Web of Science   Tags: biology, databases, ernst mayr library, science, searching, tools  

 The Web of Science (WoS) is one database in the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge. Access it through a Library website such as http://library.mcz.harvard.edu or the MCB Library page or Harvard E-Resources.

The Web of Knowledge will open. Note the tabs; you can choose All Databases; Select any one database; or select just the Web of Science; or Additional Resources.

The other databases in the Thomson group are:

• BIOSIS Previews - Life sciences and biomedical research. From 1969 to present.
• CABI (CAB Abstracts) - agriculture and the environment. From 1910 to present.
• MEDLINE - from the US National Library of Medicine - life sciences. This is the same database as PubMed. This Web of Knowledge interface lets you Analyzing results or set up a Citation Alert. An All Databases search, by including Medline, ensures that you are coverng biomedical information that might not be in the other databases. PubMed offers other options; both have their uses.
• Zoological Record - animal taxonomy and biology . From 1864 to present.
• Journal Citation Reports - journal metrics, including Impact Factor. It is not for searching for topics.

It is clear from the above list that each database covers specific subject areas, and also that the coverage varies. The Web of Science goes back to 1899 but Zoological Record covers zoological literature from as far back as 1864. Remember that if you search the default, All Databases, the information on each entry will not be as complete as it will be in specific databases. Your topic will help guide you in making your choice, but it is usually a good idea to start by searching everything.