Printable version of the Library Guide to Computing (Word document)
Define your topic
Decide precisely what your topic should be. If you are not sure, consult an encyclopedia or a relevant textbook
to get some idea of the topic and the terminology used.
Decide on a time limit, for example, are you only interested in material published in the last 5 years ?
Is there a geographical limit? Is material from the United States or other European countries relevant?
Sources to be consulted
Prepare a list of relevant sources to be consulted. These should include abstracts, indexes, the Internet and CD-ROM databases.
Keywords
Choose your keywords carefully. You may want to include broader terms, narrower terms and synonyms. Your topic
may have several relevant keywords.
Be aware of British and American spelling.
Consider word endings when carrying out a keyword search on electronic resources. Many allow truncation of
keywords, however truncation symbols can vary from database to database. Those most commonly used are, *, ?,
or $. For example, searching construct* would retrieve terms for construction, constructed, constructor etc.
Record references found
A note should be made of each reference found, or a printout taken if you are carrying out your literature search using an online or CD-ROM database. Remember to include full bibliographic details of the citation, these will be required when preparing your list of references.
Allow enough time
Give your self enough time when searching abstracts, indexes, CD-ROMs, the Internet etc Some extra time may
also be needed to obtain material on inter-library loan or from other libraries.
Each book in the library is given a Dewey Decimal classification number (class number) which represents the subject of the book. Books are arranged on the shelves according to these numbers so that books on the same subject are shelved together.
To find the appropriate class number for a subject or book use the library's computerised catalogue or OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue). This can be used to search for keywords, authors, titles, and so on. Full details of how to search the catalogue are given on-line. Help with using the catalogue is available from the Enquiry desk, located on the second floor of the library.
The OPAC uses the web-based TALIS system and can be accessed from dedicated terminals around the library, or via the Library website (http://library.paisley.ac.uk). The OPAC can also be accessed direct on the Internet at http://libserv.paisley.ac.uk/www-bin/www_talis32
At the Paisley campus library the books are separated into subject groupings by floor. The main subject areas are grouped as follows:
2nd floor: management, economics, computing, mathematics, languages, literature
3rd floor south: social sciences, health, government publications, statistics
3rd floor north: engineering, sciences
It is also possible to check the catalogues of other local university libraries. Paisley students may use the facilities of most local academic libraries. To access local library catalogues follow the link to Academic Libraries in the Glasgow area, or choose the UK HE Opacs - by region option for access to Scottish or UK academic library catalogues at http://www.hero.ac.uk/niss/niss_library4008.cfm
The library stock is classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme, books are then shelved in the library using these numbers. Some relevant Dewey classification numbers are:
| Subject | Shelfmark |
| Research | 001.42 |
| statistical methods | 001.422 |
| questionnaires, surveys | 001.433 |
| Systems - theory, analysis, design | 003 |
| computer modelling and simulation | 003.3 |
| theory of communication and control - bionics | 003.5 |
| Computer science - computer systems | 004 |
| computer mathematics | 004.0151 |
| human factors in computing | 004.019 |
| Specific types of computers | 004.1 |
| digital microcomputers - personal computers (PC's) | 004.16 |
| specific microcomputers/PC's | 004.165 |
| Systems analysis and design | 004.21 |
| Interfacing and communications | 004.6 |
| wide-area networks | 004.67 |
| internet | 004.678 |
| local-area networks | 004.68 |
| Computer programming, programs, data | 005 |
| programming - software engineering | 005.1 |
| object-oriented programming | 005.117 |
| software systems analysis and design - program design | 005.12 |
| programming languages | 005.13 |
| specific programming languages | 005.133 |
| testing, debugging | 005.14 |
| Programming for specific types of computers | 005.2 |
| programming for distributed computer systems | 005.276 |
| Computer programs - software | 005.3 |
| programs for microcomputers (PC's) | 005.36 |
| specific programs - software | 005.369 |
| Systems programming | 005.42 |
| Systems programs - operating systems | 005.43 |
| programming language translators - code generators | 005.45 |
| Data in computers, systems | 005.7 |
| data files and databases | 005.74 |
| specific data files and databases | 005.75 |
| network databases | 005.754 |
| relational databases | 005.756 |
| specific relational database management systems | 005.7565 |
| Data security | 005.8 |
| Virtual reality | 006 |
| Artificial intelligence | 006.3 |
| machine learning - inc. genetic algorithms | 006.31 |
| neural networks - neural computers | 006.32 |
| knowledge-based systems - expert systems | 006.33 |
| knowledge engineering | 006.332 |
| deduction, problem solving, reasoning | 006.333 |
| natural language processing | 006.35 |
| computer vision | 006.37 |
| Computer pattern recognition | 006.4 |
| optical pattern recognition - inc. bar coding | 006.42 |
| speech recognition | 006.454 |
| Computer graphics | 006.6 |
| 3-D graphics | 006.693 |
| computer animation | 006.696 |
| Multimedia systems | 006.7 |
| Computer engineering | 621.39 |
| Computer control | 629.89 |
| robots | 629.892 |
| Computer games - computer applications | 794.81 |
| Writing | 808.02 |
| rhetoric in English | 808.042 |
| professional, technical literature | 808.066 |
Current issues of each printed journal are displayed in the current periodicals display area, located on the third floor south. Back issues are classified and shelved by subject in the same way as books. If in any doubt about where to find a particular issue of a journal please ask at the Enquiry desk. All issues of printed periodicals can be borrowed except the current issue which is available for reference only.
