Using the WMU Library, Online Databases and the Internet in your Research
WMU Libraries
Getting There
WMU homepage: http://www.wmich.edu/
use the Quick Locator to select Libraries
Libraries’ homepage: http://www.wmich.edu/library/
Looking Around the Libraries' Homepage
Once at the library homepage, you will find a list of links to available resources. Following are mathematics/mathematics education-specific comments on each of the links on the homepage.
WestCat
WestCat, the Western Michigan University Catalog, is internet accessible from any server. The catalog is generally self-explanatory. For helpful hints for advanced searches, WestCat Guide can be found under User Instruction and Guides at the left sidebar.
Databases and Indexes
Database and indexes available through WMU can be listed by subject or alphabetically. The default listing is by subject. Descriptions for each search engine can be called up by clicking on the i-icon located after each database name. Access to some of these search engines is restricted to WMU faculty, staff, and current students; FirstSearch is such an engine. Note that you must establish your connection through the Proxy server (see WMU library homepage). Also note that your WMU ID number is your SSN.
FirstSearch is the most powerful search engine for mathematics education research, and provides the most inclusive access to the ERIC database (under Education on the FirstSearch sidebar). The American Mathematical Society (AMS) maintains the MathSciNet engine which is the largest search engine for mathematics research. This site can be attained by clicking on the Engineering, Technology and Mathematics hot button under the subject listing of the Database and indexes page. Both ERIC and MathSciNet (see e-Math) will be discussed in more detail later in this module.
Catalogs of Other Libraries
This is exactly what it says it is. Local libraries are listed as well as global sources. This may be useful in determining whether something is located at a specific library, but FirstSearch would be a more efficient solution, because FirstSearch will tell you the nearest (to your location) library that has the document you are looking for.
E-Journals and News Sources
There are a large number of mathematics journals available on-line, and the WMU libraries subscribe to all of them. Full-text articles are available for issues of recent years, including Acrobat versions, so formatting is preserved.
The education journals available on-line are somewhat more limited, but those WMU subscribes to also have full-text articles, also available in Acrobat format. Education news sources, such as Education Week, are helpful in following developments in mathematics reform efforts.
Tutorials and Term Paper Helpers
Probably the only thing that might be useful here is some samples of APA reference style.
Reference Shelf
This takes you to the Michigan Electronic Library, none of which looks very useful for mathematics/mathematics education research.
Web Resources By Subject
There are many possibilities for education sites, but limited science or mathematics links. The Science list does provide alternate access to FirstSearch and MathSciNet.
Search Engines and Subject Directories
This lists all the possible search engines for all kinds of topics on the Internet. Avoid these unless you have hours to surf...
Electronic Texts
Of dubious mathematical value. Provides a list, by author and title, of links to full-text books and documents (necessarily limited to those no longer protected by copyright).
Libraries’ homepage: Sidebar
The sidebar of the homepage also provides helps, including About the Library, Library Resources, User Instruction and Guides, and Locations and Collections. The choice "What’s New?" will keep you up with new resources and changes to the system. These five links remain on the sidebar as you visit any page in the WMU site, and the links from the homepage also move to the sidebar, so you always have a quick path back to the homepage or to any of its links.
Finding the Document you know Exists
The sidebar choice User Instruction and Guides gives you access to many types of guides and handouts. Two guides are particularly useful:
Useful Websites for Mathematics Research
e-MATH http://www.ams.org/
e-MATH is the AMS homepage. Here you can access MathSciNet and many other tools related to mathematical careers. The left-hand column is composed of the following topics:
AMS Membership & Activities
Government Affairs & Education
Publications & Research Tools
Employment & Careers
Authors & Reviewers
Meetings & Conferences
What’s New in Mathematics
Online Ordering & Customer Service Center
Clicking on the Site Map hot button (or http://www.ams.org/sitemap/)will send you to a truncated list of subtopics found on each of the above web-pages. Our interest for this module will be limited to Publications & Research Tools. The current subtopics found on the Site Map under Publications & Research Tools (http://www.ams.org/publications/) are
MathSciNet
MathSciNet Consortial Arrangements
AMS Electronic Journals
AMS Books
Mathematics on the Web
Mathematical List Servers
Publishing News
MathSciNet http://www.ams.org/mathscinet/
As mentioned earlier, the MathSciNet engine is the largest search engine for mathematics research. Currently the searchable reviews date from 1940 to present, and the number of reviews is nearly 1,400,000. The approximately 1600 current serials and journals reviewed in whole or in part are listed in the Abbreviations of Names of Serials which may be viewed in PDF format or as a browsable listing. For more information click on the About MathSciNet icon on the MathSciNet web-page.
Another helpful key is the Online Demo icon on the MathSciNet web-page. As long as you enter the MathSciNet web-page via WMU’s library pages, you can ignore the How to Subscribe icon on the MathSciNet web-page. To enter the search engine simply pick a site and then click on the globe icon. Notice once you are in the engine that there are hints for efficient searching located in the left-hand column.
Mathematics on the Web http://www.ams.org/mathweb/
This page lists several resources including the following: preprints and books and journals which are on line, mathematical servers, TeX, and other tools.
e-CMP http://www.ams.org/e-cmp/
e-CMP is an electronic notification service for current mathematical publications and is only available to current AMS members. This service will notify you by e-mail when an article in your field of interest is released. You can access this on the Publications & Research Tools web-page under the Research Tools for Mathematicians heading.
Websites for Mathematics Education Research
ERIC
This database of abstracts of journal articles and conference proceedings can be searched in several ways. For WMU students and staff, it can be reached via FirstSearch on the library homepage. Free and public access is also available at
http://ericae.net/aesearch.htm
http://ericae.net/scripts/ewiz/amain2.asp
All of these now cover the entire ERIC database, from 1966 to the "present"(usually a month or two behind actual date). Each search engine offers slightly different options. See the WMU library tutorial, "ERIC: Variations on a Theme" for more (possibly dated) specific information, and links (
http://www.wmich.edu/library/iti/ericchart.html).
Other Mathematics Education and Mathematics Education Research Sites
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| Achieve (still under development) |
State standards and assessments | http://www.achieve.org |
| ARC (Alternatives for Rebuilding Curriculum) |
Elementary Mathematics Projects | http://www.comap.com/arc |
| COMPASS (Curriculum Options in Math Programs for all Secondary Schools) |
Secondary Mathematics Projects | http://www.ithaca.edu/compass |
| EXTEND | mathematics reform | http://www.stolaf.edu/other/extend/Resources/ |
| K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center | K-12 reform math curricula | http://www.edc.org/mcc |
| Mathematics Archives | K-12 Teaching Materials | http://archives.math.utk.edu/k12.html |
| MathForum | discussion and helps | http://forum.swarthmore.edu/ |
| Math Resources | pre-K to 12 resources | http://www.wimmera.net.au/links/edmathsci.html |
| McRel (MidContinent Regional Education Laboratory) |
standards, all subjects | http://www.mcrel.org/ |
| NASA | resources for teaching, and links | http://education.nasa.gov/internet.html |
| Putnam Valley Schools (New York) |
developing standards-many links | http://putwest.boces.org/StSu/Math.html |
| Show-Me Center (National Center for Standards-based Middle Grades Math Curriculum) |
Middle School reform math Projects | http://showmecenter.missouri.edu |
| U.S. Department of Education | government programs, grants, reports, etc. | http://www.ed.gov |
| AERA | Mathematics Education Research | http://www.aera.net/ |
| Ed Dubinsky Homepage |
Math Ed Researcher | http://www.cs.gsu.edu/~edd |
| RUMEC | Undergrad Mathematics Teaching Research | http://www.cs.gsu.edu/~rumec |
| Schoenfeld, Alan H. Homepage |
Math Ed Research Papers | http://www-gse.berkeley.edu/faculty/aschoenfeld/ |
Last updated: July 29, 1999