Welcome to the Math Subject Guide at Daley College!

NOTE: Remote access to the following databases is exclusive to City Colleges of Chicago students, faculty and staff.  To access off campus, log-in with your MyCCC username and password.

Not sure what interests you? eEncylopedias might help you gather general information to choose a topic.

Search the Gale Virtual Reference Collection:

When writing a research paper, start by choosing a topic. What is the question you want to answer?

              For example, you might ask, “What is the difference between applied and pure mathematics?”

Once you have a question in mind, find keywords related to the question.  Math is a multi-disciplinary field. When searching for information in any library resource, try using other keywords such as: 

• applied analysis 
• probability  
• speculative mathematics

Expand your search terms by considering synonyms. You can search for similar words by searching for your terms in a thesaurus. 

Use these keywords when searching databases for relevant articles. 

Choose articles that are appropriate for your project, academic, and trustworthy (hint: they'll have citations). Watch this short video for help evaluating sources.

If you get stuck, ask a librarian! We are trained to help with research and citations.

Stop by the reference desk at Daley College or call the reference desk at 773-838-7669.

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 Tips for efficient searches:

• use "advanced search” option so you can enter several search terms at the same time
• limit results to full text so you will be able to read and cite the articles you find
•  choose article length, and publication date to meet the needs of your assignment. For example, if your instructor prefers articles over 5 pages, don't waste your time sorting through articles that are only 1 page. Limit your results!

For more Database Search Tips check out the Library Basics Search Guide: Search Tips!  

Note: Accessing databases off-campus will require students to use their MyCCC username and password.

• MathSciNet
• A searchable database providing access to Mathematical Reviews and Currently Mathematical Publications. The main subject areas covered are pure and applied mathematics, and statistics from 1940-Present, produced by the American Mathematical Society.  

•  SpringerLink
• A database collection providing full-text math journals and e-books. 

• Academic Search Complete
• Academic Search Complete, designed specifically for academic institutions, is the world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. 

• Gale Virtual Reference Library 
• With Gale Virtual Reference Library, you have  access to more than 1,000 electronic reference titles (e-books) in virtually any subject area including math, science, health, history, biography and many more.  

For all the databases available to CCC students, go to:

Daley College Databases

Daley College subscribes to Ebsco Ebooks, which can accessed from home 24 hours a day. 

Search the EBSCO eBook Collection:

An example of some of our E-books, click on the cover to access the books:

A Step Further

            Is your project abut something that might be in another category? Consider checking other subject-specific databases. For example, if you are looking for something related to economics, you might use Business Source Elite.      

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The library at Daley College has hundreds of History-related books that can help in your research.

Math Books available at the Daley College Library:

Call No. QA39.3 .C37 2011                                    Call No. QA39.3 .S658 2012                                      Call No. QA152.3 .R63 2010

Search the Chicago City Colleges Catalog! Just enter your keywords into the search fields. You can also search by a specific book title or author. Choose "more search options" below for the advanced search.

Search Tips:

• Use the search options to your advantage! If you are searching for synonyms like "children" and "youth," change the drop down from "AND" to "OR." This way you will get results that include EITHER term.
• Use the options on the left of the search box the same way. Perhaps you want a book about the id written by Sigmund Freud. Place id in the search box with "Any Field" selected to the right. In the next line, change "Any Field" to "Author" and type Freud into the search box.
• You can also use the drop down menus below to limit your results to specific date ranges.
  
• Choose books available only at Daley College or broaden your search to “Any” in the location section.
• If books are located at another library, place a request for Interlibrary Loan by contacting a Daley College Librarian at 773-838-7669. We will contact you when your book arrives. Please allow time for delivery.

Browse the Shelves: For books on your topic, go to these call numbers:

QA150 - QA272 Algebra

QA273 - QA275 Probabilities

QA276 - QA299 Mathematical Statistics

QA299.6 - QA433 Analysis

QA440 - QA699 Geometry

QA801 - QA939 Analytic Mechanics

Still need help locating or finding a book, check out the Library Basics Guide: Finding Books!

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Note: Web Resources DOES NOT require students to use their MyCCC username and password.

• American Mathematical Society: Information for Students
• Information on careers in mathematics and, under Student Help: High School Students, links to numerous help sites on the web for various levels of math.

• Formulas, Techniques and Methods in Mathematics: Finding the People Behind the Numbers 
• Links to web information about famous mathematicians with explanations of their contributions.

• Khan Academy 
• Links to over 4,000 streaming videos, explanations of concepts in basic to advanced math plus physics, finance and many other fields. Practice exercises check learning.

• MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive

• Math Archives
  List of useful links for mathematical history research.

• Mathvids.com 
  Steaming video lessons checked for accuracy, presented by instructors whose methods match many different learning styles. Middle school through college level instruction.

• Mathworld
  Mathematics encyclopedia explaining hundreds of mathematical terms, sometimes with animations to make the description more clear.

• Most Common Errors in Undergraduate Mathematics
  Dr. Eric Schecter of Vanderbilt University explains errors in college-level algebra, notation, and calculus that he has seen all too frequently. 

• National Science Foundation
  This site highlights current National Science Foundation program areas and describes various awards and funding opportunities available for researchers. An overview of new funding opportunities and corresponding application deadlines are listed by discipline and are regularly updated. Current news releases related to specific projects and disciplines are also available.

• NIST: Math and Computer Science Section
  The Mathematical & Computational Sciences Division of the NIST, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration, focuses on solving scientific problems of interest to American industry through modern analytical and computational methods.

• Wolfram Functions Site
  From Wolfram Research, a compendium of over 300,000 formulas and 10,000 visualizations of functions.

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Every research paper must have in-text citations and a works cited page to show the sources you used in your research!

• Identify the type of citation you need. Some professors will tell you what style they prefer.
• As you conduct research, create citations in your works cited section or bibliography.
• When you quote, paraphrase, or reference an idea you read in someone else's work, place an in-text citation at the end of your sentence.

These websites can help you create the citations needed:

APA Format

MLA Format

Chicago Style Format

You can also use EasyBib to create a works cited page in MLA format.

Check out the Library Basics Guide: Citations Page for more information on citations!

If you need help creating your citations, feel free to stop by the reference desk and ask a librarian or call the reference desk at 773-838-7669.  

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