CSI Library: Computer Science: Writing a Research Paper

Choosing Your Topic

Some popular topics in the field of Computer Science include:

AI (Artificial Intelligence)
assistive technology
big data
blockchain
cloud computing
computer ethics
cyber security
data mining
history of computers
IoT (Internet of Things)
machine learning

The IEEE Digital Library also maintains a list of trending search topics: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/popular/

Finding Articles

You can search across a multitude of library databases using our OneSearch tool, or consult any of our computer science-oriented online resources.

Computer Science/Technology Databases:

ACM Digital Library The College of Staten Island no longer subscribes to the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) periodicals. If you need ACM materials, please request them via Inter-library Loan. Please also consider using our other Computer Science resources including Applied Technology and Science Source, or the open source arXiv e-Print archive, both found on our A-Z database list and under Computer Science subject databases.
Applied Science and Technology Source This link opens in a new window Applied Science & Technology Source offers extensive coverage of research and development within the applied sciences and computing disciplines by combining high-quality databases from both EBSCO Publishing and H.W. Wilson. This premier resource offers full text for almost 1,200 journals, citations to millions of articles. The content within Applied Science & Technology Source derives from numerous sources, including leading trade journals, professional and technical society journals, and conference proceedings.Coverage Dates: 1913 to present

CiteSeer CiteSeer is an evolving scientific literature digital library and search engine that has focused primarily on the literature in computer and information science.

Gartner This link opens in a new window Provides research and analysis of the global information technology industry, covering current and emerging IT issues, trends, companies and products. You may need to log in with your CUNY Login even if you are on campus. 
MathSciNet This link opens in a new window A database of reviews, abstracts and bibliographic information mathematical literature (including journals, conference papers, books, and others). Produced by the American Mathematical Society. Many records include Mathematical Subject Classification terms. While most citations are current, select records are included from mathematical writings as far back as the early 1800s.
National Science Digital Library This link opens in a new window The NSDL provides access to educational resources in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It includes labs, lectures, readings, games, lesson plans, and full course outlines. Most resources in the library adhere to principles of Open Educational Resource (OER) access.
ScienceDirect This link opens in a new window Abstracts of scholarly literature in science, technology, and medicine with full text available for articles published after 1995. Core subjects include physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, environmental science, health and medicine. Also provides coverage of a number of titles in the social sciences and humanities (particularly management, economics, psychology, and linguistics). Please note that the Library does not subscribe to all journals in ScienceDirect. Subscribed content is marked by a green "full text available" icon.
SpringerLink eBooks and Journals This link opens in a new window Over 20,000 full text ebooks and reference works, and 2,500 journals published by Springer. Core focus is science, technology, and medicine but includes some titles in the social sciences and humanities.
Wolfram|Alpha This link opens in a new window A computational knowledge engine, which aims to answer factual questions instead of simply providing links to relevant web sites. It offers everything from definitions, biographies, and statistics to mathematical formulas, chemical properties, and stock quotes.

Finding Books

Search our online catalog for Computer Science books and e-books:

Citing Your References

For help formatting your citations and creating a bibliography, see our Citing Sources Help Guide.