Guide to Information Sources in the Forensic Sciences

by Cynthia A. Holt

Overview

Thanks to the O. J. Simpson case, not to mention the overwhelming success of the CSI franchise, the general public is both aware of and curious about the world of forensics, i.e., the investigation and establisment of facts or evidence in a court of law. The forensic sciences incorporate the application of principles and methods from a cadre of specialized scientific and technical disciplines, to a vast array of criminal and civil legal questions. To this end, Cynthia Holt has compiled a comprehensive bibliography of resources recommended to support research in the forensic sciences and its various subspecialties. Holt's introductory chapter clarifies the distinctions between the major forensic sciences specialties; in addition, it provides an overview of the hierarchy of various classification systems for the forensics literature. The bibliography itself is grouped by type of material (e.g., journals, abstracts and indexes, books). Topics include ballistics, DNA analysis, etymology, expert witnessing, and facial imaging/reconstruction, as well as contributions from academic fields such as anthropology, linguistics and engineering. Tools are primarily in English, with a few non-English titles included for reasons of significance. With a preface by Professor Moses S. Schanfield, Chair of the Department of Forensic Sciences at George Washington University.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591582212
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/30/2005
Series:	Reference Sources in Science and Technology
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Cynthia Holt has been the librarian for the sciences and engineering programs at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. for six years. A large part of this time has been spent supporting the forensic sciences department. Her career as a science and engineering librarian has spanned 12 years in various positions. She is the past chair of the Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics Division of the Special Libraries Association and is a past SLA Chapter Member of the Year Award winner for the D.C. chapter of SLA.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Moses S. Schanfield
Introduction
Bibliographic, Historical, and Biographical Sources
Abstracting and Indexing Sources
Journals
Books
Online Sources
Other Non-Bibliographic Information Sources
Research Essentials
Name/Title/Electronic Resource Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

With this book Holt provides one-stop shopping for information sources on all aspects of forensics. Seven chapters provide data on topics ranging from online resources to indexing/abstracting sources. Chapters are subdivided, providing easier access in locating information; the chapter titled Journals includes Key Publishers, Core Forensic Journals, and Evaluation of Journals. Entries are precise, including citation and descriptive paragraphs on the source. A nice addition is the Research Essentials chapter providing bibliographical management tools, and copyright and citation information. The introduction presents an overview of forensic subspecialties (ballistics, psychiatry, and economics) and the Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine, and Dewey subject classification systems. Subject headings are included for each classification system for ease in searching. Alphabetical indexes (name/title/electronic resource; subject) provide quick locations for entries….[a]n excellent source for researchers, students, and CSI enthusiasts. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.” —Choice

“Guide to Information Sources in the Forensic Sciences is timely, comprehensive, and valuable. As the title accurately portrays, this bibliographic work provides an essential starting point for anyone conducting research in the forensic sciences or in the multitude of other related subspecialities within the discipline….Guide to Information Sources in the Forensic Sciences would be a welcome addition to any academic library that supports either a criminal-justice or forensic-sciences program, as well as to any other highly specialized setting focused on the forensic sciences, such as a police department, a crime laboratory, or a law firm. This book is an equally valuable resource for students, librarians, researchers, and forensic-science practitioners.” —Reference & User Services Quarterly

“… an excellent source for researchers, students, and CSI enthusiasts… Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.” —Choice Reviews Online ShelfLife: Criminal Justice Reference Resources

From the Publisher