LibGuides: Mathematics: Websites

Evaluating Websites

When using websites for research it is especially important to evaluate the sites to determine if they are appropriate for your research. Here are some criteria to use when evaluating websites.

Currency: Are there dates on the website stating when the information was written, published, or last updated? Depending on your topic, the currency of the information helps determine its value.

Reliability: Are sources given for factual data presented on the site? Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Authority/Source: Do you know who is publishing the site? What are the author's credentials, and how do you know that? Who sponsors or maintains the site? Is there a name, address, and phone number given? A good rule of thumb is that websites with domains of .gov and .edu are mostly reliable, while .org or .com can have useful information but they may be trying to influence opinions. Does the website have a bias?

Purpose: Who is the intended audience? What is the intended purpose of the website? Is the website intended to sell or promote something? If there are opinions on the site, are they biased or one-sided? Or is the website intended to inform, explain, and give factual information?

Mathematics Websites

American Institute of Mathematics
The mission of AIM is to advance mathematical knowledge through collaboration, to broaden participation in the mathematical endeavor, and to increase the awareness of the contributions of the mathematical sciences to society.
Biographies of Women Mathematicians
These web pages are part of an on-going project at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia, to illustrate the achievements of women in the field of mathematics. Included are biographical essays or comments on the women mathematicians profiled on this site, as well as additional resources about women in mathematics.
Math DL: Mathematical Sciences Digital Library
MathDL is an online resource published by the Mathematical Association of America. The site provides online resources for both teachers and students of mathematics.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Founded in 1920, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is the world's largest mathematics education organization.
NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions
A free electronic copy of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook of Mathematical Functions. Contains notation, properties, applications, and computation.
PAM-Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics Division of the Special Library Association
This website includes resources in mathematics compiled by PAM.
Professor Freedman's Math Help
This site covers basic math, algebra, study skills, math anxiety and learning styles and specifically addresses the needs of the community college adult learner.

Professional Organizations

American Mathematical Society
The AMS, founded in 1888 to further the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, serves the national and international community through its publications, meetings, advocacy and other programs.
American Statistical Association
The American Statistical Association (ASA) is the world’s largest community of statisticians. The ASA supports excellence in the development, application, and dissemination of statistical science through meetings, publications, membership services, education, accreditation, and advocacy. Members serve in industry, government, and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare.
Association for Women in Mathematics
Founded in 1971, the purpose of the Association for Women in Mathematics is to encourage women and girls to study and to have active careers in the mathematical sciences, and to promote equal opportunity and the equal treatment of women and girls in the mathematical sciences.
European Mathematical Society
The European Mathematical Society promotes the development of all aspects of mathematics in Europe, in particular mathematical research, relations of mathematics to society, relations to European institutions, and mathematical education.
International Statistic Institute
Officially established in 1885, the ISI is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation and has consultative status by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 1949. The ISI links national statistical societies, with special focus on the societies in developing regions of the world.
Mathematical Association of America
The Mathematical Association of America is the largest professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university, college, and high school teachers; graduate and undergraduate students; pure and applied mathematicians; computer scientists; statisticians; and many others in academia, government, business, and industry.
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
SIAM exists to ensure the strongest interactions between mathematics and other scientific and technological communities through membership activities, publication of journals and books, and conferences.