Indexing and Abstracting Services

Indexing and Abstracting Services for the mathematical and computer sciences are available for Stanford Affiliates through the World Wide Web.

INSPEC is the primary index for computer science.

INSPEC indexes and abstracts the worldwide literature on physics, electrical engineering and electronics, control theory and technology, and computers and computing.

INSPEC covers 1969 to the present and is updated weekly.

Earlier coverage is available in printed indexes:
- Physics Abstracts (1964+) - located in the Physics Library
- Electrical and Electronics Abstracts (1903-68) - located in the Engineering Library
- Computer and Control Abstracts (1966-99) - located in the Math/CS Library
- Science Abstracts (1898-1902) - located in the Engineering and Physics Libraries.

Dissertation Abstracts is a definitive subject, title, and author guide to virtually every American dissertation accepted at an accredited institution since 1861, when academic doctoral degrees were first granted in the United States. The database covers more than 1.2 million doctoral dissertations and masters theses. More than 40,000 titles are added each year. In addition, citations for thousands of Canadian dissertatons, and an increasing number of papers accepted abroad, are included in the database. Professional and honorary degrees are not included. All subject areas are covered. Abstracts are included for a large majority of the degrees granted after January 1980. British and European dissertations are included in the database from January 1988 forward. In addition, abstracts are included for Masters Abstracts from Spring 1988 to the present.

MathSciNet is the major mathematical index used in the United States. Originally only in print, the title was called Mathematical Reviews, as an online database it was called MathSci, and now on the World Wide Web it is called MathSciNet.

MathSciNet contains evaluative reviews and abstracts of the international research literature in mathematics, computer science, statistics, econometrics, and applications in areas such as physics, engineering, biology, and information systems.

Current Index to Statistics (CIS) provides comprehensive indexing coverage of statistics. Statistics is viewed in a broad sense and ranges from probability theory to such topics as how to increase the response rate of mail surveys. The criteria for inclusion involves consideration of whether or not the topic falls into the domain of another discipline rather than what proportion of "statisticians" would be interested in the topic.

CIS indexes journals (both core and non-core), books and edited books, conference proceedings, book and software reviews, prepared discussions of articles, and correction notes. Items such as notices and advertisements, editorials, letters to the editor, abstracts, meeting announcements, theses and dissertations, and technical reports are not indexed.

CIS is available in print in the Math/CS Library as well as online. Coverage ranges from before 1975 up to about the last year.

Zentralblatt fur Mathematik und ihre Grenzgebiete (Mathematics Abstracts) is produced by FIZ Karlsruhe. The file covers publications in pure and applied mathematics from 1931 to the present. All citations are in English.

The library does not have a current subscription to this index. The Math/CS Library has the CD-ROM version of Zentralblatt fur Mathematik from 1931 to 1994. The online version is available to all, but only the first three citations from a search are displayed.

Linda Yamamoto

Last modified: September 6, 2005