Skip to Main Content

Literature Searches and Literature Reviews for Transportation Research Projects

Based on Transportation Research Circular Number E-C194, March 2015. "Literature Searches and Literature Reviews for Transportation Research Projects: How to Search, Where to Search, and How to Put It All Together: Current Practices."

Where to Search

All Subjects

  • Academic Search Complete
  • Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  • Data.gov
  • Google Scholar
  • LexisNexis
  • Measurement of Government Financial Statistics
  • NTIS–NTRL National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • National Transportation Statistics Practice-Ready Papers
  • ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
  • ProQuest Newsstand
  • RiP Research Needs Statements
  • Science.gov
  • ScienceDirect
  • Scopus
  • State Transportation Statistics
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States
  • Transportation Library Collections 
  • Transportation Research Board Directory
  • Transportation Statistics Annual Report
  • TransWeb
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • U.S. DOT Research Hub
  • Web of Science  

 

Alcohol Use

  • FARS
  • PubMed–MEDLINE
  • PsycINFO

 

Aviation

  • Academic Search Complete
  • AIAA Electronic Library
  • Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  • FAA Data and Research 
  • IATA
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • National Transportation Safety Board
  • NTIS–NTRL
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP Research Needs Statements
  • Scopus
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • Web of Science

 

Behavior

  • Journey to Work and Place of Work
  • National Household Travel Survey
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • PubMed–MEDLINE
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • PsycINFO
  • Research Needs Statements
  • RiP
  • Transport Research Portal
  • TRB Publication Index
  • TRID

 

Bicycles

  • ERIC
  • FARS
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
  • Practice Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID 

 

Biophysics

  • PubMed–MEDLINE  

 

Bridges

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Compendex
  • National Bridge Inventory Database
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements 
  • TRID
  • TRB Publications Index

 

Buses

  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration–Data, Analysis and Statistics
  • National Transit Database 

 

Businesses

  • ABI–Inform
  • LexisNexis
  • ProQuest Newsstand 

 

Census

  • Census Transportation Planning Products
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States 

 

Climate Change

  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID 

 

Commodities

  • ABI–Inform
  • Commodity Flow Survey
  • Freight Analysis Framework
  • LexisNexis
  • Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center 

 

Commuting

  • Congestion Data for Your City
  • Journey to Work and Place of Work
  • National Household Travel Survey
  • Urban Mobility Information  

 

Construction

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Compendex
  • Estimating Information: Average Low Bid Unit Price
  • Life-Cycle Benefit–Cost Analysis Model
  • LTAP Clearinghouse
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice Ready Papers
  • Research Needs Statements
  • RiP
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • The Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse 

 

Control

  • IEEE Xplore
  • INSPEC 

 

Crashes

  • Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  • FARS
  • FMCSA–Data, Analysis and Statistics
  • Highway Safety Information System
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities
  • National Automotive Sampling System
  • Safety Data.gov
  • SafetyLit
  • State Data System
  • State Traffic Safety Information 

 

Directories

  • AASHTO Committees
  • FHWA Experts Directory
  • TRB Directory 

 

Distraction

  • FARS
  • Medline
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities
  • PsycINFO 

 

Drivers

  • BTS
  • Congestion Data for Your City
  • FARS Highway Safety Information System
  • Highway Statistics
  • Medline
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • PsycINFO
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Safety Data.gov
  • State Data System
  • State Traffic Safety Information
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID 

 

Drug Use

  • Medline
  • PsycINFO 

 

Economic and Social factors  

  • National Transportation Statistics
  • State Transportation Statistics
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States
  • Transportation Statistics Annual Report
  • TranStats

 

Economics

  • IATA
  • Life-Cycle Benefit–Cost Analysis Model
  • Measurement of Government Transportation Financial Statistics 

 

Education and Training

  • ERIC
  • LTAP Clearinghouse

 

Energy

  • Annual Energy Review
  • Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management
  • Google Scholar
  • Monthly Energy Review
  • NTIS–NTRL
  • ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
  • Science.gov
  • ScienceDirect
  • Scopus
  • Web of Science

 

Engineering

  • NTIS–NTRL
  • Science.gov
  • Scopus
  • TRID 

 

Environment

  • Air Pollutant Emissions Trends
  • Annual Energy Review
  • ASCE Library
  • CAFE Fuel Economy
  • Compendex
  • Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management
  • Google Scholar
  • IHS Fairplay Bespoke Maritime Data Services
  • Monthly Energy Review
  • National Emissions Inventory
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • National Transportation Statistics
  • NTIS–NTRL
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
  • Science.gov
  • ScienceDirect 
  • Scopus
  • Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • Transportation Statistics Annual Report
  • Web of Science
  • TranStats
  • TRB Publication Index 
  • TRID 

 

Fatalities

  • FARS Highway Statistics
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities

 

Finance

  • Highway Statistics
  • Measurement of Government Transportation Financial Statistics
  • Transportation Statistics Annual Report

 

Freight Transportation

  • ABI–Inform
  • AAR
  • BTS Commodity Flow Survey
  • Congestion Data for Your City
  • Data Sources Related to Freight
  • FMCSA–Data, Analysis and Statistics
  • FRA E-library
  • FRA Office of Safety Analysis
  • Freight Analysis Framework
  • LexisNexis
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • TRID
  •  

 

Fuel Consumption

  • Annual Energy Review
  • CAFE Fuel Economy
  • Congestion Data for Your City
  • Transportation Energy Data Book 

 

Groups

  • AASHTO Committees
  • FHWA Experts Directory
  • TRB Directory 

 

Harbors

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • TRID
  • Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center

 

 

Hazardous Materials

  • CFS FMCSA–Data, Analysis, and Statistics
  • Motor Carrier Management Information System
  • U.S. DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

 

Highway Design

  • Context-Sensitive Solutions
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • Research Needs Statements
  • RiP
  • TRB Publication Index
  • TRID

 

Highway Engineering

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Compendex
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Scopus
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • Web of Science 

 

Highway Safety

  • FARS
  • Highway Safety Information System
  • National Automotive Sampling System
  • National Transportation Library Digital Collection
  • NTSB
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Safety Data.gov
  • State Data System
  • State Traffic Safety Information
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Highway Travel

  • BTS
  • Data Sources Related to Freight
  • Highway Statistics
  • Journey to Work and Place of Work
  • Urban Mobility Information

 

Highways

  • LTAP Clearinghouse
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Need Statements
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Human Factors

  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • SAE Digital Library
  • SafetyLit
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • Web of Science 

 

Industries

  • ABI–Inform
  • LexisNexis

 

Information Technology

  • IEEE Xplore
  • INSPEC

 

Injuries

  • FARS
  • National Automotive Sampling System
  • SafetyLit

 

Intelligent Transportation Systems

  • IEEE Xplore
  • INSPEC
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Scopus
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Law Enforcement

  • SafetyLit
  • Legislation Council of State Governments Knowledge Center
  • LexisNexis

 

Logistics

  • ProQuest Newsstand
  • LexisNexis

 

Maintenance

  • LTAP Clearinghouse
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository 
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Markets

  • ABI–Inform
  • ProQuest Newsstand

 

Materials

  • AIAA Electronic Library
  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Compendex
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • Research Needs Statements
  • RiP
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Motor Carriers

  • FMCSA–Data, Analysis, and Statistics
  • Motor Carrier Management Information System News
  • LexisNexis
  • ProQuest Newsstand

 

Pavements

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Compendex
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • NTIS–NTRL
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID 

 

Pedestrians

  • ERIC
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Perception

  • PsycINFO
  • PubMed/MEDLINE

 

Persons and Personal Characteristics

  • Census Transportation Planning Products

  • National Household Travel Survey
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States

 

Pipelines

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Compendex
  • NTSB
  • TRID
  • U.S. DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

 

Planning

  • Academic Search Complete
  • Context-Sensitive Solutions
  • Google Scholar
  • National Transportation Library
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Scopus
  • TRB Publication Index
  • TRID
  • Web of Science
  • TRID 

 

Policy

  • LexisNexis
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Science.gov
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • TRB Publications Index 

 

Public Transit

  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • Research Needs Statements
  • RiP
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Railroad Transportation

  • AAR
  • BTS
  • FRA E-library
  • FRA Office of Safety Analysis  
  • National Transit Database
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • NTSB
  • TRID
  • TRB Publications Index

 

Regulation

  • FRA E-library
  • LexisNexis

 

Road Construction

  • Estimating Information: Average Low Bid Unit Price
  • Life-Cycle Benefit–Cost Analysis Model
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP Research Needs Statements
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID 

 

Safety

  • Boating Safety Resource Center
  • FAA Data and Research
  • Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management
  • FARS
  • FMCSA–Data, Analysis, and Statistics
  • FRA Office of Safety Analysis
  • Google Scholar
  • Highway Safety Information System
  • Motor Carrier Management Information System
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities
  • National Automotive Sampling System
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • NTSB
  • National Transportation Statistics
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Safety Data.gov
  • SafetyLit
  • ScienceDirect
  • Scopus State Traffic Safety Information
  • State Transportation Statistics Transportation Statistics Annual Report
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • Web of Science

 

School Safety

  • ERIC
  • ScienceDirect

 

Science

  • Science.gov

 

Shipping

  • Motor Carrier Management Information System
  • U.S. DOT Maritime Administration 

 

Ships

  • Boating Safety Resource Center
  • U.S. DOT Maritime Administration 
  • Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center

 

Specialists

  • AASHTO Committees
  • FHWA Experts Directory
  • TRB Directory

 

State Government

  • Council of State Governments Knowledge Center

 

Taxation

  • Highway Statistics

 

Technology

  • Science.gov

 

Trade

  • CFS
  • Data Sources Related to Freight
  • Freight Analysis Framework
  • Monthly Energy Review
  • ProQuest Newsstand
  • LexisNexis

 

Traffic Congestion

  • Congestion Data for Your City
  • Urban Mobility Information  

 

Traffic Engineering

  • Compendex
  • INSPEC
  • National Transportation Library Digital Collection
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP 
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Scopus
  • ​TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • Web of Science 

 

Transportation Modes

  • BTS
  • Data Sources Related to Freight
  • National Household Travel Survey
  • National Transit Database
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • State Transportation Statistics
  • TranStats
  • TRID

 

Transportation Operations

  • CAFE Fuel Economy
  • Freight Analysis Framework
  • Journey to Work and Place of Work
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • National Transportation Statistics
  • State Transportation Statistics
  • TranStats

 

Tunnels

  • ASCE Library
  • Civil Engineering Database
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • RiP
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID

 

Vehicle Electronics

  • IEEE Explore
  • INSPEC

 

Vehicles

  • CAFE Fuel Economy 

 

Water Transportation

  • Boating Safety Resource Center
  • BTS
  • National Transportation Library Digital Collection
  • NTSB
  • RiP
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • U.S. DOT Maritime Administration Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center

 

Work Zone Safety

  • The Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse
  • RiP
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID  

There are several resources wherein a researcher would be able to find information on any of the modes listed in this index. Those resources are listed below under the initial heading All Modes.

All Modes

  • Academic Search Complete
  • BTS
  • Data.gov
  • Google Scholar
  • Google Transportation Meta Search
  • LexisNexis
  • Measurement of Government Financial Statistics
  • NTIS–NTRL
  • National Transportation Library Digital Repository
  • National Transportation Statistics
  • Practice-Ready Papers
  • ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
  • ProQuest Newsstand
  • RiP
  • Research Needs Statements
  • Science.gov
  • ScienceDirect
  • Scopus
  • State Transportation Statistics
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States
  • Transport Research Portal
  • TRB Directory
  • Transportation Statistics Annual Report
  • TranWeb
  • TRB Publications Index
  • TRID
  • U.S. DOT Research Hub
  • Web of Science

Aviation

  • AASHTO Committees
  • Aerospace Research Center
  • ASCE Library
  • FAA Data and Research
  • IEEE Xplore
  • IATA
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • NTSB
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • TranStats

