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Forensic science


Finding journal articles

Do a search through a number of forensic science journal databases
simultaneously, using Supersearch:

[you will need to login]

e.g., fingerprint AND evidence (NB: do not use quotation marks around phrases)

  • This quicksearch option searches across a number of forensic science journal databases.
  • To link to the full-text of articles (if available), click on the full text button :

The search above will often retrieve a large number of hits but many of those hits may have no full text. If that happens, try searching one or more of the individual databases or online journals listed below :

Databases

    Gale databases:
  • Academic OneFile - A major academic database with varied sources covering a range of subjects.
  • Expanded Academic ASAP - Over 3500 different titles going back 20 years, with many available in full text. 2100 are peer-reviewed. Subjects covered include social sciences, humanities, education, science and technology.
  • Infotrac OneFile - A small database with mostly general material, however it contains a few titles that Academic OneFile lacks.
    • Search these 3 databases simultaneously!
  • Search the Journal of Forensic Sciences (the official journal of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences) and Forensic science international (just above), two important periodicals, simultaneously in the SCOPUS database.
  • CINCH - Australian Criminology - on Informit Index to Australian material on all aspects of crime, criminal justice and criminology.
  • National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts, in EBSCOhost - Covering law enforcement, criminal justice and also discussing forensic science & findings. Some full-text access, however you can try clicking on the full text button to get the full-text from a different database (but there is no guarantee of success).
  • Academic Search Complete, in EBSCOhost - General subject database with articles from over 5500 full-text periodicals going back as far as 1987, including over 4600 full-text journals.

    • Online journals

    Journals (on paper)

    • Journal of Forensic Sciences: the Official Publication of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences
      PR 363.25 JOU:1 (Hawthorn) - look in the Periodicals section of Level 1 of the Hawthorn campus library.
      Issues available are: v.42:no.1 (1997:Jan) - v.49:no.6 (2004:Nov), then v.50:no.2 (2005:Mar) - v.50:no.6 (2005:Nov). After Nov 2005, we only have it as an online journal (see link above)
    • Journal of Forensic Identification: the Official Publication of the International Association for Identification
      PR 363.25 JOU (Hawthorn) - look in the Periodicals section of Level 1 of the Hawthorn campus library.
      Issues available are: Jan 1997 to the current issue. This is an ongoing subscription!

    E-books: books online

    You can find lots more e-books in the Library Catalogue by selecting an Online Resources Keywords search and trying searches like: forensic science, forensic, crime investigation, etc.

    Australian websites

    • National Institute of Forensic Science Includes links to ANZFSS (The Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society) and SMANZFL (Senior Managers Australian and Forensic Laboratories). The left-hand side menu is a bit clunky to use - instead, use the Site Map to navigate (top right-hand corner of the Home page).
    • Victorian Police Forensic Services Department Information about our own Victorian Police's Forensic Services Department. What they do; what happens to the information; and statistics. Be sure to check out "Is it like CSI?"
    • The thin blue line: the Unofficial NSW Police Web site for the State of New South Wales, Australia - Forensic Scientists page. Highly informative and written in simple English. There are pages covering: Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Entomology, Forensic DNA, Forensic Odontology, Forensic Psychiatry, Forensic Science Firearms & Tool-mark ID, Forensic Photography, Forensic Ballistics, Forensic Serology, Bloodstains Pattern Analysis, Forensic Science Hair & Fibres and lastly Computer Forensics.
    • Centre for Forensic Science at UTS
      Department of University of Technology, Sydney. We have partial access to the journal articles listed in the Publications section.

    International websites

    • Zeno's Forensic Site Compiled by a forensic scientist at the Netherlands Forensic Science Laboratory this web site includes links to information on topics such as DNA, Explosives and Arson. This site is linked to by many groups and organisations wordwide.
    • Reddy's Forensic Page NOTE: Best viewed using Internet Explorer. Reddy Chamakura is a retired forensic scientist but still maintains this famous web site.
    • Forensic Science Service The web site of this UK government-owned company includes a News section, information about the services offered by FSS, case files (including the DNA testing of the bones of what was believed to be the last Tsar of Russia and his family!), fact sheets and FAQs.
    • Biological Sciences Section, New York State – Division of State Police - “The Biological Sciences Section maintains and operates a full spectrum of modern forensic DNA identification technologies” Fantastic overview of their laboratory with some brief case examples showing the work of its different sections: Biosciences, Breath Testing, Case Review, Drug Chemistry, Evidence Receiving, Firearms, Forensic ID and SAFIS, Forensic Imaging, Photography, Questioned Documents, Toxicology and lastly Trace Evidence. The homepage for their Forensic Science Laboratory System can be found here and includes some history of forensic sciences and the history of their laboratory.
    • Crime and Clues: the art and science of Criminal investigation - A US gateway of links arranged in investigative sequence from first discovery of a crime to after the resulting court trial. There are also links to online articles. Note that only part of the site deals with Forensic Science, not all of it.
    • Pathology and Forensic Medicine An information gateway to internet resources created by Karolinska Library, Sweden. Focusses on forensic medicine and pathology.

    Last maintained by: Nick Pavlovski (npavlovski@swin.edu.au), late Feb, 2009