History of Science Sources
Basic Indexes
History of Science, Technology and Medicine [HSTM], 1975- .
Includes books, book chapters, and journal articles. Includes medicine and social science as well as science and technology. Electronic equivalent of four printed indexes:
Since HSTM is an amalgamation of four separate indexes with four different subject term systems, study the results of keyword searches to be sure that you know the proper subject terms for your topic in each of the, possibly four, relevant component databases. For example, the Wellcome Bibliography uses "Contraception" but the Isis Current Bibliography uses "Birth control".
Limiting by Time Period
Note the different terms used by the three indexes:
Isis Current Bibliography of the History of Science and its Cultural Influences: Pre-history, Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance (15th and 16th), 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century
Current Bibliography in the History of Technology: Prehistory, Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century
Wellcome Bibliography of the History of Medicine: Ancient, Greek and Roman, Medieval, 13th century , 14th century , 15th century , 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century
Searching for literature published before 1975 (pre-HSTM)
Isis (1913-1996), together with the Critical Bibliography, is available in JSTOR. You can search just the Critical Bibliography:
- Choose <Search JSTOR>
- Choose <Advanced Search>
- In one search field enter your search terms, leaving the menu at <full-text>
- In another search field enter <’Critical Bibliography’>, adjusting the menu to <item title>
- Enter Isis at <Enter Title>
Note that a single Critical Bibliography is searched as a unit. Thus, the search <Darwin and finches> will return all Critical Bibliographies containing these two words, but not necessarily within the same citation. To find book reviews, enter the book title as a phrase.
Title changed from Critical Bibliography to Current Bibliography in 1989 (v. 80).
Earlier material may also be found in the printed versions
Isis Current Bibliography of the History of Science and its Cultural Influences, 1913- (Formerly the Isis Critical Bibliography) offers annual sparsely annotated bibliographies of current works which accompany each volume of Isis. Book reviews are listed at the end of each issue.
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Serial, 1913- .
LOCATION: History of Science: Per I 50, 1913-
LOCATION: Lamont: Periodicals, 1913-2001
LOCATION: Widener: Sci 65.55
Cumulated in the ISIS cumulative bibliography; a bibliography of the history of science formed from ISIS critical bibliographies, 1913-95. 14 v. In the 1913-1965 series, citations for books include reviews; in later series, books reviews are at the back of the last volume.
LOCATION: History of Science:
LOCATION: Widener: RR 5002.36
LOCATION: Wolbach Obs (HCO): Ref Biblio. Cat. Q125.Z99 I87 (Incomplete)
Current Bibliography in the History of Technology, 1964- (Annual in the journal Technology and culture, after 1990 published separately)
Technology and culture, 1964-89
LOCATION: History of Science: PerT 40
LOCATION: Widener: Sci 120.159Bibliography continued by:
Current Bibliography in the History of Technology, 1990- .
LOCATION: History of Science
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC T15.Z99 T43xBook reviews are noted in the record for the book reviewed both in print and HSTM.For earlier literature see: Eugene S. Ferguson's Bibliography of the history of technology. 1968.
LOCATION: Baker Business: Z7914.H5 F4 1968
LOCATION: Widener: RR5003.40
Wellcome Bibliography of the History of Medicine (formerly Current Work in the History of Medicine). London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1954-2004. Section on biographies (including obituaries), no. 150 (Ap/June, 1991)- . Obituaries were separated from Biographies and given their own heading "Recent Obituaries" in no. 158 (Ap/June, 1993). Includes obituaries of physicians from the Times. Some material continues to be added to the Wellcome Library catalogue. Some issues still available online (2000-2004).
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Abst & Ind ZWZ 40 C8
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Rare Books Serial
LOCATION: History of Science: Per C 60
Cumulated in: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine and Related Sciences. 1979-80. Subject Catalogue of the History of Medicine. 18 v. [5 biographical v., 4 topographical v., 9 subject v.]
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Rare Books f Z6207.M4 W45
Bibliografia italiana di storia della scienza, 1982- .
LOCATION: History of Science
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC Q125.Z99 B53x
PubMed with full text includes citations of periodical articles formerly accessed through HISTLINE (1965-2000) which included and continued the printed Bibliography of the History of Medicine (1965-1993). To limit to historical sources in PubMed, look at bottom of PubMed search screen and select Topic-Specific Queries. Scroll down to Subject and select History of Medicine. Be sure to look at the MESH (Medical Subject Headings) on pertinent records found with a keyword search by opening "+MeSH Terms". You must have a record that says: Indexed for Medline to do this.
Books, book chapters, and dissertations formerly searched in HISTLINE are now in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) online catalog. To limit to historical sources: Under Publication Types, scroll to More Publication Types, and choose Historical Articles. This retrieves books and other material as well as articles.
For earlier literature see:
Bibliography of the history of medicine of the United States and Canada, 1939-1960, by Genevieve Miller, which cumulates the serial bibliography published in the Bulletin of the history of medicine, which carried on through the commencement of the Bibliography of the history of medicine in 1965.
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: ZWZ 70 M5b 1964
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Rare Books Z6661.U6 M14 1964
LOCATION: History of Science:
LOCATION: Widener: Med 100.116A bibliography of articles on the history of American medicine compiled from "Writings on American history" 1902-1937, by Judson B. Gilbert.
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Rare Books Z6661.U6 G3
Book Reviews
Coverage of book reviews in HSTM begins (in a small way) in 2000 and becomes substantial in 2002. Enter the phrase "book review" in the title field along with the title of the book: "Sun Kings" and "book review".
