Last revised: July 2007

Computer Science

Scope: This guide was created to help students and faculty find information resources in the field of Computer Science. For further assistance, e-mail the subject specialist Nevenka Zdravkovska at nevenka@umd.edu.

REFERENCE WORKS

The following resources may be helpful for looking up quick facts, definitions, and explanations for computing principles, theories, and applications.

In Print

• Facts on File Dictionary of Computer Science (2006)
  EPSL Reference: QA76.15 .F345 2006
  Entries explain fundamental concepts such as hardware, software, and applications. It also defines terms associated with the latest technology and advancements, such as artificial intelligence and palmtop computers.
• Webster's New World Computer Science Dictionary (2003)
  EPSL Reference : QA76.15.P395 2003
  Offers concise definitions for over 4,750 computer terms.
• Oxford Dictionary of Computing (2004)
  EPSL Reference : QA76.15.D526 2004
  Dictionary of computing terminology containing over 6,300 entries.
• Concise Encyclopedia of Computer Science (2004)
  EPSL Reference : QA76.15.C654 2004
  Encyclopedia of computer technology and its applications. Articles arranged into nine main themes: hardware, computer systems, information and data, software, mathematics and computing, theory of computation, methodologies, applications, and computing milieux.
• Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology (2003)
  EPSL Reference : QA76.15.H43 2003
  Encyclopedia featuring more than 400 cross-referenced entries on topics such as artificial intelligence, programming languages, networking, database administration, and hacking.
• Computer Science Handbook (2004)
  EPSL Reference : QA76.C54755 2004
  A comprehensive reference for computer scientists and software engineers providing coverage on a range of topics such as algorithms, architecture, graphics, information management systems, and human-computer interaction.
• Handbook of Data Structures and Applications (2005)
  EPSL Reference : QA76.9.S88 H363 2005
  Discusses basic concepts of data structures (structures, trees, and graphs) and their applications (Internet routing, VLSI, computer graphics, datamining, etc.).

• Safari Tech Books Online
  Electronic reference library for Information Technology and Computer Science. Includes hundreds of books (published by O'Reilly) designed to address the needs for reference content in the areas of information technology, desktop applications and business.
• Access Science
  Searchable, electronic version of the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology which includes a science dictionary, news articles, research updates, biographies, and more.
• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online
  Contains the full-text of the 32-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica, Webster's Third New International Dictionary Unabridged, and the Britannica Book of the Year.

• Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing (FOLDOC)
  FOLDOC is a searchable dictionary of acronyms, jargon, programming languages, and theories related to computing. It contains over 13,000 entries which are cross-referenced to each other and to related resources elsewhere on the web.
• ComputerUser High-Tech Dictionary
  Free, online dictionary available from ComputerUser.com.
• Webopedia: Online Computer Dictionary
  A free, online dictionary for computer and Internet technology definitions.
• Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures
  Dictionary of algorithms, algorithmic techniques, data structures, archetypical problems, and definitions related to computer science.
• BABEL: A Glossary of Computer Oriented Abbreviations and Acronyms
  A glossary of computer-related acronyms and abbreviations.
• TechWeb Encyclopedia
  A free, online encyclopedia of over 20,000 IT terms.
• Symantec's Virus Encyclopedia
  Provides a synopsis of the latest virus-related threats discovered by Symantec Security Response, including information on: the name of threat, the level of risk, the date of discovery, technical details about how it functions, and instructions for removal.
• W3 Schools Online Web Tutorials
  An excellent resource for quick reference and introductory information related to web design and development. Contains primers and tutorials for HTML, XML, browser scripting, server scripting, and multimedia.
• The Guide to Network Resource Tools (GNRT) GNRT provides a basic introduction to the Internet with sections on using basic tools and services available on the network. A comprehensive guide on a whole spectrum of Internet services: from basic network tools and simple email and Web tools to multimedia collaboration tools.
• UMBC AgentWeb
  A collection of materials that offer an introduction or overview of software agent-related concepts and technologies.
• Chip Directory
  Searchable chip directory providing numerically and functionally ordered chip lists, chip pinouts, and lists of manufacturers.
• Science & Engineering Encyclopedia
  Science and engineering descriptions, equations, conversions, calculators and material data. Organized by A to Z, subject and interlinked.

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LOCATING BOOKS

To locate books at the library you'll need use the UM Catalog. Often, the best way to find books on a particular topic is to browse by subject. To browse catalog subject headings select "Subject beginning with..." as your search type and enter your search term(s). Thus, for example, a subject search for "software engineering" would return something like the following:

Click on the subject heading to view the list of books classified by that heading.
Click here for further instructions on searching the UM Catalog.

Another way of locating books on a particular topic may to be browse the collections directly. Books on similar topics are likely to be grouped together on the shelves. Browsing the shelves requires some familiarity with the Library of Congress Classification system. In general, books on computer science are classified under call numbers beginning with QA76:

Click here for an overview of the EPSL floor plan and a tutorial on reading call numbers.

Locating Books at Other Libraries

Occasionally, you may find it necessary to search for resources beyond those held by EPSL. The best tool for locating books and journals beyond holdings of the University of Maryland and its consortium libraries is WorldCat. WorldCat contains records for materials found in research libraries worldwide. However, in order to obtain materials found outside the university system you will need to request an interlibrary loan.

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LOCATING ARTICLES

To locate journals in your field of interest you can conduct a Journal Search in the UM catalog or browse the E-Journal collections in Research Port. To find precise articles on a topic, however, you will want to search some of the following electronic databases accessible through Research Port.

Core Computer Science Databases

The following databases are the primary electronic resources available for locating journal articles in computer science.

• ACM Digital Library
  Full-text repository of publications from ACM and other publishers. Publications include journals, magazines, transactions, special interest group newsletters, proceedings, and publications by affiliated organizations.

• Computer & Info Systems
  Journal articles, technical reports, conference papers, and more on theoretical research and practical applications in the computer and information sciences.

• IEEE Xplore
  Provides full-text access to IEEE transactions, journals, magazines and conference proceedings published since 1988 and all current IEEE Standards.

• Inspec
  Indexes and abstracts 4,000 scientific/technical journals and conference proceedings in physics, electrical engineering, computing, and information technology.

• Lecture Notes in Computer Science
  Established as a medium for the publication of new developments in computer science and information technology research and teaching. Selected volumes available from 1983 to current.

• Safari Tech Books Online
  Electronic reference library for Information Technology and Computer Science. Includes hundreds of books designed to address the needs for reference content in the areas of information technology, desktop applications and business.

• Web of Science (Science Citation Index)
  A multidisciplinary index covering the journal literature of the sciences. It indexes more than 5,700 major journals across 164 scientific disciplines. Virtually the only index for finding what papers have cited other papers.

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While not explicitly devoted to computer science topics, the following related, general, and/or multidisciplinary databases may prove useful in your research:

• Academic Search Premier
  Provides abstracts and indexing for over 7,000 journals. Full text of articles for over 4,000 scholarly publications, including more than 3,100 peer-reviewed publications.

• Digital Dissertations
  This database is the authoritative source for information about and full text of doctoral dissertations and master's theses. The database represents the work of authors from over 1,000 graduate schools and universities.
• MathSciNet
  Covering mathematical literature since 1940 this international database provides bibliographic data and reviews of mathematical research literature from 1700 current journals, books and other original documents.
• netLibrary
  A collection of E-texts covering topics specifically chosen by Maryland Academic Libraries.

• NTIS
  Database covering U.S. government-sponsored research and reports from federal agencies.

• Web of Science (Science Citation Index)
  A multidisciplinary index covering the journal literature of the sciences. It indexes more than 5,700 major journals across 164 scientific disciplines. Virtually the only index for finding what papers have cited other papers.
• Science Direct
  Provides abstracts and indexing for more than 1800 journals. Full text of more than 800 journals is available to USMAI institutions.

• WorldCat
  Union catalog of books, journals, media, and archival materials in libraries worldwide.

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WEB RESOURCES

The following are some computer science related resources available for free on the web:

Gateways

• WWW Virtual Library: Computing and Computer Science
  Gateway to online computer science resources. Click on a topic such as artificial intelligence, computer-aided design, or digital rights management to view selected resources on that topic.

• EEVL Guide to Computer Science
  A gateway to information resources on the web related to computing. Includes a searchable catalog of expert-indexed websites.

• Inter net Links for Computer Science
  A large collection of links to computer science resources on the web published by Dartmouth College Library. [Note some links lead to resources only available to Dartmouth students].

• Internet Resources for Computer Science
  A guide to internet resources in computer science created by SUNY's University at Albany Libraries.

• Software Engineering Resources
  Site containing over 1000 software engineering resources to help you gather information on a variety of software engineering topics such as system engineering, architectural design, software testing methods, and software project management.

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• Citeseer
  A digital library of scientific literature related to computer and information science. Includes abstracts, full-text, and citation indexing.

• Networked Computer Science Technical Reference Library (NCSTRL)
  NCSTRL (pronounced "ancestral") is an international collection of computer science research papers and technical reports made available from a number of participating institutions and archives. Full-text available as compressed postscript files.

• Computing Research Repository (CoRR)
  A free, digital repository or research papers and technical reports in areas such as artificial intelligence, cryptography, graphics, human computer interaction, information retrieval, robotics, software engineering, and symbolic computation.

• The Web Developer's Virtual Library
  A digital library of web design resources, demos and tutorials including topics such as HTML, XML, JavaScript, graphics, databases, and E-commerce.

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• The Collection of Computer Science Bibliographies
  A searchable database of over 2 million bibliographic references to computer science literature including journal articles, conference papers and technical reports. Many references contain cross-references to citing or cited publications, URLs to an online version of a paper, or links to other sites carrying bibliographic information.

• DataBase Systems & Logic Programming (DBLP): Computer Science Bibliography
  The DBLP server provides bibliographic information on major computer science journals and proceedings. The server indexes more than 600,000 articles and contains several thousand links to home pages of computer scientists.

• BibFinder: A Computer Science Bibliography Mediator
  BibFinder is a computer science bibliography search engine that simultaneously searches the Collection of Computer Science Bibliographies (CSB), the DBLP Computer Science Bibliography, the ACM Digital Library, ScienceDirect, CiteSeer, and Google.

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• Directory of Open Access Journals in Computer Science
  Free, online journals available through the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

• Sc ience Direct: Computer Science Journals
  Index of computer science journals published by Elsevier. [Note: To see which journals UM actually has electronic access to, you must view this page either from a campus computer or, if off-campus, through Science Direct via Research Port.]

• Legacy Directory of Computing Science Journals
  A directory of computer science journals published worldwide. This site offers publication information only. For access, users should search library holdings.

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• American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
• American Association for History and Computing (AAHC)
• Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
• Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)
• IEEE Computer Society
• International Association for Computer Information Systems (IACIS)
• Internet Society (ISOC)
• Mathematical Programming Society (MPS)
• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

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DEPARTMENTAL PAGES

The following links provide information for staying abreast with events in your department.

• College of Computer, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences
• Department of Computer Science Home Page
• Graduate Program in Computer Science
• Departmental Research

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