arXiv:1002.4333v2 [nucl-th] 1 Jun 2010 1 New method for calculating shell correction P. Salamon A. T. Kruppa Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-4001 Debrecen, P. O. Box 51, Hungary T. Vertse (Dated: August 1, 2018) A new method is presented for calculation of the shell correction with the inclusion of the continuum part of the spectrum. The smoothing function used has a finite energy range in contrast to the Gaussian shape of the Strutinski method. The new method is specially useful for light nuclei where the generalized Strutinski procedure can not be applied. PACS numbers: 21.10.Pc,21.10.Ma,21.60.Cs Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-4001 Debrecen, P. O. Box 51, Hungary, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Informatics, H-4010 Debrecen, P. O. Box 12, Hungary Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-4001 Debrecen, P. O. Box 51, Hungary, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Informatics, H-4010 Debrecen, P. O. Box 12, Hungary Abstract