Module 3: Computer & Physical Sciences

Finding Computer & Physical Sciences Information

UMD Libraries' Full Text Databases

• Academic Search Complete Links to an external site. is multi-disciplinary database providing information for nearly every area of academic study.
• Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering - Contains over 450 A to Z articles addressing the latest advances and findings in computer science and engineering, including standards, electronic commerce, financial engineering, and computer education. References and websites of related interest accompany every article. Articles are peer-reviewed.
• O'Reilly Online Books Links to an external site. is an electronic collection of 1,000+ O'Reilly information technology and computing e-books. Topics include programming, security, networking, hardware, desktop publishing and applications, and software engineering
• ScienceDirect (Links to an external site.) contains electronic book and journal titles covering the fields of science, technology and medicine.

For more information, check the full list of databases for computer science Links to an external site., physics Links to an external site., or select databases by subject from the Database Finder homepage Links to an external site..

Searching Google by Specific Domain

Google  (Links to an external site.)is a great place to begin your search.You can get authoritative, reliable information from Google by limiting your search to a particular domain.

Below you will find tips on how to find information in Google's three core domains – education, organization and government. The examples are based on the topic: How should NASA spend its money? 

• To get the education perspective for your topic - how it is treated in a school setting, i.e. university, college, high school, elementary school (issues dealing with programs/students/faculty) – use the .edu domain –

site:edu how should nasa spend its money

• To get the perspective from associations or other non profit agencies use the .org domain –

site:org how should nasa spend its money

• To get the government perspective – how do the different government agencies view your particular topic or issue - use the .gov domain

site:gov how should nasa spend its money

Try these domains to see what results you can find on your topic.

This is a quick and effective way to find information.  However - be vigilant and pay attention to the source of the information.  What are the author's credentials?  What are the credentials of the organization - are they biased? Is the data current? Do links work? Is there a bibliography of sources used? Carefully examine each site.  Information from government agencies and organizations is usually reliable and authoritative, but you still need to be pay attention and critically evaluate each source 

Questions? 

For assistance developing your research strategies, or finding resources for your topic, or any other questions, please contact public health specialists:

Nevenka Zdravkovska, nevenka@umd.edu. Full Directory Info.  Links to an external site.