Databases & Finding Articles - FEBE - Construction Management and Quantity Surveying

What is a database?

Databases are collections of references to various academic sources such as journal articles, book chapters, reviews, conference proceedings, reports, and sometimes dissertations and theses. Online databases are essential for locating articles across multiple journals.

Types of databases include:

Bibliographic databases: Provide references to articles but not the full text.
Abstracting databases: Include summaries (abstracts) along with bibliographic details.
Full-text databases: Provide access to the complete documents.
Multidisciplinary databases: Cover a wide range of subjects, e.g., EBSCOhost, Taylor & Francis.
Subject-specific databases: Focus on specific topics within a subject area, e.g., Knovel for engineering.
Databases for older material: Such as JSTOR, which offers full-text access to older publications.

Subject-specific Databases

Access Engineering (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window E-book database derived from McGraw-Hill latest editions of print titles e.g. :Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers; Perry's Chemical Engineers Handbook; Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers; Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms; Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain, etc. Covering 14 major areas of engineering, Coverage varies per title Full Text. To download PDFs you need to register to create an account (click on "Register" to create an account within Access Engineering)
ASCE (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window All disciplines of civil engineering
Compendex (via Engineering Village) (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Compendex is the most authoritative database of abstracted and indexed literature in engineering and the applied physical sciences. Compendex covers subjects in every engineering discipline including: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering. Content: Includes over 3600 journals,100 conference proceedings and trade magazines indexed annually.
Engineering Village (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Access to the COMPENDEX and INSPEC literature citation databases covering all engineering disciplines and related subjects. EV2 includes different information resources: Compendex: Coverage: 1884 to the present; abstracts Inspec: Coverage: 1896 to the present; abstracts Referex: E-books and engineering reference material on: Electrical Engineering and Electronics Mechanical Engineering and Materials Coverage: 1987 to the present; full text Espacenet: (Open access) Coverage: 1996 to the present; full text patents. IHS Standards: (Open access) Bibliographic citations of technical standards.
GeoScience World (GSW) (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window A comprehensive Internet resource for research across the geosciences, built on a database of peer-reviewed journals and integrated with GeoRef.
ICE Virtual Library (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Hosts content from ICE Publishing, the publishing division of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). UJ has full-text access to the following: * Journals: all current ICE Journals and Proceedings * Archives: ICE Proceedings, Geotechnique, Magazine of Concrete Research
IEEE Xplore (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Includes content published by IEEE (USA) and IET (UK). UJ’s subscription includes access to: IEEE journals, transactions, and magazines IEEE conference proceedings IET journals IET conference proceedings IEEE published standards IEEE Standards Dictionary Online Abstracts, full text. Coverage: 1988 to the present
Knovel (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Engineering Data and Technical References to Solve Engineering Problems. Export citations for reference. Share files with your peers and colleagues. Annotate your documents with personal notes. Access to the most comprehensive engineering reference content sourced from the leading societies, publishers and authors Powerful search engine designed around the ways engineers search for information Interactive tools that normalize information across content sources and bring content to life by making tables, charts, equations, plotters and graphs interactive.

How do I Access

A library database is an online, searchable collection of information. Libraries subscribe to databases to help students find reliable and relevant resources. To access a database:

Visit the Library Homepage.
Under Library Resources, click on Databases.
Select a database from the list by:
- Scrolling to the desired title, or
- Clicking Choose Subject and selecting a relevant database.

Databases can be:

Multidisciplinary or subject-specific.
Contain bibliographic information only, article summaries, or full-text access in HTML or PDF format.

Tip: Use the PDF format for easier quoting, as it includes page numbers.

Multidisciplinary Databases

Cambridge Journals (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Over 250 peer-reviewed academic journals, free content and e-books from a broad spectrum of subject areas Coverage: 1700 to the present Bibliographic and abstracts Mostly full text (no full text for e-books)
Clarivate Web of Science (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Citation indexes for the human sciences, social sciences and science. Offers the unique feature of searching cited references. Available online (1945-present) at the Web of Science
Emerald (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window On campus access only Global research with impact on business, society, public policy and education. Journal articles and e-books. Coverage: 1898 to the present Full text to all UJ subscribed journals and e-books collections e.g.: Business management & Economics E-Books Series Access to four bibliographic databases (abstracts available) Computer & Communications Security Abstracts Computer Abstracts International Database Current Awareness Abstracts - Library and Information Management International Civil Engineering Abstracts
JSTOR (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Archive of scholarly journals in Arts and Sciences and Business and Life sciences Coverage for most journals begins at volume 1, issue 1, and continues up to the most recent 3-5 years of publication
Oxford Journals Online (Open Athens) This link opens in a new window Oxford Journals Online features the content of highly cited journals in the fields of Medicine, Life sciences, Humanities, Law, Physical and Social sciences Coverage: 1996+ Full Text
ProQuest Central (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window A collection of databases that provides information on all subject areas. Format: Full text Coverage varies according to content
SAGE Journals Online (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Peer-reviewed journals across a broad range of subject areas. Coverage: 1879 to present Bibliographic and abstracts Partly full text - only to UJ journal subscriptions
ScienceDirect (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Scientific journal articles and book chapters across four subject areas: - Physical Sciences & Engineering - Life Sciences - Health Sciences - Social Sciences & Humanities Coverage: 1823 to presentAbstracts from 1823 to present Full text available from 1995 to present No full text available to e-book chapters Mobile application
Scopus (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window A database of peer-reviewed literature including scientific journals, books, and conference proceedings. It offers smart tools to track, analyse, and visualize research. Mostly full-text
SpringerLink (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Covers books, journals, reference works, protocols and databases within the fields of science, technology, and medicine. UJs journal subscription includes: Journal Online Archives Collection : V1 (1) to 1996 - Full text Journal Current Collection: 1996 to the present - Full text SpringerOpen Collection - Full text access to journals Featured Library Databases: Chinese Library of Science - Bibliographic; Russian Library of Science - Bibliographic No full text access to e-Book chapters or Protocols
Taylor & Francis Online (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Full text access to over 1750 high quality academic journals published by companies in the Taylor & Francis Group. Subject coverage includes the sciences, health sciences, social sciences and humanities. 15 Open access journal titles are available on this database. Interface language can be viewed in 66 languages incl. Afrikaans (via Google translation) Coverage: Vol. 1 no. 1+ Abstracts and full text to UJ subscribed titles
Wiley Online Library (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window A broad multidisciplinary collection of online resources covering life, health and physical sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. No full text access to e-Books and Lab Protocols

