Skip to Main Content

Chemistry: Resources by Course: CHEM 210: Analytical Chemistry

Researching the Literature in Chemistry

Researching the literature is a critical step to reporting on various studies and their test methods. You can do this using library resources such as books, ebooks, and online journal articles. Ask your librarian for help getting started!

Key Databases for Chemistry Research

Citations and articles from scientific journals and research publications.

ACS Style Guide

The CAS Source Index (CASSI) contains a search tool for looking up the appropriate abbreviations for journals as required for ACS Style.

Writing in Chemistry

Plagiarizing can get you into big trouble, even if it's unintentional. These videos can help you avoid plagiarism.

Searching for Reviews and Research Articles in ACS

Quick Look: Review vs. Primary Research

Review Articles:

Researchers often publish reviews as a way to summarize the current state of a field of study. They usually communicate specific information gleaned from numerous studies. A review is not a publication of primary research.

A review article gives an overview of the published studies on a particular topic. A review article often has an abstract, an introduction, and a list of references, but it does not outline any one study in full.

Look for words like review, critical review, literature review, and perspective. These are clues that tell you that you’re probably looking at a review article and not at primary research.

Reading review articles is extremely useful for finding original research. They include a reference list of all the studies reviewed for the article. Often you can track down the original research using this reference list. 

Click here to read an example of a review article. 

 

Primary Research Articles: 

Primary research, on the other hand, is a publication of the methods and results from one particular study. Click here to read an example of an primary research article. Notice the sections of the article are very similar to those outlined in the document, "Dissection of  Primary Research Article."

Annotated Bibliography Information

Annotation Types

A descriptive annotation may summarize:

  • The main purpose or idea of the work
  • The contents of the work
  • The author’s conclusions
  • The intended audience
  • The author’s research methods
  • Special features of the work such as illustrations, maps, tables, etc.

Descriptions from UMKC Libraries, used with permission.

A critical annotation includes value judgments or comments on the effectiveness of the work. In this context, critical means evaluative and may include both positive and negative comments. A critical annotation may contain the information found in a descriptive annotation and discuss some of the following features:

  • The importance of the work’s contribution to the literature of the subject
  • The author’s bias or tone
  • The author’s qualifications for writing the work
  • The accuracy of the information in the source
  • Limitations or significant omissions
  • The work’s contribution to the literature of the subject
  • Comparison with other works on the topic

Descriptions from UMKC Libraries, used with permission.

The following annotation is just a general example. Students should be alert and follow specific requirements that might vary with each professor’s assignment or to the course discipline.

*****************************************************************************

Sample Topic: The Effects of Hydraulic Fracturing on Ground Water

 Urbina, Ian. "A Tainted Water Well, And Concern There May Be More." The New York Times. (August 4, 2011 Thursday ):  LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2013/09/24.  Annotation: This article identifies government agencies and industries that have done studies on the environmental effects of fracking, such as the EPA, Environmental Working Group and the American Petroleum Institute. One EPA official mentions that because of legal issues, it is difficult to access reports; this factor could be important in obtaining accurate information. The article also identifies ongoing conflicts between companies that want to use fracking and environmental groups and individuals that oppose it.

​

Keyword Searching in Analytical Chemistry

Some keywords and key phrases you may want to use when searching for articles and data are: 

  • spectroscopic method
  • colorimetric method
  • analyte's name (chloride, phosphate, etc.)
  • "determination of"
  • nutrient testing (if researching nitrate, ammonia, or phosphate)
  • metal ion testing (if researching copper or iron)
  • inorganic anion testing (if researching nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, or phosphate)
  • water quality
  • water quality testing

Data Collections