Criminal Justice Resources :
Locating Books in the Forensic Sciences
Need to find books for a forensic science paper topic? Consider searching the MSU Libraries Online Catalog.
If you do not know the author, title, or LC subject headings, try a keyword or keywords approach. While reviewing the results, note that most records provide LC subject headings which can also be used to identify more books on the same or similar topics.
What LC subject headings are used for the forensic sciences and related fields?
The most general LC subject heading for this popular and rapidly developing field is Forensic sciences. Although this field is also commonly referred to as Forensics, in the LC subject headings system the term “Forensics” is used only as part of the general LC subject heading for public speaking. This can create considerable confusion for users of online catalogs, especially if the catalog’s search engine performs automatic truncation.
The scope note for Forensic sciences states that: “Here are entered works on science as applied in courts of law or in criminal investigation.” Although there are no topical subdivisions under this general heading, it can be subdivided geographically and free-floating subdivisions are often applied. There are, however, a number of narrower headings that reflect both established and emerging specialties in the forensic sciences. Most of these narrower headings follow the pattern of the general heading, using Forensic as an adjective, and all of them may be subdivided geographically. They include:
Forensic accounting
Forensic acoustics
Forensic anthropology
Forensic audiology
Forensic ballistics
Forensic botany
Forensic cardiology
Forensic dermatology
Forensic economics
Forensic engineering
Forensic entomology
Forensic epidemiology
Forensic genetics
Forensic geology
Forensic gynecology
Forensic hematology
Forensic hypnotism
Forensic linguistics
Forensic neurology
Forensic neuropsychology
Forensic nursing
Forensic obstetrics
Forensic oncology
Forensic ophthalmology
Forensic osteology
Forensic pathology
Forensic pharmacology
Forensic phonetics
Forensic psychiatric nursing
Forensic psychiatry
Forensic psychology
Forensic radiography
Forensic serology
Forensic sociology
Forensic statistics
Forensic taphonomy
Forensic thermography
Forensic toxicology
There are also a few narrower headings that follow different patterns, probably for historical reasons. Each of these may also be subdivided geographically:
Dental jurisprudence (used instead of Forensic dentistry)
Environmental forensics (used instead of Forensic environmental sciences)
Chemistry, Forensic (used instead of Forensic chemistry)
Legal photography (used instead of Forensic photography)
Medical jurisprudence (used instead of Forensic medicine)
Veterinary jurisprudence (used instead of Forensic veterinary medicine)
Another set of useful headings refer to practitioners of the forensic sciences. Each of these may be subdivided geographically:
Coroners
Criminal profilers
Forensic anthropologists
Forensic pathologists
Forensic psychiatrists
Forensic psychologists
Forensic scientists
Medical examiners (Law)
Women forensic anthropologists
Women forensic scientists
Finally, headings are also available for several other topics related to the application of science in criminal investigation and investigation. These headings may be subdivided geographically, except as noted:
Arson investigation
Autopsy
Bloodstains (not subdivided geographically)
Bullets -- Identification (not subdivided geographically)
Computer animation evidence
Crime laboratories (used instead of Crime labs)
Crime scenes
Crime scene searches (used instead of Crime scene investigation)
DNA fingerprinting
Exhumation
Facial reconstruction (Anthropology)
Fingerprints (not subdivided geographically)
Firearms -- Identification (the pattern Firearms B United States B Identification is also used)
Mass spectrometry B Forensic applications (not subdivided geographically)
Paraffin test (not subdivided geographically)
Paternity testing
Poisoning
Psychological autopsy
Teeth -- Identification (not subdivided geographically)
If you don't find any books in the MSU Libraries, try searching the database WORLDCAT to identify resources available in other libraries around the world. As a MSU faculty or staff member, you can request these materials through interlibrary loan.
Special thanks to Fred J. Hay (hayfj@appstate.edu), Isabel del Carmen Quintana (quintana@fas.harvard.edu), Elisa Tan (etan@jhu.edu), and Wade Kotter (wkotter@weber.edu) for providing these forensic science subject headings.
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Jon Harrison
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