Freight Transportation

  • AASHTO Committees
  • Annual Energy Review
  • CAFE–Fuel Economy
  • Commodity Flow Survey
  • FMCSA–Data, Analysis, and Statistics
  • Freight Analysis Framework
  • Freight Analysis Framework State Profiles
  • Motor Carrier Management Information System
  • National Emissions Inventory (NEI) Air Pollutant Emission Trends Data
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • TranStats

Marine Transportation

  • AASHTO Committees
  • ASCE Library
  • Boating Safety Resource Center
  • National Transportation Atlas Database 
  • Marine Transportation
  • NTSB
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • TranStats
  • U.S. DOT Maritime Administration
  • Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center 

Motor Carriers

  • Commodity Flow Survey
  • FMCSA–Data, Analysis, and Statistics
  • NEI Air Pollutant Emission Trends Data
  • NTSB
  • Transportation Meta Search
  • TranStats
  • Urban Mobility Information

Passenger Transportation

  • AASHTO Committees
  • Annual Energy Review
  • CAFE–Fuel Economy
  • CTPP
  • Congestion Data for Your City
  • Environmental Science and Pollution Management
  • FARS
  • FHWA Research Expertise Directory
  • INSPEC
  • ITE Technical Information
  • Journey to Work and Place of Work
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities
  • National Automotive Sampling System
  • NEI Air Pollutant Emission Trends Data
  • NHTSA
  • National Household Travel Survey
  • National Rural Transit Assistance Program
  • NTSB
  • PsycINFO
  • PubMed/MEDLINE
  • SAE Digital Library
  • SafetyLit
  • State Data System
  • State Traffic Safety Information
  • Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • TranStats
  • Urban Mobility Information

Pedestrians and Bicycles

  • AASHTO Committees
  • ITE Technical Information
  • NEI Air Pollutant Emission Trends Data
  • NTSB
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
  • PubMed/MEDLINE
  • TranStats
  • U.S. DOT Research Hub

Pipelines

  • Environmental Science and Pollution Management
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • NTSB
  • Transportation Meta Search
  • TranStats
  • U.S. DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Public Transportation

  • AASHTO Committees
  • Annual Energy Review
  • Boating Safety Statistics
  • CTPP
  • FRA E-Library
  • IHS Jane’s Transportation News and Reference
  • IEEE Xplore
  • Journey to Work and Place of Work
  • Life-Cycle Benefit–Cost Analysis Model
  • NEI Air Pollutant Emission Trends Data
  • National Household Travel Survey
  • National Rural Transit Assistance Program
  • National Transit Database
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • NTSB
  • RiP
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • TranStats

Railroads

  • AASHTO Committees
  • AAR
  • FRA Office of Safety Analysis
  • FRA E-Library
  • National Transportation Atlas Database
  • NTSB
  • Transportation Energy Data Book
  • TranStats

Seminal works are key works in a field: articles, books, or other texts that are introduce new knowledge in a particular field. You'll see them cited over and over again as you go about your literature review.

Northcentral University has compiled a guide to finding seminal works, together with a workshop on finding seminal research that can be viewed online.

Two additional key resources are Scopus and Web of Science, two interdisciplinary databases that allow for sorting of results by the number of citations of a particular article.


Scopus
Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database, including peer-reviewed titles from international publishers, Open Access journals, conference proceedings, trade publications, quality web sources. Subject coverage : Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Engineering ; Life and Health Sciences ; Social Sciences, Psychology and Economics ; Biological, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
 
Once you perform your search, you will see a drop-down menu at the right of the screen that allows for sorting by a number of different options, including "cited by." Selecting this option will rank you results in order of the number of times each has been cited.
 
 

Web of Science


Web of Science offers multidisciplinary coverage of over 10,000 journals in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities, as well as published proceedings for over 12,000 conferences per year, and over 50,000 scholarly books. Powerful tools allow you to search and see what articles in the database have cited a particular work, as well as perform other analytics.

In addition to sorting by times cited, this database offers tools for analyzing search results and creating citation reports.