Physics

Overview

Maag Library provides access to Physics books, journals and data through print and online resources. The specific resources listed below are a portion of what is available through the library. For individualized assistance, contact the Science and Engineering Librarian; for general assistance Ask a Librarian!

Reference Resources

Use these reference items for background information about Physics or for definitions and general information.

Locating Books

Books can be found through MaagNet, the Maag Library online catalog, or through the OhioLINK Catalog, which locates items available at other OhioLINK institutions. Most OhioLINK items can be requested and delivered to Maag Library for pickup.

Physics resources are located throughout the library; items in the Reference Room, Serials (journals) or in the circulating collection are all arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Once a useful book or journal is located in one of these areas, use that same call number to locate information on the same or similar topics in other areas of the library.

Physics Terms with Related Call Number Ranges

Weights and Measures QC81-QC114
Descriptive and Experimental Physics QC120-QC168
Atomic Physics QC170-QC197
Acoustics and Sound QC220-QC246
Heat QC251-QC338
Optics and Light QC350-QC467
Radiation Physics QC474-QC496
Electricity and Magnetism QC501-QC766
Nuclear and Particle Physics QC770-QC798
Geophysics, Cosmic Physics QC-801-QC809
Geomagnetism QC811-QC849
Meteorology and Climatology QC859-QC999

In addition to print monographs some full-text, scholarly, scientific monographs may be found through the Electronic Book Center (EBC) using Library of Congress Subject headings or such keyword search terms as “Acoustics, Physics, Geophysics, Optics, or Astrophysics.”

Finding Dissertations and Theses

The following databases may be used to search for related dissertations and theses published within the state, across the country, and world-wide.  As with most research databases access to these two databases is available to current YSU faculty, students and staff from off campus via off-campus OhioLink access.

  • • Dissertation Abstracts
    Provides citations and abstracts to theses and dissertations to colleges and universities in North America and Europe. (While some dissertations may be available through Interlibrary Loan, this is not always the case. Not all holding libraries loan dissertations and theses through ILL. In some instances there may be a fee.)
  • • Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center (ETD)
    Online theses and dissertations from Ohio graduate students from participating Ohio colleges and universities.

Locating Articles

Physics articles are available in print and electronic sources. The information below will help decide where to begin searching for articles.

Articles in Print

Physics journals that Maag Library receives in print can be located by searching MaagNet or browsing by call number. These journals are located on the sixth floor of Maag Library and are arranged in Library of Congress (LC) call number order.

Online Articles

Many Physics journals are now available through online subscription databases and through the OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center. Various terms can be used to search these databases, including author, subject, keywords and relevant dates. Most databases allow access by current YSU faculty, students and staff from off campus, although a few are restricted to in-library use only. For more information about connecting from home, see off-campus access.

Compendex is a comprehensive interdisciplinary engineering database, the electronic equivalent of the print Engineering Index. It strives to cover the entire engineering discipline with articles from over 175 areas, including aerospace engineering. Includes or has links to full text.

  • • Compendex 1969-
  • This covers engineering literature from 1968 to the present.
  • • Historical Compendex 1884 to 1968
  • This archive covers engineering literature from 1884 to 1968.
  • • Electronic Journal Center (EJC)
  • Full-text journals from OhioLINK electronic journal subscriptions. Currently includes over 6000 scholarly journals in a variety of disciplines. To best benefit from this database, use the Chemistry and Physics Category.
  • • EI Engineering Village
  • Start using this link for Compendex during the semester as the other Compendex platforms are phased out.
  • • JSTOR
  • Supplies full text articles from the very first volume to the last 3-5 years for approximately 240 titles in arts and sciences. Use the Advanced Search to select the subcategory, “History of science and technology.”
  • • Nature
  • International weekly journal of science.
  • • Science
  • • Journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • • Science Citation Index Expanded or ISI Web of Science
  • Current information as well as backfiles to 1900 are found in full text on the Web of Science. ISI Citation Databases include bibliographic information gathered from thousands of scholarly journals. It is indexed so that the researcher can look for specific articles by subject, author, journal, and/or author address. Additionally, it is possible to search the databases for articles that cite a known author or work.

These databases are a starting point for research. To see other databases, visit the Research Databases page.

For additional assistance in finding journals available through Maag Library, use the Maag Journal Finder. You can search for a specific journal by title or ISSN or browse the Physics sub-category under the Science heading.

Web Resources

Please remember that anyone can publish a web site, so evaluate what is found. Here are a few information sites with which to get started: