Best Bets for Starting Your Research in...
::
Mathematics ::
Use databases to find articles
on your topic. These databases are the best place to start.
-
Applied Science & Technology Index
Citations and abstracts to international and English language
periodicals, covering engineering, mathematics, physics, and computer
technology.
Date coverage: 1983-present.
- JSTOR
Contains archive images of searchable
scholarly journals in various disciplines. Subscription includes:
Ecology & Botany Collection, Arts & Sciences Complement
Collection, and Arts & Sciences Collections I through IV (which
include Business, Language & Literature, Mathematics &
Statistics, and Music collections).
 Listen to a fun podcast
"interview" with this database: iTunes RealPlayer
- MathSciNet
Access to Mathematical Reviews and current
mathematical publications.
Coverage: 1940-present
-
AccessScience
AccessScience features fully searchable content from the McGraw-Hill
Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, Yearbook of Science &
Technology, and the Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms.
Tips: When searching
databases, use AND, OR, and parentheses
to focus your search.
The asterisk * symbol will search for all variations of a word. For
example: : trig* will search for trigonometry or trigonometric, or
using quotes will search for a phrase.
Combine synonyms with OR and put them inside parentheses, like this:
"fourier analysis" AND (integral* or function*)
Here's another example:
(AI or "artificial intelligence") AND
(education* or instruction*)
Already have the citation? Find an article with citation linker!
Did you know...
Databases are
basically just search engines for
articles on specific subjects.
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Find books using the library
catalog. Browse these subjects
to get general information on your topic.
- Algebra
- Mathematics
- Matrices
- Number theory
- Fourier analysis
- Mathematical ability - testing
- Mathematical models
Search the library catalog! Find books, media
materials, and more.
Other searches:
Browse | Advanced Search
Tips: When searching
the library catalog with keywords, use the dollar sign
($) to search for a word and all of its variations.
For example: math$ will search for math,
mathematics, mathematical, etc. Watch out for truncating too broadly:
using matri$ for matrix/matrices will also bring up matriculation and
matrimonial.
Did you know...
- WorldCat is a catalog of thousands
of libraries around the world!
- If a book isn't in the Fairfield
University catalog, search WorldCat and request the book from
another library. Just click on the Interlibrary Loan button.
- You can search ReQuest to search just the libraries
in Connecticut.
- Contact John
Cayer, Interlibrary Services, with questions.
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Reference tools such as dictionaries
and encyclopedias are good places to
start your research because they provide an overview of
the topic as well as keywords,
dates, and facts.
Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Handbooks
Tips: Try looking at
the bibliography at the end
of the entry for a list of other sources
such as relevant journal articles and books.
When you have found books on your topic, look
at the books on the shelf nearby to see if they are
related to your topic.
Did you know...
Wikipedia
can be edited by anyone,
so make sure you use another source to
confirm the information you find there.
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These web sites have been evaluated
by librarians (that's a good thing) for your use in an
academic setting.
- Mathematics Gateway
http://www.academicinfo.net/math.html
Directory of Online High School & College Math Resources.
Sections include: high school math, college math, algebra, geometry,
calculus, homework help, chaos theory, fractals, complex systems,
history of math, ethnomathematics, math education, and math software.
- Topics in Mathematics
http://archives.math.utk.edu/topics/
- Dictionary of Units of Measurement
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/index.html
Dictionary of Units of Measurement -
definitions of SI units, metric units, Roman numerals, symbols and
abbreviations, and much more.
- NIST Information about Math,
Statistics, and Computational Science
http://math.nist.gov
- American Mathematical Society
http://www.ams.org
Professional society of mathematicians and educators, with activities,
education issues, publications, conferences, employment
- Society for Industrial and
Applied Mathematics
http://www.siam.org
Mathematicians, engineers, computer scientists, physical scientists,
and others utilizing math for the solution of problems.
Tips: Any web site can be
changed without notice, so be sure to evaluate every site
you use.
Did you know...
There are billions of web pages and Google
only finds a fraction of them (about 15%). The rest is
held in what's called the "Invisible Web", which is made up
of dynamically generated information, password protected sites, and
databases-driven sites!
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Use these short e-learning modules to get quick
answers!
Still have questions?
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Contact a Reference Librarian
(203) 254-4000 ext. 2178
reference@mail.fairfield.edu
IM the Reference Desk at FairfieldULib
- AOL and Yahoo
FairfieldUlib@hotmail.com
- MSN
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