PolyThinkers Pad » Science http://www.poly.edu/library/blog fueling polythinking with library news, tips and more Tue, 13 May 2008 21:02:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 en New Collection of Springer e-books available on trial through May 31st http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/05/13/check-it-out-new-collection-of-online-journals-and-e-books/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/05/13/check-it-out-new-collection-of-online-journals-and-e-books/#comments Tue, 13 May 2008 21:00:59 +0000 Ingrid databasesresearch http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/05/13/check-it-out-new-collection-of-online-journals-and-e-books/ A wide selection of e-books at SpringerLink is now available for the Poly community to use on a trial basis through May 31st. SpringerLink offers journals and books in a variety of disciplines such as biomedicine, chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, computer science, humanities, and economics. Free access to tables of contents, detailed abstracts and editorial background are available for every publication, and full text is offered for many.

Take a moment to run a couple searches in SpringerLink and see how easy it is to narrow your results to fit your criteria. You can also sign up for alerts on the latest titles in your field. Give it a shot and let us know if you find it useful by leaving a comment below. Your feedback will help us decide whether or not to purchase this resource for the library.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/05/13/check-it-out-new-collection-of-online-journals-and-e-books/feed/ New online resource: GreenFILE http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/03/31/new-online-resource-greenfile/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/03/31/new-online-resource-greenfile/#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:16:54 +0000 Ingrid databasesgreenresearch http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/03/31/new-online-resource-greenfile/ Climate change, renewable energy, food shortages… unless you live in a cave, chances are you’ve heard or read about these important environmental issues in the media lately. Now you have a new resource at your disposal to help you research all things environmental: GreenFILE.

This bibliographic database from EBSCO draws on the connection between the environment and disciplines such as technology, health, education, and law. It contains nearly 300,000 citations of both scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports. Full text is available for selected titles.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/03/31/new-online-resource-greenfile/feed/ Just Released: Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008 http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/02/07/just-released-science-and-engineering-indicators-2008/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/02/07/just-released-science-and-engineering-indicators-2008/#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:00:02 +0000 Ingrid reference http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/02/07/just-released-science-and-engineering-indicators-2008/ Science and Engineering Indicators, published by the National Science Board, provides a broad base of quantitative information on the U.S. and international science and engineering enterprise. Indicators are data that provide information on science and engineering as it relates to education, industry, research and technology. The report is intended to contribute to an understanding of the current environment and to inform the development of future policies. The document is available online for free in PDF format.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/02/07/just-released-science-and-engineering-indicators-2008/feed/ Expand your horizons: Explore NYC science & tech groups http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/30/expand-your-horizons-explore-nyc-science-tech-groups/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/30/expand-your-horizons-explore-nyc-science-tech-groups/#comments Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:05:07 +0000 Ingrid technology http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/30/expand-your-horizons-explore-nyc-science-tech-groups/ One of the great things about being at Poly is having easy access to all that New York City has to offer. There’s definitely no shortage of fun possibilities in the big apple, but are you aware of all the ways you can engage your brain and have a good time? There’s a wide range of public groups in NYC that meet on a regular basis to discuss and share ideas on science, engineering and technology. Check out the events listed below and meet new people with common interests.

Dorkbot Their tag line says it all: “people doing strange things with electricity.” First Wednesday of every month.

Nerd Nite NYC An informal gathering at which nerds get together for two 20-30 minute lectures on scientific or cultural topics.

Next NY Tech Events This calendar lists professional and social events for the internet and new media industries in New York City.

NY Tech Meetup On the first Tuesday each month at 7 pm, six people get five minutes each to demo something cool to New York’s tech community.

Science & the City Multiple events covering a wide range of interests compiled by the New York Academy of Sciences.

Secret Science Club A science lecture series that takes place on the first Wednesday of each month at Union Hall restaurant and bar in Park Slope.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/30/expand-your-horizons-explore-nyc-science-tech-groups/feed/ Need to know a standard? http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/28/need-to-know-a-standard/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/28/need-to-know-a-standard/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:12:41 +0000 Jana chemical engchemistryonline resourcesphysics http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/28/need-to-know-a-standard/ The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology. The agency publishes standards many of which are free, including Ceramics WebBook, Chemistry WebBook and Physical Reference Data. To satisfy your curiosity, check out the complete list at the NIST Data Gateway, and get to know your standards.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/28/need-to-know-a-standard/feed/ The 100 Most-Cited Scientists http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/17/the-100-most-cited-scientists/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/17/the-100-most-cited-scientists/#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:10:54 +0000 Ingrid biologychemistryphysicsresearch http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/17/the-100-most-cited-scientists/ In-cites compiled the 100 most-cited scientists for 2007 in the following fields:

