No. 31of 34 ·Academic Research Databases

Inspec

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One barScore 5.0

Runs widely1 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Inspec is ranked #31 of 34 in academic research databases on Freedom251. It runs on API, Web.

Inspec plans and pricing

All plans

Inspec Archive Separate purchase; abstracts from 1898–1968; perpetual access available through a one-off purchase theiet.org · 7 Oct 2026

Inspec subscription Institutional subscription; includes Inspec research database and Inspec Analytics theiet.org · 7 Oct 2026

Inspec Analytics Plus Optional upgrade with additional citation and collaboration features theiet.org · 7 Oct 2026

Compared on academic research databases

Free plan: No
Full-text access: No
Advanced search: Yes
Subject coverage: stem
Content types: journals, conference proceedings, preprints, dissertations, books, patents, standards, technical reports, presentations, posters, videos
Theses and dissertations: Yes
Conference proceedings: Yes
Institutional access: Yes

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The record

Purpose: Inspec is an online academic database with expert indexing for subject-specific and interdisciplinary research in engineering, physics and computer science.
Coverage: Inspec contains over 28 million records of research literature from hundreds of global publishers.
Included analytics: Inspec subscriptions include access to the research database and Inspec Analytics.
Inspec Direct: Inspec Direct supports searching and reviewing peer-reviewed research and offers search and analysis tools with human-curated indexing.
Indexed material: Inspec indexes journals, conference proceedings, preprints, dissertations, books, presentations and posters, videos, standards, and technical reports.
Vendor platforms: Inspec is available through Derwent Innovation, Dialog Solutions, EBSCOhost, Engineering Village, OvidSP, ProQuest, and Web of Science.
API and data: The IET offers Inspec structured data through an API or direct data feed for use in customers’ own systems.
Analytics features: Inspec Analytics uses semantic technology and a knowledge graph to compare research trends across thousands of organisations and scientific concepts.
Analytics topics: Inspec Analytics can monitor global trends across more than 14,000 research topics.
Audience: Inspec Direct is designed for research discovery in the corporate, government, and academic sectors.
Support: The IET provides Inspec guides, platform user guides, and an Inspec Analytics user guide.
Publisher selection: The Inspec Publisher Relations team evaluates journals in physics, engineering, computing, and technology for possible inclusion.
Maker: The IET says it was created in 2006 and describes itself as a global engineering and technology community.
Founded: 1967

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Academic Research Databases in 2026#31 of 34

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Sources

theiet.org/publishing/solutions-for-your-instituti· checked 7 Oct 2026
theiet.org/publishing/solutions-for-your-instituti· checked 7 Oct 2026
theiet.org/publishing/solutions-for-your-instituti· checked 7 Oct 2026
theiet.org/publishing/inspec/guides-and-support· checked 7 Oct 2026
theiet.org/publishing/solutions-for-your-instituti· checked 7 Oct 2026
theiet.org/about· checked 7 Oct 2026