Electronic journals can be accessed on CD-ROM, issued from the Enquiry desk for use in the Electronic resources area on the 2nd floor of the library, or online via the Internet through the Library website. Many of these journals are also available for remote, off campus, access via any Internet connection using individual usernames and passwords. Ask at the Enquiry desk for details of these services.
Most electronic journals also allow subject searching. To search the electronic journals access the journals' publisher sites via the eJournals services link on the Library website.
A list of relevant subject databases, and how to access them, can be found in the abstracting and indexing, electronic journals and Internet sections of this guide.
Journal articles, or other material, not held by the Library may be available through inter-library loans. Ask at the Enquiry desk (2nd floor) or Inter-Library Loans counter (3rd floor south) about this service.
Listed below is a selection of journals relevant to computing science. Beside each journal is a note of where the journal can be accessed, either a shelfmark in the library or the electronic journal service site or CD-ROM. Remember a comprehensive list of journals is available at the main Enquiry desk in the library.
| Title | Journal service | Shelfmark |
| ACM Trans. on Computer-Human Interaction | ACM | 004.01905 |
| ACM Computing Surveys | ACM | 004.05 |
| ACM Transactions on Computer Systems | ACM | 004.05 |
| Communications of the ACM | ACM | 004.05 |
| Computer | 004.05 | |
| Computer Journal | Oxford | 004.05 |
| Journal of Information Technology | 004.05 | |
| Journal of the ACM | ACM | 004.05 |
| SIAM Journal on Computing | SIAM | 004.05 |
| Byte | 004.1605 | |
| Journal of Network and Computer Applications | Ingenta | 004.1605 |
| PC World | Exp. Academic | 004.1605 |
| Distributed Computing | SpringerLink | 004.3605 |
| IEE Proceedings: Software | 005.105 | |
| IEEE Software | 005.105 | |
| Information and SoftwareTechnology | ScienceDirect | 005.105 |
| Science of Computer Programming | ScienceDirect | |
| Journal of Logic Programming | ScienceDirect | |
| Computer Languages | ScienceDirect | |
| Software - Concepts & Tools | SpringerLink | |
| ACM Transactions on Database Systems | ACM | 005.7405 |
| Computer Networks | ScienceDirect | |
| Distributed and Parallel Databases | NESLI/Swets | |
| Computers & Security | ScienceDirect | |
| Network Security | ScienceDirect | |
| Artificial Intelligence in Engineering | ScienceDirect | 006.305 |
| Artificial Intelligence Review | NESLI/Swets | 006.305 |
| IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks | 006.305 | |
| Soft computing - a Fusion of Foundations | SpringerLink | 006.605 |
| ACM Transactions on Graphics | ACM | |
| Computers & Graphics | ScienceDirect | |
| Visual Computer | SpringerLink | |
| IEEE multimedia | 006.605 | |
| Multimedia Systems | SpringerLink | 006.605 |
| Multimedia Tools and Applications | NESLI/Swets |
ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Digital Library
Data Type: Full text
Format : Internet
Holdings: Full text all years
Location: http://portal.acm.org/portal.cfm
Access: Only available on campus
Description: The ACM Digital Library is part of the ACM Portal. The library gives full-text access to all ACM publications as well those of some affiliated organizations. The type of publications offered include: journals, magazines, transactions, proceedings, newsletters and special interest groups (SIGs). The service covers approximately 200 ACM publications.
Emerald (Electronic Management Research Library)
Data Type: Full text, bibliographic, with
abstracts
Format: Internet
Holdings: Full text 1994 - current,
1989 - 1993 bibliographic, with abstracts
Location: URL: http://www.emeraldinsight.com
Access: Off-campus use requires an Athens
account
Please ask at the Enquiry desk for details
Description: Emerald is a database of management journals, full-text from 1994 onwards. Although primarily a business and management resource, Emerald does contain articles on information (computing) management. The database can be searched for specific topics or browsed by subject area.
Expanded Academic File (Infotrac)
Data Type: Full text, bibliographic, with abstractsDescription: The Expanded Academic File database is one of the three Infotrac databases. Infotrac contains nearly 1600 full text journals from a range of disciplines including computing.
Data Type: Full text, bibliographic, withDescription: Ingenta Journals is the full-text electronic journals service offered by BIDS (the Bath Information and Data Services). Ingenta provides access to more than 450 academic journals over a range of subject disciplines. The database allows searching through journal articles by journal title or by using the alphabetical journal listing. Ingenta allows browsing through journal issues and lists journals by subject and subject sub-category. There are also links to journals available through Emerald (MCB University Press) and ScienceDirect.
