Computer Science 589: A CSUF Library Research Guide

Knowledge of library services, resources, and collections within and beyond the CSUF Pollak Library
Knowledge of indexes, abstracts, articles, scholarly journals, popular magazines
Search skills and strategies
Skills to use web-based databases
Citing print and electronic references

To locate books on topics in computer science, use the following catalogs:
CSUF OPAC -- Books, journals, and other materials in the CSUF Library
LINK+ -- Books, journals, and other materials in 7 CSU libraries and Claremont Colleges Libraries
Melvyl -- Books, journals, etc. in UC and other libraries in the state of California
WorldCat -- Books and other materials from libraries worldwide

To locate journal articles on computer science, use the following electronic journals and indexes/abstracts/full-text databases. From the Library's home page, click Electronic Information Resources & select Science/Technology to access these databases. To learn more about these databases, see All Databases Described or go to the web sites of the databases.

Electronic Journal Collections
Ideal --Select Mathematics and Computer Science --> Computer Science to see a list of journals online
Selected Full-Text Electronic Journals -- Alphabetical & subject access; access by publisher

Databases with Full-text (or Selected Full-text) Articles
Expanded Academic ASAP -- Offers indexes/abstracts and selected full-text articles in multiple disciplines
Dow Jones Interactive -- Select Publications Library
Lexis/Nexis Academic Universe -- Select News, or Business
ProQuest Direct -- Select ABI-INFORM Global

Indexes/Abstracts Databases
Applied Science and Technology
Carl UnCover -- Free Document Delivery for Graduate Students
Dissertation Abstracts
EI Compendex Web
The Engineering Index Annual -- Reference T1 .E62
Microcomputer Abstracts

How to find information on the Web?

Use search engines like Yahoo, Altavista, Excite, etc. To see a comprehensive list of search engines, go to Search the Web on the library's Homepage.

Browse subject directories such as
Britannica Internet Guides: http://www-lj.eb.com:180/
WWW Virtual Library: http://vlib.stanford.edu/Overview.html
Library of Congress Subject Guide: http://www.loc.gov
(Browse Topical Guides -- Library of the Congress Explore the Internet http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/subject.html)
Internet Public Library: http://ipl.org/
Argus Clearing House: http://www.clearinghouse.net/

Use the Society and Association Web sites related to your field
Association for Computing Machinery
IEEE
The Institute of Electrical Engineers
National Science Foundation
Leading Universities or Research Institutes in the field

Use web site reviews from various literature or learn from your professors, fellow students, colleagues, etc..

How can I tell the good, the beautiful, and the truthful from the bad, false, and ugly?
Learn to evaluate Internet resources! Consider the following criteria:

Authority
Content
Accuracy
Currency
Objectivity
Usability & Aesthetics

Check out the pointers on Evaluating Web Resources.

When citing electronic and Internet references, consult your professor for the appropriate style manual required. For citing references in MLA style, please refer to the official MLA web site. Xia Li and Nancy Crane created one of the first reference works for citing electronic information: Bibliographic Formats for Citing Electronic Information. Pollak Library also has a web page, CyberCitations, linking to style guides such as MLA, APA, Turabian, and Chicago.