1. Facts and Background Information
2. Biographical Information
3. Finding Books
4. Finding Archival Materials & Primary Sources
5. Finding Journal Articles
6. Selected Web Resources

Facts and Background Materials

• Dictionary of the History of Science — PRINT
  REF Q124.8 .S43 2001
  Short, dictionary-style entries for major figures and concepts in the history of science.
• Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures— PRINT
  REF Q124.8 .S43 2001
  Challenges the concept of science & technology as a particularly western pursuit handed down from Ancient Greece.  Includes biographical entries, bibliographies, and indexes.
• A History of Technology –PRINT, ELECTRONIC
  T15.H582x, ACLS History E-Book
  Seven volumes with lengthy topical essays and bibliographies.  Coverage from ancient empires to the mid-twentieth century.
• McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology — PRINT, ELECTRONIC
  REF Q121 .M3 2002, AccessScience Online
  Twenty volumes, with thousands of articles. Includes cross-references, bibliographies, and a comprehensive index.
• Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science — PRINT, ELECTRONIC
  REF Q125 .O86 2003, Oxford Reference Online
  “Modern” is defined as 1550 to contemporary times.  Includes a broad array of brief articles covering all disciplines, historical periods, concepts, and methodologies and philosophies. International in scope.
• Reader’s Guide to the History of Science — PRINT, ELECTRONIC
  REF Q125 .R43 2000, Credo Reference
  Excellent resource to consult at the beginning of a research project. Each entry begins with a list of the leading works on a topic, followed by an essay on the topic & each work’s contribution.
• Social Issues in Science and Technology — PRINT
  REF Q175.5 .N49 1999
  Short entries with bibliographic references on “100 areas in which advances in science and technology have raised new issues for human societies” including abortion, animal rights, extinction, biotechnology, and pollution.

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Finding Books

• Searching the catalog for books and other materials concerning science, technology, and society:
• Try an LC subject search: science - history science - political aspects technology - philosophy technology - social aspects
• Try a keyword search: abortion AND public policy technology AND privacy
• Try an author search: Franklin, Benjamin LaFeber, Walter
• Browse the 2nd floor stacks: Science (General) - Q Social Sciences - H Technology (General) - T

Finding Articles

• Bibliography of the History of Technology— PRINTZ7914 .H5 .F4 1968
  Single volume published jointly by the Society for the History of Technology and the MIT Press, this contains 1500 annotated citations to books and journals and an index. Puts “particular emphasis upon the kinds and classes of information that may be available and upon specialized bibliographies and finding aids.”  Not the newest volume anymore but still useful.
• Bibliography of the Philosophy of Science, 1945-1981 — PRINT
  Z7405.P74 .B57 1983
  Single volume reference work covering published information in major journals related to the philosophy of science. Broken down into broad subjec areas such as “Aspects of Scientific Method,” “Philosophical Issues Concerning Science,” “Special Topics in the Philosophy of the Physical Sciences,” and “Special Topics in the Philosophy of the Biological Sciences.” Especially useful for tracking down older references.
• Drexel Libraries Databases by Subject — ELECTRONIC
  Because of the highly interdisciplinary nature of STS research, databases from a number of fields may be of use.  This list arranges the 500+ databases into broad subject categories.  Of particular interest will be those databases found in Engineering, History, Information Science & Technology, Philosophy, and Social Sciences categories.
• History of Science, Technology, and Medicine — ELECTRONIC
  Provides searchable access to citations for journal articles, conference proceedings, books, book reviews, and dissertations in the history of science, technology, and medicine and allied historical fields. Coverage is for items published from 1975 to the present.

Biographical Information

• American Men and Women of Science— PRINT
  Q141 .A47
  Previously entitled American Men of Science. Included are scientists who have made significant contributions in their field, either by distinguished achievement through publications, research activity, and peer review, or by attaining “.a position of substantial responsibility requiring scientific training and experience.”
• Biography Resource Center — ELECTRONIC
  Hundreds of biographies of historical figures from around the world. Search by name or use the “Biographical Facts Search” to browse by nationality, ethnicity, gender, occupation, etc.
• Dictionary of Scientific Biography — PRINT
  Q141 .D5
  Fourteen volumes and four supplements. An authoritative source for information on deceased scientists who have made significant contributions to the history of science. International in scope and covering all periods from antiquity to the twentieth century.
• Encyclopedia of World Scientists — PRINT
  REF Q141.O25 2001
  Includes the well-known scientific greats of history, as well as contemporary scientists and over 200 women and minority scientists. Brief biographical essays arranged in alphabetical order by name make up the bulk of this reference. Also included are indexes by field of study, nationality, and year of birth, as well as a chronology and general index.
• International Encyclopedia of Women Scientists — PRINT
  REF Q141.O27 2002
  Uses the same format as the Encyclopedia of World Scientists (above). This volume covers 500 women scientists, from ancient Greece to contemporary times, from Europe to Asia.

