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'''Mathematical Reviews''' is a journal and online database published by the [[American Mathematical Society]] that contains brief synopses (and occasionally evaluations) of many articles in mathematics, statistics and theoretical computer science. Selected reviews (called "featured reviews") are also published as a book by the [[American Mathematical Society|AMS]].
'''Mathematical Reviews''' is a journal and online database published by the [[American Mathematical Society]] that contains brief synopses (and occasionally evaluations) of many articles in mathematics, statistics and theoretical computer science. Selected reviews (called "featured reviews") are also published as a book by the [[American Mathematical Society|AMS]].


The journal began publication in 1940. The goal was to give reviews of every mathematical research publication. As of 2000 the Mathematical Reviews database contained information on over 1.5 million articles. The authors of reviews are volunteers, usually chosen by the editors because of some expertise in the area of the article. It and the German journal [[Zentralblatt für Mathematik]] are the only comprehensive resources of this type. Often reviews give detailed summaries of the contents of the paper, sometimes with critical comments by the reviewer and references to related work. However, reviewers are instructed not to criticize the paper, because the author does not have an opportunity to respond. the Author's summary may be quoted when it is not possible to give an independent review, or when the summary is deemed adequate by the reviewer or the editors. Only bibliographic information may be given when a work is in an unusual language, or when it is a brief paper in a conference volume.
The journal began publication in 1940. The goal was to give reviews of every mathematical research publication. As of 2000 the Mathematical Reviews database contained information on over 1.5 million articles. The authors of reviews are volunteers, usually chosen by the editors because of some expertise in the area of the article. It and the German journal [[Zentralblatt für Mathematik]] are the only comprehensive resources of this type. Often reviews give detailed summaries of the contents of the paper, sometimes with critical comments by the reviewer and references to related work. However, reviewers are instructed not to criticize the paper, because the author does not have an opportunity to respond. The author's summary may be quoted when it is not possible to give an independent review, or when the summary is deemed adequate by the reviewer or the editors. Only bibliographic information may be given when a work is in an unusual language, or when it is a brief paper in a conference volume.


In 1980, all the contents of Mathematical Reviews since 1940 were integrated into an electronic searchable database. Eventually the contents became part of '''MathSciNet''' which, along with reviews also has citation information (limited to other articles in MathSciNet, however). Mathematical Reviews and MathSciNet have become an essential tool for researchers in the mathematical sciences.
In 1980, all the contents of Mathematical Reviews since 1940 were integrated into an electronic searchable database. Eventually the contents became part of '''MathSciNet''' which, along with reviews also has citation information (limited to other articles in MathSciNet, however). Mathematical Reviews and MathSciNet have become an essential tool for researchers in the mathematical sciences.


Unlike most other abstracting databases, MathSciNet takes care to identify authors properly. Author search allows to list correctly publication associated with a given author record even if other authors may have exactly the same name. MathSciNet will sometimes even contact authors do identify themselves. Other other hand, the general search menu uses string matching in all fields, including the author. This is needed to access some old reviews (before 1940), which have not been completely integrated yet and cannot be found by searching for the author first.
Unlike most other abstracting databases, MathSciNet takes care to identify authors properly. Author search allows the user to correctly find publications associated with a given author record even if other authors have exactly the same name. MathSciNet will sometimes even contact authors to ensure that they have correctly attributed their papers. On the other hand, the general search menu uses string matching in all fields, including the author. This is needed to access some old reviews (before 1940), which have not been completely integrated yet and cannot be found by searching for the author first.


MathSciNet contains information for all articles from many journals (abstracted cover-to-cover), including essentially all mathematical journals, while information on only selected articles is included from many engineering and other applied journals, even if most articles from in those journals are in mathematics. The selection is done by the editors only and not always correctly. This has resulted in a loss of value of MathSciNet for applied fields, such as [[numerical mathematics]] and [[computational mathematics]], where many articles, even very theoretical ones, are published in engineering journals.
MathSciNet contains information for all articles from many journals (abstracted cover-to-cover), including essentially all mathematical journals, while information on only selected articles is included from many engineering and other applied journals, even if most articles from in those journals are in mathematics. The selection is done by the editors only and not always correctly. This has resulted in a loss of value of MathSciNet for applied fields, such as [[numerical mathematics]] and [[computational mathematics]], where many articles, even very theoretical ones, are published in engineering journals.

Revision as of 20:41, 11 April 2007

File:FRAMS.jpg
Cover of the Featured Reviews, 1995–1996.

Mathematical Reviews is a journal and online database published by the American Mathematical Society that contains brief synopses (and occasionally evaluations) of many articles in mathematics, statistics and theoretical computer science. Selected reviews (called "featured reviews") are also published as a book by the AMS.

The journal began publication in 1940. The goal was to give reviews of every mathematical research publication. As of 2000 the Mathematical Reviews database contained information on over 1.5 million articles. The authors of reviews are volunteers, usually chosen by the editors because of some expertise in the area of the article. It and the German journal Zentralblatt für Mathematik are the only comprehensive resources of this type. Often reviews give detailed summaries of the contents of the paper, sometimes with critical comments by the reviewer and references to related work. However, reviewers are instructed not to criticize the paper, because the author does not have an opportunity to respond. The author's summary may be quoted when it is not possible to give an independent review, or when the summary is deemed adequate by the reviewer or the editors. Only bibliographic information may be given when a work is in an unusual language, or when it is a brief paper in a conference volume.

In 1980, all the contents of Mathematical Reviews since 1940 were integrated into an electronic searchable database. Eventually the contents became part of MathSciNet which, along with reviews also has citation information (limited to other articles in MathSciNet, however). Mathematical Reviews and MathSciNet have become an essential tool for researchers in the mathematical sciences.

Unlike most other abstracting databases, MathSciNet takes care to identify authors properly. Author search allows the user to correctly find publications associated with a given author record even if other authors have exactly the same name. MathSciNet will sometimes even contact authors to ensure that they have correctly attributed their papers. On the other hand, the general search menu uses string matching in all fields, including the author. This is needed to access some old reviews (before 1940), which have not been completely integrated yet and cannot be found by searching for the author first.

MathSciNet contains information for all articles from many journals (abstracted cover-to-cover), including essentially all mathematical journals, while information on only selected articles is included from many engineering and other applied journals, even if most articles from in those journals are in mathematics. The selection is done by the editors only and not always correctly. This has resulted in a loss of value of MathSciNet for applied fields, such as numerical mathematics and computational mathematics, where many articles, even very theoretical ones, are published in engineering journals.

MathSciNet provides BibTeX entries with all reviews and its abbreviations of journal titles have become a de-facto standard in mathematical publishing. Both Mathematical Reviews and Zentralblatt für Mathematik use the Mathematics Subject Classification codes for organising their reviews.

See also

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