Web of Science (WoS), a comprehensive research platform by Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters and ISI Web of Knowledge), stands as an indispensable tool for navigating the vast landscape of scholarly literature. It empowers researchers, academics, and students to efficiently search, track, measure, and collaborate across the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. For users affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), accessing Web of Science through the Eur Web portal unlocks a wealth of knowledge and research potential.
What is Web of Science?
Web of Science is more than just a database; it’s a curated research platform that provides bibliographic access to high-quality scholarly content. It meticulously indexes over 22,000 journals, ensuring a broad and deep coverage of academic disciplines. The selection process for journals to be included in Web of Science is rigorous, considering factors such as publishing standards, editorial content quality, international authorship diversity, and citation impact. This meticulous curation guarantees that users are accessing credible and impactful research. Further details on the journal selection process are publicly available on the Clarivate website, offering transparency and insight into the platform’s standards.
EUR Web Access to Web of Science Core Collection
Erasmus University Rotterdam provides its community with access to the Web of Science Core Collection, a suite of essential databases for in-depth research. This access includes:
- Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI): Covering literature from 1975 to the present, A&HCI is vital for researchers in the arts and humanities disciplines.
- Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Science (CPCI-S): Indexing scientific conference proceedings from 1990 onwards, this database is crucial for staying updated on the latest scientific findings presented at conferences.
- Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Social Science & Humanities (CPCI-SSH): Similar to CPCI-S but focused on social sciences and humanities, covering proceedings from 1990 to the present.
- Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED): A cornerstone for scientific research, SCI-EXPANDED offers extensive coverage from 1975 to the present.
- Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI): Providing comprehensive coverage of social sciences literature from 1975 onwards.
- Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI): Focusing on new and developing research areas, ESCI covers publications from 2005 to the present, offering a glimpse into the future of research.
It’s important to note that the EUR subscription does not include the Book Citation Index, and access to content predating 1975 is not available. However, through the “Search in:” dropdown menu on the Web of Science Documents Search page, users can explore additional resources such as the Grants Index (1953-present), Preprint Citation Index (1991-present), ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index (1637-present), and SciELO Citation Index (2002-present), expanding the scope of research possibilities.
Journal Citation Reports (JCR): Evaluating Journal Impact
Complementary to Web of Science, the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) database, also from Clarivate, is a powerful tool for evaluating and comparing journals. Using citation data, JCR provides journal metrics, including the widely recognized Journal Impact Factor, dating back to 1997. This allows researchers to assess journal influence and make informed decisions regarding publication and literature review.
Accessing Web of Science and JCR via EUR Web Platforms
Access to both Web of Science and Journal Citation Reports is readily available via the EUR web environment. Whether on-campus or off-campus, EUR affiliates can connect through EZproxy or EduVPN/FortiClient All Traffic for seamless access. Creating a personal account within Web of Science while on the EUR network further facilitates access from anywhere, eliminating IP-range restrictions and ensuring researchers can utilize these resources wherever their work takes them.
In conclusion, Web of Science, accessible through the EUR web portal, provides Erasmus University Rotterdam’s community with a robust and comprehensive research platform. By offering access to a curated collection of scholarly literature and essential journal evaluation tools like JCR, EUR empowers its users to conduct impactful research and stay at the forefront of their respective fields.
