How to find scientific literature

Step by step until you either succeed or worse

Since there are many readers who ask, let me present you the super simple guide of how to find that scientific work you are looking for:

You follow them in order. Start with the easiest methods, and if it fails or doesn't apply, try the next one.

SciHub

SciHub (Science Hub) is a pirate site (download stuff for free) with many parallel domains. Some currently working ones:

• https://sci-hub.ru/

• https://sci-hub.it.nf/

• https://sci-hub.wf/

• If it doesn't work, try with a webproxy like this one, or with a VPN. They are sometimes blocked in some but not other countries.

Sci-Hub only works for stuff that has a DOI (those IDs that start with "10."). If the work you want doesn't have it, go to the next method.

LibGen

LibGen (Library Genesis) is another pirate site like SciHub, but for books. There are many mirrors (parallel websites) and these sometimes stop working. These currently work:

• http://libgen.rs/

• https://annas-archive.org/

• https://z-lib.is/

• https://zlibrary.to/

Google advanced search

You use Google's advanced search by using various keywords, e.g.:

This is also what you use to search archive.org because the site's own search engine is terrible, e.g.:

If you need more advanced help

Gwern has an in-depth guide here.