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01 August 2003
Several Slick Science Search Engines
by Sheldon Greaves
Sometimes, you just have to consult a specialist. In the world of search engines, Google and Yahoo are fine for most purposes, but to get seriously deep into the literature a specialized search engine is in order. Below are profiles and links to several that give access to large databases of citations and papers. Some might also present publication opportunities for the amateur scientist. I'd like to thank Jon Nelson, who brought most of these sites to my attention.
Infotrieve
"Infotrieve is the definitive research portal, leading the market in article research and delivery. Its mission: to facilitate efficient, affordable, and innovative methods of distributing published materials to end-users, while protecting the rights of the information provider. To fulfill this mission, Infotrieve creates a one-stop shopping source, offering end-to-end capabilities for library and research needs.
"Combining high responsiveness with cost efficiency, the extensive Infotrieve network provides access to the world's largest library of journal content, exemplified by its breakthrough system, "Virtual Library." Vast information and journalistic resources are available with varied choices in distribution, namely aggregated electronic and paper delivery, a distinct advantage over paper-only aggregation. The information and articles you need, delivered how and when you need them, is the promise Infotrieve fulfills twenty-four hours a day to end-users worldwide."
Scirus
"Scirus is the most comprehensive science-specific search engine available on the Internet. Driven by the latest search engine technology, it enables scientists, students and anyone searching for scientific information to chart and pinpoint data, locate university sites and find reports and articles quickly and easily. It was launched by Elsevier Science, the leading international publisher of scientific information."
SciCentral
"From 1997 through 2003, the SciCentral editors aggregated breaking research news from hundreds of professional sources and for over 100 distinct scientific specialties. SciCentral was designed to centralize access to information originally scattered over the Internet. The service received over 30 Web awards and enthusiastic reviews from leading science publishers (e.g.; Science Magazine, The Lancet, The New Scientist) for the quality of its service.
"SciCentral was produced from 1997 to 1999 by a group of professional scientists and science enthusiasts, and acquired in January 2000 by SciQuest, Inc., a provider of procurement and materials management solutions for research-intensive organizations. SciQuest actively supported SciCentral all the way through the end of the news aggregation service in May 2003.
"An archived version of SciCentral as of April 2003 can be viewed here. Please note that the archived site is no longer maintained. It is provided only as a snapshot for reference. Some of the links and functionality may no longer be valid.
"As the scientific Internet matured, online research news channels became more organized and powerful new sources arose that provided timely, extensive, and reliable information. Since the emergence of a strong, coherent, and organized scientific Internet had always been the anticipation of the SciCentral founders, editors, and patrons, we decided in April 2003 that the time had come to discontinue SciCentral's aggregation services and instead support the best research news channels and facilitate user access to them through this streamlined version of SciCentral."
Ingenta
"Ingenta.com enables you to access the full-text of your journal subscriptions online and, in addition, gives you the chance to purchase articles from over 26,000 publications on a pay-per-view basis, deliverable by fax or Ariel delivery."
