ScienceDirect: Quick Start Guide: Register

VDOT employees do not need to create an account in order to search for and locate articles and book chapters in ScienceDirect. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, you will need an account to get the full text of resources you find in ScienceDirect. It is fast and easy (and free!) to create an account, so we recommend doing that first. NOTE: You can create an account from any connected computer but we recommend you do it at a time when you have access to your VDOT e-mail account, in case you need to reset your password or configure additional settings.

The option "Create Account" appears in the upper right-hand corner of ScienceDirect (shown below) next to "Sign in" which is what you'll use after you create an account. 

Your first step is to fill out all fields in the online form. Use your VDOT e-mail address because that is a system requirement:

After you click "Create" you will see a screen that looks like this. Click "Done" and you'll return to the ScienceDirect interface where you can begin searching: 

You will also receive an e-mail confirmation that allows you to start setting your system preferences (optional), which looks like this: