Why choose Inspec?

Unique research

You’ll find resources not available through any other database.

These include hard to find materials that will give your research a comprehensive edge.

You’ll also be able to search for patent novelty and analyse data by a wide variety of parameters.

Evolving content

Inspec benefits from weekly content updates to ensure you’re accessing the most important and up to date research available.

This is essential to time-sensitive research fields like Physics and Computing.

Intuitive searching 

You’ll find exactly what you need quickly and efficiently thanks to sophisticated search tools and expert classification by our subject specialist indexers.

This is also made possible because the database boasts 80 per cent full-text coverage through DOI's.

Inspec database quality

Inspec prides itself on the quality and the integrity of its data.

It is world-renowned for its comprehensive coverage and it is certified to the latest version of quality standard ISO9001 for the quality of its production process.

Expert indexing and data validation

To ensure knowledgeable, consistent indexing, Inspec's indexers are subject specialists.

Our indexing has grown to include not only the usual Thesaurus Term and Classification Code indexes, but also the Uncontrolled Index Terms, Treatment codes, Chemical Substance Indexing, Numerical Data Indexing, Astronomical Object Indexing and IPC Patent Codes. Guides for each of these are available on our guides and tutorials page.

Inspec prides itself not only on the provision of rigorous indexing but also strives to achieve the quality and integrity of all the data.

Extensive computer validation procedures are used to ensure that the database is nearly error-free.

For many fields, the entries are checked against an authority file.

Fields such as Thesaurus Terms, Classification, Journal Names, Author Affiliation, Language, and Country of Publication all have authority files.

For fields where it is not possible to create an authority file, field size and format checks are made.

For instance, in fields that contain a date, only valid dates are allowed. In the Author Name field, the format of the data is checked to ensure that the surname comes first.

Database corrections 

Inspec operates a stringent quality assurance procedure, but inevitably there are occasions where errors and omissions do occur. To correct inaccurate Inspec records we provide a correction service, and this is issued to Inspec vendors regularly. Corrections to the IET Inspec database can be emailed to inspec.corrections@theiet.org.