Computer Science Research

Developing a Search Strategy

• Look at our dictionaries and encyclopedias located in the reference collection for definitions of terms related to your topic and for general background information.
• Search our databases and journal collection to find recent articles on your topic.
• Search the Library Resource Catalog for resources relating to your topic.
• Search the World Wide Web.

Reference Collection

The reference collection is located on the main floor of the library. Some useful computer science resources include:

• Encyclopedia of Computer Science
  Discusses topics on hardware, computer systems, information and data, software, mathematics of computing, theory of computation, methodologies, applications, and computing milieux.
  Call Number: QA76.15.E48 2000
• The Facts on File Dictionary of Computer Science
  Provides definitions for terms used in computer science.
  Call Number: QA76.15.F345 2001
• Microsoft Computer Press Dictionary
  Brief definitions of terms related to computer hardware, databases, computer history, information processing, and networks.
  Call Number: QA76.15.M54 1994
• Multimedia and the Web A to Z
  Defines terms relating to multimedia and the Internet.
  Call Number: QA76.575.D548 1998

Journals--print and online

The Newbury College Library provides access to scholarly and popular articles in both print and online format. Magazines, journals, and newspapers are known as periodicals. Search the Library Resource Catalog by Journal Title to determine if the Library subscribes to a particular title.

Full-text articles are accessible by using the Library's databases. Home access requires using a valid Newbury College library card. These databases provide access to full-text articles, abstracts (short summaries of the articles), and extended citations (the title, source, date, issue, and page numbers of the article). Full-text articles may be printed within the Library. To retrieve articles that are only available as abstracts or extended citations, you should first check our Periodical Holdings List to locate the articles in hard copy or request them from Interlibrary Loan--see the Reference Librarian for help. The following databases are useful for researching computer topics:

• Expanded Academic Index ASAP
  Provides full-text articles from more than 1,000 journals in the social science, humanities, and non-technical science areas.
• General Business File ASAP
  Provides information on business and management topics. Includes directory listings for over 150,000 companies as well as investment analyst reports on major companies and industries.
• OCLC First Search
  An online system providing access to 44 databases on various subjects including:
  • Applied Science and Technology Literature
    International and English language periodicals covering engineering, mathematics, physics, and computer technology. Includes article abstracts, interviews, meetings, conferences, exhibitions, and new product announcements.
  • Internet and Personal Computing Abstracts
    Popular magazines and professional journals on computing in business, education, industry, and the home. Includes news articles, reviews, and product announcements.
• netLibrary
  A collection of over 7000 electronic books (e-books) that you can borrow and read online. Includes many current books on computing.

Library Resource Catalog

• If you are searching for resources within the Library, the catalog displays its items first. You can also choose to search all Minuteman libraries at once or specify another location.
• You may search for resources by Location, Keyword, Author, Title, Journal Title, Format or Subject Heading.
• The item record displays where a resource is located along with its call number and availability.
• A call number identifies where a book or other library resource is located in the library. The Newbury College Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System. The LC system is comprised of 21 categories with numerous subdivisions under each category. Most of the computer science books are assigned the letters QA76 or TK5105 as the first part of the call number.

Read a call number line by line:

Web Sites