Disciplines & Professions: Natural Sciences

Web Sites

Academic Info's Sciences Gateway
http://www.academicinfo.net/subsci.html

Topical index of 26 areas of scientific study, from agriculture to zoology, directs you to indexes and directories, a reference desk, digital libraries, and organizations specific to each topic.

Open Directory's Science Directory
http://dmoz.org/Science/

A directory of links organized by general scientific fields.

Research and Documentation Online: Sciences
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/hacker/resdoc/ sciences/overview.htm

Useful guide to finding and properly documenting sources in scientific research.

SciCentral
http://www.scicentral.com/

Offers the latest research news in an extensive list of areas of scientific study, subcategorized as biological, health, physical and chemical, earth, space, and engineering sciences, and analytical tools. The origin and date of each link is specified, along with an annotated overview. SciCentral home highlights the latest news and headlines in science.

SciSeek
http://www.sciseek.com

Includes more atypical topics, such as cryptozoology and astroarcheology, in addition to biology, health sciences, etc.

Search Engine Guide's Science Links
http://www.searchengineguide.com/pages/Science/

A useful guide to search engines, portals, and directories specific to each of the 11 categories listed in the subject index.

Yahoo!'s Science Directory
http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/

A wide variety of resources available, from general interest to more substantive research sites. Index includes topics such as amateur science, artificial life, and hydrology, in addition to standard categories such as biology and chemistry. Also directs you to related chats, question and answer services, and humor.

Databases

Complete Cambridge Sciences Collection (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts)

Covers full range of sciences and allows users to narrow their search to include databases for specific scientific disciplines. Access to more than 70 databases.

General Science Abstracts (Wilson, available through OCLC FirstSearch and SilverPlatter)

This database includes information on a wide array of science topics. Abstracts journals and magazines from the United States and Great Britain. Over 600,000 records from 1984 to the present, with abstracts for records since 1993.

Science and Technology Digest (Plexus, available through Cambridge Scientific Abstracts)

Covers articles from 100+ international science sources. Contains abstracts in over 9,000 records from 1995 to the present. Updated monthly.

Science Citation Index (Web of Science—Institute for Scientific Information)

Indexes more than 5,700 journals that span more than 150 scientific disciplines. Contains more than 17 million records from 1945 to the present. Also includes searchable author abstracts for records since 1991.

ScienceDirect (Elsevier)

Full text article from journals published by Elsevier Science and abstracts from major scientific journals.

Print Resources

Hurt, C. D. Information Sources in Science and Technology. 3rd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998.

Covers all disciplines within science, mathematics, and engineering. Sources organized by discipline, then by type of reference work. Includes an author/title index.

Lafferty, Peter, and Julian Rowe, eds. The Dictionary of Science. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993.

Designed for both academic and general readers. Entries are arranged alphabetically and include frequent cross references.

Lauerman, Lynn, and William Allstetter, eds. Science and Technology Almanac. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2002.

Provides reports of notable news stories in each discipline as well as facts, figures and statistics. Also includes sections on people, history, and countries. Glossary, index, and bibliography provided.

Malinowsky, H. Robert. Reference Sources in Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Agriculture. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx, 1994.

Provides more than 2,400 sources across science and related fields. Organized by scientific discipline. Many entries include abstracts. Includes author, subject, and title indices.

McGrath, Kimberley A., and Stacey Blachford, eds. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. 2nd ed. 6 vols. Detroit: Gale, 2001.

Alphabetically arranged articles on a wide array of topics, issues, concepts and people in science. Many include suggestions for further reading. Provides a comprehensive general index in volume six.

Narins, Brigham, ed. Notable Scientists From 1900 to the Present. 5 vols. Detroit: Gale, 2001.

Provides biographical information on 1,600 scientists from all scientific disciplines. Offers selected works by each scientist and suggestions for further reading.

Oxford Dictionary of Science. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1999.

Includes more than 9,000 entries covering all areas of science. Provides brief biographies for notable scientists. Organized alphabetically.

Schlager, Neil, and Josh Lauer, eds. Science and Its Times. 7 vols. Detroit: Gale, 2000.

Articles arranged by discipline connect important scientists, scientific events, and technological advances to general society. Volumes are ordered chronologically. Each volume includes an index.

Shearer, Benjamin F., and Barbara S. Shearer, eds. Notable Women in the Physical Sciences. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1997.

An alphabetical list of biographies of important women in science. Emphasis is on women from the 20th century. Entries cover a range of scientific disciplines and nationalities.

Scientific American Desk Reference. New York: Wiley, 1999.

Provides information on a range of scientific disciplines. Each chapter includes an overview, chronology, glossary, biographies, further reading suggestions, and topical articles for the discipline.