Finding Archival and Primary Sources

• NARA: US National Archives and Records Administration — ELECTRONIC
  NARA is a good source for finding government records and archival materials. Note the Online Databases and Tools section on the lower right-hand corner of their homepage. The NARA Mid-Atlantic Region Archives Facility is located at 900 Market Street in Philadelphia.
• NUCMC: National Union Catalog of Manuscripts Collections — PRINT
  Hagerty Oversize Z6620.U5 N3 Z6620.U5 N3 Index 1959-1969
  Contains manuscript records entered by libraries from 1959 forward. Hagerty’s holdings cover an eleven-year period from 1959-1969. For coverage closing the gap between 1969 and the electronic coverage begun in 1986 (see electronic NUCMC above), see the NUCMC hard copy held in the University of Pennsylvania’s Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks.
• NUCMC: National Union Catalog of Manuscripts Collections — ELECTRONIC
  NUCMC is a free-of-charge,online cooperative cataloging program operated by the Library of Congress. Please note: For a more complete search, you must search both the RLG Union Catalog and the OCLC Catalog. Contains only those records entered after 1985. For records cataloged prior to 1986, please see the print version of the NUCMC (below).
• PACSCL: Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries — WWW
  Find links to a number of archives, special collections, and specialized research libraries in the greater Philadelphia area. Many of the organizations provide links to their library catalogs and online finding aids.
• WorldCat.org — ELECTRONIC
  Search for archival materials in WorldCat by selecting the “Archival Materials” from the “Format” list on the Advanced Search page.  Duplicates materials in OCLC section of online NUCMC (above) but has a more user-friendly search interface and record display.  Also available as an iPhone/Android app.

Selected Web Resources

This list includes only a small fraction of useful web resources for this field. More web sites, which have undergone the same selection process, as available in my Pinboard tags on the right-hand side of this research guide.

• Center for the Study of Science and Technology — WWW
  A non-profit think tank located in Washington, D.C. Provides news and analysis of issues related to technology, education, and other topics.  Weekly updates available.
• ECHO: Exploring and Collecting History Online — ELECTRONIC
  A project focusing on the history of science, technology, and industry from the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University. Site includes reviews of related websites, a directory of online collections, and a guide to producing online history.
• H-Sci-Med-Tech — WWW
  Part of the H-Net network, this site features an active discussion list as well as reviews, job listings, and announcements.  Focus is interdisciplinary for scholars who study science, medicine, and technology across a wide variety of periods and regions of the world.
• History of Science Society — WWW
  The world’s largest society dedicated to understanding science, technology, medicine, and their interactions with society in historical context. Has over 3,000 individual and institutional members from around the world.
• International Association for Science, Technology, and Society — WWW
  An organization of special interest for interdisciplinary thinkers concerned about the interrelationships among science, technology and society (STS), with a particular emphasis on the impact of science and technology on society. Interested parties may include teachers and educators, scientists and engineers, ethicists, environmentalists, and business leaders among others.
• National Science Foundation — WWW
  Independent federal agency which promotes research in science and technology. Includes news, information on awards, statistics, and funding opportunities.
• Philosophy of Science Association — WWW
  Promotes research, teaching, and free discussion of issues in the philosophy of science from diverse standpoints. Engages in activities such as: the publishing of periodicals, essays and monographs; sponsoring conventions and meetings; and awarding prizes for distinguished work in the field.
• Society for the History of Technology — WWW
  Formed in 1958 to encourage the study of the development of technology and its relations with society and culture. An interdisciplinary organization, SHOT is concerned not only with the history of technological devices and processes, but also with the relations of technology to science, politics, social change, the arts and humanities, and economics.