The following is a selected list of resources for starting research in Chemistry. For further assistance, contact Judi Windleharth, a reference librarian.

Reference and web sites

The resources below are in-depth guides to the research literature.

How to find chemical information 
QD8.5 .M34 REFERENCE

Using the biological literature : a practical guide
QH303.6 .D38 2002 REFERENCE

CRC Handbook of chemistry and physics
QD65 .H3
Current year in permanent reserve. Previous years in book stacks.

Lange's Handbook of chemistry
QD65 .L36 REFERENCE

Dean's analytical chemistry handbook
QD78 .P37 2004 REFERENCE

Organic reactions
QD251 .O7 5th Floor Stacks

Dictionary of inorganic compounds
QD148 D53 1992 REFERENCE

Dictionary of organic compounds
QD246 D5 1982 REFERENCE

Compendium of organic synthetic methods
QD262 .C53 5th Floor Stacks

Comprehensive heterocyclic chemistry
QD400 .C65 1984 5th Floor Stacks

Comprehensive organometallic chemistry
 QD411 .C65 1982  5th Floor Stacks

Dictionary of organometallic compounds
QD 411 D53 1984 REFERENCE

Dictionary of natural products
QD 415 A25 D53 1994 REFERENCE

Treatise on geochemistry
QE515 .T69 2004 REFERENCE

Magill's survey of science. Life science series
QH307.2 .M34 1991 REFERENCE
Table of Contents
This huge reference work focuses on processes rather than organisms. Each entry has bibliography for further reading.

Encyclopedia of the biosphere
QH343.4 .B5613 2000 REFERENCE
Table of Contents

Encyclopedia of environmental microbiology
QR100 .B58 2002 REFERENCE

Magill's survey of science. Applied science series
TA145 .M298 1993 REFERENCE

The Merck index
RS51 .M4 1996 REFERENCE

Hazardous chemicals desk reference
T55.3.H3 L49 1997 REFERENCE 

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of chemical technology
TP9 .E685 REFERENCE 

Chem sources U.S.A.
TP12 .C443 REFERENCE

Encyclopedia of bioethics

World of microbiology and immunology

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences
Available to CSUSM students, faculty, staff only. This online encyclopedia has in-depth, peer reviewed articles with some cool multimedia entries.

Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI)
"A freely available dictionary of ‘small molecular entities’. The term ‘molecular entity’ encompasses any constitutionally or isotopically distinct atom, molecule, ion, ion pair, radical, radical ion, complex, conformer, etc., identifiable as a separately distinguishable entity. The molecular entities in question are either products of nature or synthetic products used to intervene in the processes of living organisms."

 

Web sites: Chemistry portals

CHEMINFO: Chemical Information Resources
From Indiana University, a comprehensive portal of chemistry resources.

Chemical Information
via National Library of Medicine

PubChem
PubChem provides information on the biological activities of small molecules. It is a component of NIH's Molecular Libraries Roadmap Initiative.

NIST Chemistry WebBook
Contains: thermochemical data for over 7000 organic and small inorganic compounds, reaction thermochemistry data for over 8000 reactions, IR spectra for over 16,000 compounds, mass spectra for over 15,000 compounds UV/Vis spectra for over 1600 compounds, electronic and vibrational spectra for over 4500 compounds, constants of diatomic molecules (spectroscopic data) for over 600 compounds Ion energetics data for over 16,000 compounds, and thermophysical property data for 34 fluids.

Google Directory: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Google Directory: Chemistry

Google Directory: Geochemistry

WWW Virtual Library for Chemistry

ChemIDplus
Chemical records and structures, produced by National Library of Medicine's Specialized Information Service.

TOXNET
Databases in toxicology and environmental health.

Haz-Map
Database on hazardous chemicals and occupational diseases.

NCI-3D
A database of 213,628 Substances with 2D and 3D information compiled from the National Cancer Institute, and augmented by MDL.

Physical Reference Data

Organic Compounds Database
Search this database by melting and boiling points; by index of refraction; molecular weight; formula; mass spectral peaks; etc.

Scirus.com
Elsevier's 'science only' search engine. Also searches ScienceDirect full-text.
 

Material Safety Data Sheets

MSDS Solutions
The largest collection of MSDS freely available on the web. Search 1.5 million MSDS by clicking on Free MSDS Search Engine.  Free registration is required.

MSDS Search
From Cornell University, search approximately 250,000 MSDS.

 

Journal articles and preprints

Here at CSUSM, we do not have public access to the generally recognized preeminent database in chemistry: Chemical Abstracts. Chemistry students usually access Chemical Abstracts during the Chemistry 300 class. You are welcome to inquire with the Science Librarian regarding access.

• We do have access to the full text of journals published by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
   
• Below are links and descriptions of this and other scientific databases at CSUSM Library.
   
• The Chemistry Preprint Server
  (CPS) is a freely available and permanent web archive and distribution medium for preprints of research articles. As of May 24 2004, CPS is no longer accepting submissions.
   
• CSUSM science journals
  For those who like to browse a list, this is an Excel spreadsheet of all CSUSM periodicals (print and electronic) in call number ranges GB, GC, GE, Q, , R, S, & T. Search the library catalog by Title if you do not find the title you are looking for.
   

Books

Books will give you background information and an overview of a topic/concept. You need this information in order to provide context to what you may be researching.

Books at Cal State San Marcos

Library Catalog  [ Search Tips ]
Search our local collection of about 250,000 books.

Other Options

Circuit (1-3 day delivery)
Search the collections of other San Diego area libraries -- about 3,000,000 books. Find and request books directly online; pick them up at our Library in 1-3 days.

WorldCat (5-10 day delivery)
Search the collections of libraries world-wide -- about 52,000,000 books. Find a book in this database, and fill-out an Interlibrary Loan delivery request. Book will be delivered to Library for pickup.  

ACS Style

It is highly recommended that chemistry students have their own copy of The ACS Style Guide. The Library only has circulating copies of the 1986 and 1997 editions. We do have the most current edition in the reference collection.  For further help, please contact Dave Schmitt.

ACS style guide : Effective communication of scientific information. 3rd ed. New York: American Chemical Society, 2006. Quick Summary (, 66k) More examples Library Copies (QD8.5 .A25 2006)