General sources include: Academic Search Premier, the Web of Science and Periodicals Index Online (for pre-1995 books). Additional general sources for book reviews. Some of the specialized indexes and bibliographies listed in this guide carry book reviews.
The best specialized source is:
ISIS cumulative bibliography; a bibliography of the history of science formed from ISIS critical bibliographies, 1913-95. 14 v.
LOCATION: History of Science:
LOCATION: Widener: RR 5002.36
LOCATION: Wolbach Obs (HCO): Ref Biblio. Cat. Q125.Z99 I87 (Incomplete)
In the 1913-1965 series, citations for books include reviews; in later series books reviews are at the back of the last volume.
For post-1995 reviews check the individual issues of the Current Bibliography, shelved with Isis. Book reviews are listed at the end of each issue.
LOCATION: Countway Medicine: Serial, 1913- .
LOCATION: History of Science: Per I 50, 1913-
LOCATION: Lamont: Periodicals, 1913-2001
LOCATION: Widener: Sci 65.55
Citations for book reviews can often be found in the JSTOR version
- Choose <Search JSTOR>
- Choose <Advanced Search>
- Enter book title in quotes, leaving menu at full text. Reviews of books lacking distinctive titles may be difficult to separate from other occurrences of the search phrase. If the author name is more distinctive than the title, search the author name using the inverted first initial only, e.g., "Righini G."
- In another search field enter <’Critical Bibliography’>, adjusting the menu to <item title>
- Scrolling down, enter Isis at <Publication Title>
Analytical Bibliography of the History of Engineering and Applied Science, 1921-47. In: Transactions of the Newcomen Society for the Study of the History of Engineering and Technology.
LOCATION: Baker Business: QK.76 N54
LOCATION: History of Science
LOCATION: Widener: Sci 1490.193
V. 2 - 4 includes periodical literature only, v. 5 - 25 includes monograph literature also; v. 10 has list of subject headings.
Bibliography (1998- ) published in Public understanding of science lists books, articles, and Internet resources on science, health and technology in public attitudes, educational institutions (especially museums, zoos, etc.), and mass and interactive media. Print version:
LOCATION: McKay Applied Sci: Journal (1999- )
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC Q225.P8
JSTOR allows simultaneous or individual searching, full-text searching optional, of several history of science journals from their inceptions to about 5 years ago. JSTOR provides a list of included history of science & technologyjournals.
General History Sources
America: History and Life (1955- ) includes books, book chapters, journal articles, and book reviews.
Historical Abstracts (1954- ) includes books, book chapters, journal articles (but not book reviews) for non-North American history, 1450-date.
Bibliography of British and Irish History (formerly Royal Historical Society Bibliography) is a comprehensive bibliography of secondary sources dealing with the British Isles, British Empire and Commonwealth from 55 BC to the present.
Web of Science Citation Indexes allow citation searching, that is, starting with an article of interest and finding more recent articles that have cited it. Covers: science, 1900- ; social science, 1956- ; arts/humanities, 1975- . More information.
JSTOR offers full-text of complete runs (up to about 5 years ago) of over 400 journals. Allows simultaneous or individual searching, full-text searching optional, of many historical journals. List of included journals.
ACLS Humanities E-Book Project includes over 2200 largely history titles. Largely 1950-1999, some earlier, later. Full text searchable over whole collection. Browsable and searchable by LC Subject Heading. Links to book reviews in JSTOR, Project Muse and History Cooperative. Linked from HOLLIS records.
PAO Historical Studies Collection includes searchable full text of about 100 journals in history from their inception to 1995. Same journals are indexed in Periodicals Index Online, with links to the full text in PAO Historical Studies Collection, but are not full text searchable there. There are no links from HOLLIS to included journals.
Periodicals Index Online indexes over 5500 English and Western European language journals from their inceptions to 1995. Includes 218 journals in American history and 840 journals in world history. Also numerous journals in related subjects. Limit to historical journals by adjusting Journal Subject(s) menu to History (General) or History (The Americas), although this will exclude historical articles in non-history journals. Includes book reviews.
Bibliographies
Look for specialized subject bibliographies in the HOLLIS Catalog or WorldCat: Search Agriculture and Bibliography [Subject Keyword search]> on Expanded Search screen in HOLLIS Classic or the Advanced search screen in HOLLIS or WorldCat.
Hammond, C. A. 1988. Selected bibliography of New England farm studies. Pp. 154-169 in The Farm, ed. by Peter Benes. (Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife: Annual Proceedings 1986). Boston, MA: Boston University.
Hurt, R. D. & M. E. Hurt. 1994. The History of Agricultural Science and Technology: An International Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 485 pp.
Widener WID-LC S419.Z99 H87 1994x
Pursell, C. W.& E. M. Rogers. 1966. A Preliminary List of References for the History of Agricultural Science and Technology in the United States. Davis, CA: Agricultural History Center, University of California-Davis, 46 pp.
Baker Business | Historical Collections -- Baker Old Class | GO :1.1 P98
Rossiter, M. W. 1980. A List of References for the History of Agricultural Science in America. Davis, CA: Agricultural History Center, University of California-Davis, 62 pp.
Widener WID-LC S441.Z99 R67 1980x
Whitehead, V. B. 1979. A List of References for the History of Agricultural Technology. Davis, CA: Agricultural History Center, University of California-Davis, 76 pp.
Widener | Harvard Depository | S441.Z99 W45 1979x 000355585