Chemistry Subject Guide
Subject guides are designed to help students begin the research process, find reputable sources, and save time.
Searching the Library Catalog for Books & Other Materials
books and other materials in CCSF Libraries, select the Library Catalog from the Library's Homepage. You will notice many ways to search, such as Title, Author, Subject, Subject Keyword, etc.
Examples of Subject searches include: organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, valence, chemical bonds,
chemical structure, quantum theory, and chemical equilibrium
Materials include books, sample tests, class notes, and other items that instructors put at the library for class use. The
check out time is shorter than regular circulating books.
for a book on reserve in the
Catalog, select either Reserves
by Course or Reserves by Instructor.
When you have located the materials, write down the Call Number and Title and present this to a
staff person at the Circulation Desk.
An example of a reserve book for Chemistry 208B (Fall 2004) at the Rosenberg Library
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.
Available in the Reserve Book Room, 4th Floor, Rosenberg Library:
Fill out green reserve card indicating course and number, and title. Loan periods are limited for reserve materials.
Browsing the Library Collection
Materials in the Library are shelved by call number according to the Library of Congress classification system. Books are arranged on the shelves by subject. Relevant areas in the collection to find materials on chemistry include:
||CALL NUMBER RANGE
|Physical and theoretical chemistry
Using Key Reference Sources
Reference books provide background information and overviews on a given topic. Some relevant reference books in chemistry include:
Dunne, L.J. (2002). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.
Cleveland: Chemical Rubber Publishing Co. EVALUATING INFORMATION SOURCES
QD65 .H3 Rosenberg Reference
It's a "ready-reference book of chemical and physical data." Find basic constants, conversion factors, symbols, physical
constants, properties of elements, polymer properties, geophysics, practical laboratory data and much more.
Kroschwitz, Jacqueline I. (Ed.). (1991).
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (4th ed.). New York: Wiley.
TP9. E685 1991 Rosenberg Reference
This multi-volume set provides information on chemical technology: chemical substances, compounds, industrial processes,
uses of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and chemical engineering.
Parker, Sybil P. (1997). McGraw-Hill
Encyclopedia of Science and Technology(8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Q121 .M3 1997 Rosenberg Reference
This encyclopedia covers scientific and technical topics. Provides background information on a variety of topics.
Lide, David R. and G.W.A. Milne (1995)
Handbook of Data on Common Organic Compounds. Ann Arbor, MI.: CRC Press.
QD257.7 H35 1995 Rosenberg Reference.
Provides basic information on chemical compounds: molecular formula, molecular weight, melting point, density, and more.
Searching for Articles in Periodical Databases
databases group together journal, magazine, and newspaper articles
by subject. They also usually provide abstracts (brief summaries) and the full text of the
articles. Do you need help identifying the differences between scholarly journal v. popular magazine articles?
Note: Most periodical databases are
part of the private, passworded Web, so you will need to
have a current CCSF student ID card with a bar code to access those
that CCSF subscribes to. You should receive an ID in the mail that has a bar code printed on it. This provides
you immediate access to these databases. You do not have to register at a library. If you
have not received a student ID, you may obtain one at Registration, Smith Hall, Room 118, Ocean Campus.
More information about obtaining a library bar code.
Magazines and newsletters offer current news and developments in the chemistry field and are published more frequently than books. Feel free to explore the following titles for up-to-date information on a variety of chemistry and health issues and topics.
Infotrac is a brand name
for several databases with coverage from 1980 to the
present. Some of the databases that might be useful for chemistry topics are the Expanded Academic ASAP, Health Reference
Center, Health and Wellness Resource Center, and OneFile. These databases let you limit your results to
articles only from scholarly journals by checking the box
CQ provides lengthy research reports written by the editorial staff of the Congressional
Quarterly Co. Many reports related to chemistry are offered, such as
pesticides, chemical and biological weapons, ozone depletion, food irradiation, and nanotechnology. These provide
background information and are often good starting points for your research on controversial topics.
SFPL - Electronic Resources, Magazines, and Newspapers
San Francisco Public Library subscribes to many periodical and reference databases.
You must have a San Francisco Public Library card number to access them.
Note: The online versions of these magazines and newsletters may require subscriptions and provide selected feature articles so it is best to check the copies in the library for complete issues.
Electronic Journals Library: Chemistry and Pharmacology
The Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek EZB (Electronic Journals Library)
offers an effective use of both scientific and
academic journals publishing full text articles in the internet.
Free Full Text Journals in Chemistry
Finding Web Resources
are some examples of academic/scholarly web sites for chemistry. If you use
a search engine, such as Google,
remember to evaluate
the quality of the results.
General Chemistry Online
This web site by a Professor at Frostburg State University includes a searchable database of common compounds,
notes and guides for first semester general chemistry, tutorials, and a chemistry exam survival guide.
Library of Chemistry Information
Chemistry information from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
WWW Chemistry Resources
Part of the WWW Virtual Library, this web site provides a listing of various chemistry resources on the web. Compiled
by the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
"The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, AIChE, was founded in 1908. AIChE is a professional association of
more than 50,000 members that provides leadership in advancing the chemical engineering profession."
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society "provides a broad range of opportunities for peer interaction and career development, regardless
of professional or scientific interests." Includes an "Educators & Students" section that includes articles, educational resources, and selected
Canadian Society for Chemistry
"The Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) is the national technical association
representing the field of chemistry and the interests of chemists in industry, academia and government."
Chemical Heritage Foundation
"The Chemical Heritage Foundation serves the community of the chemical and molecular sciences,
and the wider public, by treasuring the past, educating the present, and inspiring the future."
"...this site offers many tools for the researcher, the student, and those who want to explore
and discover how the chemical and molecular sciences have changed the world in which we live."
Royal Society of Chemistry
"The RSC is the largest organisation in Europe for advancing the chemical sciences.
Supported by a network of 45,000 members worldwide and an internationally acclaimed publishing business, our activities
span education and training, conferences and science policy, and the promotion of the chemical sciences to the public."
When researching for information-especially Web resources-always follow these guidelines to help you find reliable and trustworthy information.
Evaluating Webpages: Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask
A UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops
Critically Analyzing Information Sources
Developed by Olin-Kroch-Uris Libraries at Cornell University.
Evaluating and Citing Sources
A quick and easy check list to use when determining the quality of web documents. Prepared by Librarians at CCSF.
For additional help you may contact the Reference Desk by phone at (415) 452-5543 or stop by the East and West reference desks at the Rosenberg Library.
Evaluating and Citing Information Sources
Electronic Reference Service to CCSF students, faculty, staff
and registered community users. Use this service when you
are NOT in a CCSF library.
Library and Web Research Workshops
FIfty minute workshops are given throughout the semester on effective methods in searching for books, articles and information on the Internet.
Several useful sources for evaluating the quality of web pages, how to prepare citations for a "Bibliography" or "Works Cited" list, and how to avoid plagiarism.
Purdue's Online Writing Lab
One of the most thorough and easy to navigate writing labs avaialble!
A+ Research and Writing
Hosted by the Internet Public Library.
Writing Process @ CSU
Colorado State University developed these guides which "focus on a range of composing processes as well as issues related to the situations in which writers
comments or suggestions to:
Chemistry Subject Selector
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Last updated February , 2005