LibGuides: Search Strategies Across Platforms: Home

IFPRI and the CGIAR subscribe to both journals and databases. This guide can be used to better your research strategies when looking for literature to complement your research. If you find an article, book chapter, report, or book to which IFPRI does not provide access, request it through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) through Worldcat, email, or the requests form on our website. ILL services are only available to current IFPRI staff. If you are affiliated with another institution, please contact your Knowledge Management or Library team.

What is the right search tool or strategy for me?

Database	Strengths	Weaknesses
CAB Direct (REMOVED IFPRI ACCESS - May be available through other CGIAR centers)	Best uses: general search for other literature within life sciences Provides links to full text publications Offers non-journal literature from around the world including annual reports, general reports, books, conference proceedings, field notes, etc. Keeps a search history for that browser session	Does not offer full text in most cases
EconLit (CPA/KM Subscription)	Best uses: searching for available full text within economics Library database, managed by American Economic Association Full text publications	May have to execute search multiple times for PDF access Embargoed, little available under 18 months old Limited to field of economics
Google Scholar (Open Access)	Best uses: exploration or to look up a specific title or journal Crawls the internet Searches within text Includes institutional repositories and major publishers Citation counts	Little to no quality control Often imprecise results Included titles can change without notice
Web of Science (CPA/KM Subscription)	Best uses: bibliometrics and advanced analytics, exploration Highly controlled for quality Rankings used for IFPRI journal rankings process Provides some full text publications	Does not include most journals Lacks non-scientific coverage Sometimes excludes most recent articles for a journal due to inclusion schedule
WorldCat (CPA/KM Subscription)	Best uses: exploration, lookup, comprehensive literature reviews across multiple publishers and types Compiles IFPRI print and electronic resources View full text button Easily request non-IFPRI resources	Awareness of search techniques helpful to get most accurate return (boolean, facets, etc.)