| 45-2358 | ||
| Reference \ Science & Technology | ||
| AccessScience. McGraw-Hill.
Contact publisher for pricing information. Internet Resource.
Reviewed in 2008jan CHOICE. http://www.accessscience.com/ | ||
| [Visited Oct'07]
AccessScience 2.0 is the electronic counterpart of the 20-volume
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (10th ed., CH,
Jan'08, 45-2366). It includes over 8,500 articles written by experts in
science and technology, along with 15,000 illustrations. The database
offers research updates from McGraw-Hill yearbooks, more than 110,000
dictionary definitions, and biographies of more than 2,000 well-known
scientists, along with Science News content; the various features
are cross-linked and easily searchable. Graphically attractive and easy to
navigate, the interface is well designed with useful sections including
Helpful Tools, Study Center, Image Galleries, Q&A, and more. It makes
use of up-to-date technology. For example, users can receive content
updates through both RSS and podcasts, and enhance their learning
experience with multimedia (animations and videos, with free software
available for downloading). Features go beyond those offered in many
traditional reference sources. Users may explore material topically or
alphabetically, but the interface offers an innovative semantic search
that aims to gather all possible results within one search. A limited
number of traditional advanced search options are provided, including
using Boolean operators and searching by content type and topic. Search
results are primarily ranked by relevance and, when applicable, by content
type.
The signed articles are easy to read, with hyperlinked cross-references, citation information, a bibliography, further study options, and further reading suggestions (sometimes including Web sites). Text entries may be printed or e-mailed as a link, and images or graphics can be saved; a registered account is needed. With its user-friendly and attractive interface, easy searching, cross-references for further exploration, and multimedia content, AccessScience 2.0 is an excellent model for an online reference resource. Updated more frequently than its print counterpart, it satisfies users' desire to access information anytime anywhere. With more and more users leaning toward online resources, many libraries may opt for AccessScience 2.0 over its excellent print counterpart. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Academic libraries supporting lower-level undergraduates and above; public libraries. -- N. N. Xiao, University of Southern California | ||