Major Reference Works 2025
Our newest Major Reference Works coming in 2025 cover a wide range of topics from green chemistry to evolutionary biology to neurological sciences.
Major Reference Works and Collections on ScienceDirect
Complete sources for authoritative, foundational knowledge
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Improve access to foundational information to support learning and research
Researchers and students of all levels need trustworthy fundamental information to support emerging interdisciplinary research and strong learning outcomes.
A one-stop solution to foundational knowledge
All Major Reference Works (MRWs) published by Elsevier and available on ScienceDirect are reviewed and vetted to rigorous standards by experts in their fields.
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Unlimited, concurrent access for multiple users
MRWs are included in our Reference Collections
Our portfolio of Major Reference Works covers 17 subject areas:
Agricultural, Biological & Food Sciences
Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Science
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Earth & Planetary Sciences
Energy
Engineering
Environmental Science
Immunology & Microbiology
Materials Science
Mathematics & Computing
Neuroscience & Psychology
Pharmacology, Toxicology & Pharmaceutical Science
Physics
Social Sciences
Major Reference Works provide enduring value, with 60% of their usage maintained over a decade after publication.*
* Based on an analysis of ScienceDirect usage, 2023
All-in-one access to Major Reference Works in a field together with relevant Reference Collection titles
The most comprehensive overview of a field, covering all the fundamental knowledge in one authoritative resource
Exclusive access to chapters-in-press for forthcoming Major Reference Works, allowing users to get the most up-to-date information
Fundamental overviews for interdisciplinary researchers and students exploring new and unfamiliar fields
Aligned with other literature types on ScienceDirect, ensuring users get the full picture of a subject area
Reference Collections are available in 8 subject areas:
Learn about all of our new titles by subject planned for publishing in 2025.
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Frequently asked questions
Major Reference Works can be purchased with a one-time fee for perpetual access or as a Reference Collections offering all Major Reference Works in a subject. For more details about purchasing options, please visit our ScienceDirect book purchasing options page.
The list of Major Reference Works and their publishing dates is available in the attached PDF.
Please use the “Contact us” link below to let us know of your interest. Your request will be forwarded to your Elsevier Account Manager, who will then get in touch with you.
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