Search for engineering literature

"Peer reviewed" is a term given to academic literature that has been evaluated by experts working in the same field. Scholarly journals use peer review as a quality-control mechanism. Sources that have been peer reviewed are more authoritative than articles that haven't.

You can find peer reviewed articles through QUT Library's Library Search or databases.​ Database are collections of journals, conference papers and other academic resources on specific subject areas.

Not all the journals you find in Library Search and databases are peer reviewed. If you are not sure if a journal is peer reviewed, look at the about section of the journal's web page. Alternatively, check the "Peer reviewed" box included on the search pages of Library Search and many databases.

Searching databases is a quick and easy way to improve the quality of your research. The information contained in databases is selected or reviewed by subject matter experts according to set criteria. The databases listed below are recommended for research in Engineering. Other relevant databases are listed here.

Watch IEEE Xplore's short video blow for more information on how using databases can improve the quality of your research.

Search databases by keyword or subject searching.

Subject searching

Databases group resources on the same subject using a controlled subject vocabulary. As the terminology is standardised, subject searching enhances the relevance of your results. 

The videos below provide guidance on searching specific science and engineering databases.