Essential resources for physics research
Covering all areas of physics research from A to Z. Containing over 22 million total records and 12 million physics records, the Inspec database covers all areas of physics research, from 'a mesons' and 'acceleration' to 'zone melting' and 'zodiacal light.'
Discover the latest research from global publications selected for quality and relevance
As a publisher-neutral database, Inspec includes global content from a wide range of resources including top physics journals such as Advanced Materials, Physical Review, Nano Energy, Nature Physics, and 5,000+ more journals from leading publishers such as IOP Publishing, AIP Publishing, American Physical Society, and hundreds more publishers from around the world.
Expert indexing with unparalleled granularity
Owing to the precision and accuracy of our indexing, Inspec is an authoritative resource for accessing scientific literature – helping you quickly pinpoint the most relevant research.
A recent study found that Inspec users spend 25% less time on literature searchers than users of the leading free scholarly search engine.
Enhanced discoverability of arXiv preprints
Inspec was one of the first databases to ingest and index preprints from arXiv. Since 2015, Inspec has indexed more than 240,000 arXiv articles – enhancing discoverability of research ideas and trends before they appear in the peer-reviewed literature.
Explore physics content on Inspec
Inspec classifications
The Inspec classification provides a hierarchical breakdown of subjects covered in the database and assigns a code to each subject. There are currently over 3,500 codes which can be used to focus your search on increasingly specific subject areas within Inspec. Our detailed subject classification hierarchy allows you to drill down up to five levels, giving you unparalleled insights.
Within the physics section of Inspec, there are more than 2,300 unique subject classifications within the hierarchy. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of research within Inspec, articles are often assigned multiple classifications covering a broad range of interdisciplinary research:
- 29% of Physics research (>3.4 million records) in Inspec is also classified in the Electrical Engineering and Electronics section.
- 8% of Physics research (>975k records) in Inspec is also classified in the Computers and Control section.
- 8% of Physics research (>768k records) in Inspec is also classified in the Mechanical and Production Engineering section.
Inspec controlled terms
The Inspec thesaurus is a terminology based subject index containing over 10,000 controlled terms. Every record in Inspec has multiple controlled terms assigned to each abstract, allowing you to refine your query to find items relevant to your search.
| Controlled terms with >200,000 Physics records | Number of physics records |
| organic compounds | 523,635 |
| X-ray diffraction | 453,055 |
| nanofabrication | 350,912 |
| scanning electron microscopy | 343,558 |
| nanoparticles | 293,867 |
| molecular biophysics | 271,940 |
| silicon | 249,612 |
| III-V semiconductors | 243,325 |
| elemental semiconductors | 230,373 |
| cellular biophysics | 221,711 |
| silicon compounds | 220,679 |
| transmission electron microscopy | 217,570 |
| crystal structure | 200,967 |
Special indexes ensure maximum discovery
In addition to the bibliographic record and subject terms, Inspec records are also indexed under special indexes (such as chemical, numerical, and astronomical indexing) to ensure that you can easily locate the most relevant records for your research. For example, you can easily search for specific values of galactic distance, wavelength, frequency or electron volt energy.
Inspec also assigns treatment codes to indicate the approach taken to a subject by the author of a source document – these can be used to filter search results to pinpoint the most relevant records.
| Physics records by treatment code | Number of physics records | Percentage of physics records |
| Experimental | 6,117,987 | 41.7% |
| Theoretical/Mathematical | 4,999,574 | 34.1% |
| Practical | 2,792,757 | 19.0% |
| Bibliography | 275,028 | 1.9% |
| General/review | 268,976 | 1.8% |
| Application | 126,020 | 0.9% |
| New development | 69,283 | 0.5% |
| Economic | 16,130 | 0.1% |
| Product Review | 3,679 | 0.0% |
Precision analytics for research excellence
The precise indexing for content in Inspec powers Inspec Analytics, our dynamic and intuitive research intelligence tool. Inspec Analytics utilizes powerful semantic mapping to identify trends and patterns across the global research that is indexed in Inspec.
- Analyze research trends, patterns, and impact at a granular level
- Stay up-to-date with the latest global trends in your specific areas of interest
- Develop strategies for your research projects using unique insights
- Identify journals and conferences to publish your research
To explore some of the latest research trends for key sub-topics within Physics, view our latest Inspec Trend Review.
Access Inspec and Inspec Analytics
Inspec and Inspec Analytics are available to current subscribers on a range of vendor platforms. Access is currently provided via IP address or via your vendor platform so you need to be connected to your institution’s network. Check with your librarian or administrator to find out if you have a subscription.