Science Resource Guide
This science research guide is designed to make browsing and searching more productive. Augustana's Tredway Library is organized by Library of Congress (LC) designation, so most science materials have the same first letter, Q. This applies to all formats of material, such as books, journals, videos and reference materials. Specific scientific disciplines have a two-letter designation identifying their particular field. The handout entitled, Understanding Library of Congress Classification in Tredway Library, gives more classification examples:
- G = Geography
- GE = Environmental Sciences
- Q = Science, History of Science, Biographies
- QA = Math, Computer Science
- QB = Astronomy
- QC = Physics
- QD = Chemistry
- QE = Geology, Paleontology
- QH-QR = Biological Science
- R = Medicine
- S = Agriculture
- T= Technology
General reference materials:
Science dictionaries, encyclopedias, desk reference guides, and collected biographies are found at the beginning of each letter section. Print reference materials are located at the north end of 2nd floor and can be used in the library. Digital reference sources can be found on the Electronic Reference Collection library page. All of these resources are useful for formulating topics and defining key terms (scientific and common) before doing more specific research.
Indexes:
Databases for all the scientific disciplines are available electronically. These are listed on the Sciences page with links directly to the databases. All the 100+ indexes the library subscribes to are listed alphabetically under Databases A-Z.
To discover where a particular journal is indexed, use Ulrich's International Periodical Directory. Search by journal title, and then choose the tab for indexing and abstracts. Ulrich's will also help you identify peer reviewed journals. Return to a database that we subscribe to search for your article.
Journals:
Most science journals are available online in full text or in print. Use the "Journals and Magazines" tab on the Library homepage to find out if we subscribe to a journal and dates we have accessible. If a journal can be accessed electronically, the link is available from this page.
Citation Styles:
Each discipline uses unique citation styles for publishing their research. Some professors prefer a style commonly used in their field, others want a style used in a particular journal. Use RefWorks to store citations, create bibliographies, and write papers in more than 700 different citation styles. Citations and abstracts can be imported into RefWorks from most of the databases held by Tredway Library. You, not the program, are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of your citations. Use the appropriate style manual held in the reference collection to check your work. Departmental titles that are underlined connect to a style sheet for that discipline.
For specific citation styles guidelines and rules, please visit the Citing Sources page.
