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Background

Sometimes you may need some information to get more familiar with your topic. Below are some materials that can provide background on topics in the history of technology and science. Hunt Library has additional resources, so if you need help finding information, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Atkins, Stephen E. Historical Encyclopedia of Atomic Energy. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000.
  HUNT REF-1 QC772 .A87 2000

• Berger, Michael L. The Automobile in American History and Culture: a Reference Guide. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2001.
  HUNT REF-1 TL23 .B43 2001

• Bud, Robert and Deborah Jean Warner, eds. Instruments of Science: An Historical Encyclopedia. New York: Science Museum, London, and National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, in Association with Garland Pub., 1998.
  HUNT REF-1 Q184.5 .I57 1998

• Burt, Christopher C. Extreme Weather: a Guide & Record Book. New York: W.W. Norton, c2007.
  HUNT REF-1 QC983 .B78 2007

• Cole, David John, Eve Browning, and Fred E.H. Schroeder. Encyclopedia of Modern Everyday Inventions. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2003.
  HUNT REF-1 T20 .C56 2003

• Day, Lance and Ian McNeil, eds. Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology. New York: Routledge, 1996.
  HUNT REF-1 T39 .B49 1996

• Engines of Our Ingenuity (John H. Lienhard)
  Over 1300 episodes from the NPR series written and hosted by John Lienhard and KUHF-FM, Houston. The brief program "uses the record of history to reveal the way art, technology, and ideas have shaped us." Programs have included such topics as the invention of th bar code, The Jacquard loom and the invention of the computer, the French horn, etc. The episodes can be searched by keyword, or browsed by episode number.

• Engs, Ruth C. The Eugenics Movement: an Encyclopedia. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2005.
  HUNT REF-1 HQ751 .E64 2005

• Ferngren, Gary B., ed. The History of Science and Religion in the Western Tradition: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 2000.
  HUNT REF-1 BL245 .H57 2000

• Gardner, Robert. From Talking Drums to the Internet: An Encyclopedia of Communications Technology. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c1997. (Carnegie Mellon users only)

• Gatland, Kenneth. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Space Technology: A Comprehensive History of Space Exploration. New York: Harmony Books, c1981.
  ENGR&SCI REFERENCE TL788 .I44 1981

• Gross, Ernie. Advances and Innovations in American Daily Life, 1600s-1930s. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, c2002.
  HUNT REF-1 E161 .G76 2002

• Heilbron, J. L. The Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science. [New York]: Oxford University Press, 2003. (Carnegie Mellon users only)

• Hempstead, Colin. Encyclopedia of 20th-century Technology. 2 vols. New York: Routledge, c2005.
  HUNT REF-1 T9 .E462 2005

• Kovalchick, Ann and Kara Dawson, eds. Education and Technology: an Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2004. (Carnegie Mellon users only)

• McNeil, Ian, ed. An Encyclopaedia of the History of Technology. New York: Routledge, 1990.
  ENGR&SCI REFERENCE T15 .E53 1989

• Moschovitis, Christos J. P., et al. History of the Internet: A Chronology, 1843 to the Present. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c1999.
  HUNT REF-1 TK5105 .875.I57 H58 1999

• Newton, David E. Encyclopedia of Cryptology. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c1997. (Carnegie Mellon users only)

• Newton, David E. Social Issues in Science and Technology: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c1999.
  HUNT REF-1 Q175.5 .N49 1999

• Poole, Hilary W., ed. The Internet: a Historical Encyclopedia. 3 vols. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c2005.
  HUNT REF-1 TK5105 .875.I57 I5372 2005
  ENGR&SCI TK5105 .875.I57 I5372 2005
  v. 1. Biographies; v. 2. Issues; v. 3. Chronology

• Rothenberg, Marc, ed. The History of Science in the United States: an Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 2001.
  HUNT REF-1 Q127 .U6 H57 2001

• Schlager, Neil, ed. When Technology Fails: Significant Technological Disasters, Accidents, and Failures of the Twentieth Century. Detroit: Gale Research, c1994.
  HUNT REF-1 TA169.5 .W44 1994
  ENGR&SCI REFERENCE TA169.5 .W44 1994

• Selin, Helaine, ed. Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Boston: Kluwer Academic, c1997.
  HUNT REF-1 Q124.8 .E53 1997

• Trinder, Barrie, ed. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Industrial Archaeology. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell, 1992.
  HUNT REF-1 T37 .B55 1992

• Volti, Rudi. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Society. 4 vols. New York: Facts on File, c1999.
  HUNT REF-1 Q121 .V65 1999

• World of Invention. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., c1994.
  HUNT REF-1 T15 .W82

• Webb, Pauline and Mark Suggitt. Gadgets and Necessities: An Encyclopedia of Household Innovations. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2000. (Carnegie Mellon users only)

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Databases and Indexes

Below are some databases and print indexes that you can use to find books and articles on history of science and technology topics. For a more complete listing of those relevant to History, see History: Databases and Indexes, or for the Sciences, see the categories listed at Databases by Subject. If you need help in selecting or using a database or index for your research, please contact the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Applied Science and Business Periodicals Retrospective (Carnegie Mellon Users only)
  1913-1983
  Search and display citations from the Industrial Arts Index (1913-1957), and its successors, the Applied Science and Technology Index (1957-1983), and the Business Periodicals Index (1957-1983).
  Continued by:
  Applied Science and Technology Index (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1983-present (updated monthly).

• America: History and Life (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1954-present (updated monthly).
  Citations and some abstracts to journal articles, dissertations, and book and media reviews on United States and Canadian history from prehistory to the present. Covers all historical topics, including foreign policy, and a variety of disciplines including popular culture, gender studies, anthropology, literature and folklore, etc. Also has a non-US history counterpart Historical Abstracts. To search both, once connected, click on Choose Databases and select both.

• EI Compendex. (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1884-present (updated monthly).
  

• Historical Abstracts (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1954-present (Updated monthly).
  Citations and some abstracts of journal articles, books, and dissertations on world history from 1450 to the present (excluding the United States and Canada). It covers all historical topics, including foreign policy, and a variety of disciplines including religion, gender studies, anthropology, political science, etc. Also has a U. S. and and Canadian history counterpart, America: History and Life. To search both, once connected, click on Choose Databases and select both.

• Industrial Arts Index
  Search for citations by using the database below:
  Applied Science and Business Periodicals Retrospective (Carnegie Mellon Users only)
  1913-1983
  Search and display citations from the Industrial Arts Index (1913-1957), and its successors, the Applied Science and Technology Index (1957-1983), and the Business Periodicals Index (1957-1983).

• SAE Publications and Standards (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1906-present.
  Detailed summaries and bibliographic data for more than 69,000 documents published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, including technical papers since 1906, magazine articles, books, all ground vehicle and aerospace standards, specifications, and research reports. Click on Database Products and select Publications and Standards.

• SciFinder Scholar (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1907-present.
  Search for journal articles, patents, technical reports, books, conference proceedings, and dissertations in the areas of chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, materials science and related sciences. Citations are linked to full text articles of electronic journals to which Carnegie Mellon subscribes. Links to full text patents are also available in many cases.

• TRIS Online
  1960-present.
  Citations and some abstracts or full text to research articles, reports, books, etc. relating to the planning, development, operation, and performance of transportation systems and their components.

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