrical & electronics engineering, computer sciences.
• JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments
  The world's first peer reviewed scientific video journal.
• ScienceDirect
  A full-text scientific database with journal articles and book chapters from thousands of journals and books.
• Scopus
  Excellent source for citation searching or finding original articles in physics.
• SpringerMaterials: the Landolt-Börnstein Database
  Fully evaluated data collection in all areas of physical sciences and engineering. It encompasses all volumes of Landolt-Börnstein New Series, the largest and most respected compilation of data in physics and chemistry founded in 1883, along with a number of unique and specialized databases.
• Web of Science
  Scholarly articles in all disciplines, including astronomy/astrophysics. This database can also be used to identify articles that cite an author or article that you specify.