Content area
Full text
RR 2005/158
Science.gov: FirstGov for Science
United States Geological Survey, Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information and National Technical Information Service
Oak Ridge, TN
2002
URL: www.science.gov
Last visited August-September 2004
Gratis
Keywords Sciences, Government
Review DOI 10.1108/09504120510587805
Science.gov notes on its web site that it is "... a gateway to authoritative selected science information provided by the US Government agencies, including research and development results". The link that is connected to this statement is a listing of hyperlinked topics covering 47 million pages of government science information. This gateway contains resources "selected by 12 science agencies as their best science information ... and an interagency working group of 17 scientific and technical information organizations within these 12 govern [the gateway]".
The Science.gov gateway was launched in December 2002, and its latest version, 2.0, was released in May 2004. To track news related to the gateway, Science.gov has what it calls a communications page, which archives all press releases and announcements related to it. The search engine is provided by the Department of Energy's Office of Scientific and Technical Information and can search the 47 million pages in "real time". Currency of data provided through Science.gov varies depending on the federal web site being accessed.
Science.gov uses a one-click search capability to access the plethora of databases and resources offered through its gateway. By using the simple search option which is available on the opening screen, users can enter a simple term or phrase and be directed to the web sites that they want or need. There is also...