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/17/the-100-most-cited-scientists/feed/ Social networking gets serious http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/15/social-networking-gets-serious/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/15/social-networking-gets-serious/#comments Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:46:15 +0000 Ingrid http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/15/social-networking-gets-serious/ Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace can be a fun way to keep in touch and procrastinate, but face it, sending your friends virtual gifts or turning them into zombies isn’t going to do much to advance your education or career. However, a growing number of web sites are applying the power of online networking to the academic and professional realm. So when you need a break from poking around Facebook, check out some of these alternative social networks geared to connect you with people and new ideas in your field.

  • BioMedExperts is a new scientific literature-based social networking platform that connects biomedical researchers. Sponsored by Collexis.
  • CR4 Conference Room 4 is a forum for engineers, scientists and technical researchers to discuss engineering news, seek technical help and get answers to questions. It’s supported by GlobalSpec, the Engineering Search Engine.
  • Epsilen offers, in addition to social networking for academics, several web based tools for course management, social learning assessment, peer review, and collaboration. It is the result of six years of research and development activities at the CyberLab, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology.
  • LinkedIn is not geared towards a specific discipline and is the largest professional networking site with over 17 million members.
  • Nature Network is a global network for scientists brought to you by the publishers of Nature. Boston and London are currently the only local hubs but more are coming.
]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/15/social-networking-gets-serious/feed/ National Institutes of Health research to become free online http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/10/national-institutes-of-health-research-to-become-free-online/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/10/national-institutes-of-health-research-to-become-free-online/#comments Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:34:02 +0000 Ingrid biologymedicineonline resourcesopen accessresearch http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/10/national-institutes-of-health-research-to-become-free-online/ In accordance with a new spending bill signed by President Bush last month, all research funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) will now be required to be published online, free to the public, within 12 months after publication in any scientific journal. Seeing as NIH has a $29 billion research budget, this new directive should open up a world of new opportunities for online research.

Source: ReadWriteWeb

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2008/01/10/national-institutes-of-health-research-to-become-free-online/feed/ Sounds of Science Podcast from The National Academies http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/12/12/sounds-of-science-podcast-from-the-national-academies/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/12/12/sounds-of-science-podcast-from-the-national-academies/#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:31:09 +0000 Ingrid medicinemultimedia http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/12/12/sounds-of-science-podcast-from-the-national-academies/ Rest your weary eyes and give your ears a chance to absorb some knowledge for a change. The National Academies provides a weekly podcast series, The Sounds of Science:

This informative and entertaining weekly series of audio podcasts puts the spotlight on the high-impact work of the National Academies. Focusing on a wide range of critical issues in science, engineering, and medicine, these short 10 minute episodes are a quick and easy way to tune in to all the key findings and important recommendations made by the Academies.

Not familiar with podcasts? Podcasts are audio files that are delivered directly to your desktop computer, and can be listened to on your computer or transferred to your iPod or other MP3 player. Learn more about podcasts on wikipedia.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/12/12/sounds-of-science-podcast-from-the-national-academies/feed/ Top ten high impact science journals http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/11/14/top-ten-high-impact-science-journals/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/11/14/top-ten-high-impact-science-journals/#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:09:39 +0000 Ingrid referenceresearch http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2007/11/14/top-ten-high-impact-science-journals/ Whether a professor wants you to cite high impact journals in an assignment or you are looking for a place to publish your work, knowing what “high impact” really means is an essential first step.

A journal’s impact factor is a measure of the frequency with which the “average article” in a journal has been cited in a particular year. It helps you evaluate a journal’s relative importance, especially when comparing it to others in the same field. The impact factor is calculated by dividing the number of current citations to articles published in the two previous years by the total number of articles published in the same period.

Although some in the scientific community have raised questions over the limited usefulness of the impact factor, the measure is still taken seriously by and large.

So which journals have a high impact factor? Thomson Scientific recently released a table ranking high impact journals in multidisciplinary sciences. Browse Thomson’s SCI-BYTES web site for journal rankings in a variety of disciplines, including robotics, statistics and others.

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