South African & African content

Sabinet African Journals (formerly SA ePublications) (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Multidisciplinary information originating from or pertaining to Africa with a strong focus on South Africa. Full-text. Coverage: 2000 to the present.
SABINET Discover (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window South African Law, various legal databases, includes legal journals, Bills, Government Gazettes, Municipal By-laws, Policy documents, Provincial Gazettes, Provincial Legislation, SA legislation (Acts, Rules, Regulations) Coverage: Varies according to database product Full text (except for Law and Government)
SA Media (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Please note: the following newspapers are currently not available via SA Media: Sunday Times, Business day, ,Sowetan, Financial Mail, Daily dispatch, The Herald, The Times, Weekend Post, Saturday Dispatch Until this issue is resolved please use African Newspapers Contains records from South African newspapers and periodicals from 1978 onwards. Full text

EbscoHost Databases relevant to Construction Management

Academic Search Ultimate (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Journals, magazines covering Astronomy, anthropology, biomedicine, engineering, health, law and literacy to mathematics, pharmacology, women’s studies, zoology.
Business Source Ultimate (EBSCOhost) (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window A scholarly business database, providing the leading collection of bibliographic and full text content for journals in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics.
EBSCOhost (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window A collection of scholarly works covering a wide variety of topics. Content include literature on Africa and South Africa. Format: Mostly full text. Coverage varies according to content
GreenFILE (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Covers the environmental effects of individuals, corporations and governments and what can be done at each level to minimize negative impacts. Includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling and more. Coverage: Varies according to title Format: Abstracts and full text
INSPEC (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Created by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, a bibliographic database providing abstracts and indexing to the world’s scientific and technical papers. Provides coverage from over 5,000 journals, more than 2,500 conference proceedings as well as numerous books, dissertations, patents and reports.
Waters & Oceans Worldwide (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Databases on all facets of international water research. Includes research ranging from coastal and offshore engineering to pollution and water treatment. Coverage: 1970+ Bibliographic with abstracts Partly Full text, two year embargo for some journal titles

News Databases

African Mines Online (Password required, plse contact Infodesk 011 559 2171/3198) This link opens in a new window A comprehensive information resource covering all mines across the African continent, mines under development and even exploration projects. The contact details, history, geology and outlook of the mines are also covered. Access to the following free digital magazines: Monthly · Building Africa · The Civil Engineering Contractor · Journal of Facilities Management (jFM) · Mining Mirror · Plant Equipment & Hire Every two months · Africa Energy Journal · African Mining · Quarry Southern Africa · Urban Green File · Water Sewage & Effluent Coverage: Current Full Text
African Newspapers, 1800+ (Readex) (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Provides access to more than 60 searchable African newspapers, features English and other language titles and covers the issues and events that shaped the continent and its peoples from 1800+. Some of the SA newspapers included are: Sunday Times-1997- Business day- 1997- Sowetan-2006- Financial Mail-1997- Daily dispatch - 2004- The Herald- 2002- The Times- (2007-2017) Weekend Post- 2002
Newspaper Source (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Cover-to-cover full text of U.S. and international newspapers, television and radio news transcripts Mostly full text
PressReader (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window The world’s largest online newspaper website, providing access to over 2 200 international, national and regional newspapers and magazines from 97 countries in 54 languages in full colour, full page format. Coverage: Current news (up to 90 days back issues available) Full text.
SA Media (OpenAthens) This link opens in a new window Please note: the following newspapers are currently not available via SA Media: Sunday Times, Business day, ,Sowetan, Financial Mail, Daily dispatch, The Herald, The Times, Weekend Post, Saturday Dispatch Until this issue is resolved please use African Newspapers Contains records from South African newspapers and periodicals from 1978 onwards. Full text

FEBE - Construction Management and Quantity Surveying: Databases & Finding Articles

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