Data Type: Full text, bibliographic, with abstractsDescription: The ScienceDirect database gives access to abstracts from nearly 3,000 journals and full-text access to over 1,000 titles, giving bibliographic access to nearly 2 million journal articles. The main subject areas covered are in science, engineering and medicine. The database lists computer science among the main subject headings. The database allows searching through journal articles, by journal title or by using the alphabetical journal listing, allows browsing through journal issues and lists journals by subject and subject sub-category.
Data Type: Full text, bibliographic, with abstractsDescription: Link is the internet service of the science publisher Springer. The database can be searched or journal articles may be browsed by issue. Subjects are also grouped into Online Libraries, one of which is computer science. Most journals are full-text. Other services within the Link include browsing the content pages of Springer book titles and sample pages from books.
Description: The Science Citation Index is an ISI (Institute for Scientific Information) database. Previously a BIDS service, SCI is now accessed through the Web of Knowledge. The SCI database contains over 17 million journal article bibliographic records, most with abstracts, taken from nearly 6,000 journals dating from 1973 onwards. As the name suggests SCI has a cited reference searching option along with author, title, keyword etc search options. SCI has subject coverage of all branches of science including many titles in computer science.
Description: Produced by the ACM (The Association for Computing Machinery). Computing Reviews is divided into two sections, the first section contains references and abstracts to books and conference proceedings, the second section covers journal articles. Covers all aspects of computing science.
All reference material is for consultation in the library only. Reference material can be found on the appropriate subject floor of the main library. Computing reference material is located on the 2nd floor of the main library. All reference material has REF prefixing the classification number on the catalogue. Some useful reference books in computing are:
| Title | Shelfmark |
| Computer users yearbook | REF 004 |
| Dictionary of computer and internet words | REF 004 |
| A glossary of computing terms | REF 004 |
| The Hutchinson dictionary of computing and the internet | REF 004 |
| The new Penguin dictionary of computing | REF 004 |
| Dictionary of internetworking terms and acronyms | REF 004.6 |
| Dictionary of PC hardware and data communications terms | REF 004.6 |
| Dictionary of object technology | REF 005.1 |
| Software users yearbook | REF 005.3 |
| Computer graphics dictionary | REF 006.6 |
| Dictionary of multimedia | REF 006.7 |
| McGraw-Hill multimedia encyclopedia of science and Technology | Enquiry desk CD-ROM |
Completed theses in the UK and Ireland are listed, with abstracts, in the Aslib Index to Theses accepted for Higher Degrees. The printed index is held in the 2nd floor reference section, REF 011.7505. The index covers theses published from 1950 onwards and is arranged by subject with author and keyword indexes. Index to Theses is also on the Internet (http://www.theses.com) or via the Library website on the A-Z Databases list from the Resources section. The online version covers 1970 onwards. Theses can be obtained as Inter Library Loans (ILLs).
The ILL desk is located on the 3rd floor south in the library. Theses and dissertations completed in the University of Paisley are listed on the library catalogue (OPAC) and in print catalogues held at the main counter on the ground floor of the library.
New research is often presented as papers read at a conference. These are often published as Conference Proceedings. Conference proceedings are usually published collectively, as a book of the proceedings of a particular conference, or individually as papers in journals. References to conference proceedings can be found in the Index of Conference Proceedings, 2nd floor reference section, REF 060.5. The index is arranged alphabetically by subject area, most entries have a reference and abstract. The Index is produced by the British Library. All the items listed can be borrowed from the British Library through Inter Library Loans.
References and abstracts to conference papers are also available on the Internet via ISI Proceedings. This contains details of over 4000 conferences indexed annually. ISI Proceedings is accessed through the ISI Web of Knowledge database (http://wok.mimas.ac.uk/) using an Athens account.
Reports are usually published by the organisation sponsoring or carrying out the work. Reports can be traced in British Reports, Translations and Theses, 2nd floor reference section, class number REF 011.7505.
Many of the databases and journals already mentioned are available via the Internet. If you wish to do a general Internet search for a topic a list of useful search engines is available via the library website. Useful subject specific Internet resources can also be accessed from the General and Engineering options on the Recommended Internet Sites page on the Library website. Listed below are some relevant sites.
Description: BUBL Link 5:15 is a catalogue of Internet resources covering all academic subject areas. Topics are grouped alphabetically and by subject area. Subject area headings include Mathematics and Computing. Within the broad subject headings are more specific subject areas within the discipline eg web page design. Choose one of these subject areas to access the lists of academically evaluated Internet resources.
Description: The EEVL service is a database of sources of engineering, mathematics and computing information on the Internet. Search by topic or browse the subject resources. EEVL was principally an online academic engineering resource which branched out to cover complimentary subject areas such as computing. Subject areas covered include: hardware, information systems, computer methodologies and computer applications. Each of the web sites has been academically evaluated. The service is run by a consortium of Edinburgh library and information services.
If you have any questions regarding the subject resource
guide please contact:
Sean Hamilton tel: 0141 849 4113
e-mail: hami-li1@paisley.ac.uk
Please note that the Enquiry desk, located in the
Electronic Resources area, is staffed at all times. Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance.