Mathematics/Statistics -- Information Strategy/Sources

Information Strategy -- a basic guide for tracking down relevant, high-quality information needed for papers, lab reports, discussions, and other purposes

1. Define ... a topic by gathering background/overview information; help formulate your question

Sources:

AccessScience (the online version of the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and Yearbooks, current science news from Science News magazine, biographies of scientists, and more)

Wolfram MathWorld

Additional relevant encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other publications that may provide this type of information and are held locally can be located by searching the Library Catalog and then modifying the search by Location: Science Library Reference.

2. Identify ... specific sources of information about the topic--to answer your question

Databases (1 general/non-technical -- in-depth/more scholarly 5):

1. LexisNexis (useful for coverage of newspapers and some popular magazines 1980's-present; use the Power Search)

To supplement the above database, try --

Access World News

2. Academic Search Premier

To supplement the above database, try --

Grinnell College Libraries Catalog (for publications other than articles)

For materials published prior to the beginning of the above databases, try --

Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (in paper; covers 1890-present)

3. arXiv

arXiv Mathematics

arXiv Statistics

To supplement the above databases, try --

Google Scholar (look for links to publications available at Grinnell; use this only as a supplement to the sources above and below)

4. MathSciNet (description)

To supplement the above database, try --

WorldCat (description; for publications other than articles)

5. Science Citation Index (description; contact Science Librarian for use of this database)

Reference Sources:

Sources of Statistics

CRC standard mathematical tables and formulae (in paper)

3. Locate ... the publications identified above at Grinnell or elsewhere--get your information

Grinnell College Libraries Catalog

E-journal finder (journal, magazine, and newspaper articles; Article Linker)

Interlibrary Loan

Other Library Catalogs:

Iowa State University Library Catalog

University of Iowa Libraries Catalog

4. Evaluate ... the validity, objectivity, and usefulness of the information