Encyclopedia of World Scientists

Nearly 500 scientists are profiled in this encyclopedia. Most of them are names we expect: Audubon, Curie, Hippocrates, Linneaus, Mobius, Newton, Nobel. However, the editor states in her introduction that she made an effort to include "well over 200 women and minority scientists who have often been excluded from books such as this."

Entries are in alphabetical order. Below the name are the usual dates, the nationality, and the discipline(s) in which the scientist is best known. The entries are generally between seven and ten paragraphs in length and supply information about parents, education, and work history and a brief explanation of the person's scientific contributions. References to other scientists who also have entries in the book appear in capital letters. About half the entries include a portrait or illustration. There are several indexes: "Entries by Field," "Entries by Country of Major Scientific Activity," and "Entries by Year of Birth," as well as a general index. A helpful 10-page chronology helps the researcher see which scientists were at work during the same period of history.