MC Library Research Guides: Chemistry: Develop a Topic

Find Background Information

Background information helps you learn about aspects of a topic that might interest you.

The chemistry background resources, below, contain physical and chemical properties for elements and compounds. General science reference can help when looking up a specific chemistry-related topic, for example: synthesis of new materials, drug development, or a specific catalyst.

Chemistry Background:

Handbook of Chemistry and Physics This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive one-volume reference tool for chemistry and physics, and science more generally. It can be searched or browsed through the table of contents links on the left.

Interactive Periodic Table
Profiles for each element, from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Merck Index Online This link opens in a new window
An encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs, and biologicals that contains more than 10,000 monographs. Each monograph in this authoritative reference source is a concise description of a single substance or a small group of closely related compounds.

General Science Reference

AccessScience This link opens in a new window
Rigorous and scientific overviews and introductions to chemistry topics.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
A selected collection of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. For a current title list of our offerings, see the List of Sources once you are in the collection. These titles are also accessible through RaptorSearch. For information on how to use e-books on Gale, please see this helpful video.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Online reference library with a wide selection of reference books. Search or browse by subject. These titles are also accessible through RaptorSearch.

Research Skills & Tips:

Choose a Research Topic
by Niyati Pandya Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 1463 views this year

Searching as Exploration Video

Develop a Topic

To choose a research topic, begin with general background information. This will help you explore topics of interest, develop research questions and search terms, and decide where to look for sources.