Engineering Databases and Common Questions in a Snapshot
These databases are the major indexing tools for engineering – Use these to locate
articles, something to start with. The key word here is indexing. These databases link
out to the full text from the respective associations, publishers, etc.
Compendex – all areas of engineering aerospace, agricultural, architectural and biosystems, chemical, civil, electrical
and computer, environmental, fire protection, industrial, mechanical
Indexes: a percentage of IEL and SPIE Digital Library and much more
Inspec – electrical engr, computer science and physics.
Indexes:
IEEE/IEE (100% indexed)
(IEEE/IEE publications link from Inspec – if not, search IEL directly)
Note: Inspec is about 8 times larger than IEEE/IEE Electronic Library
SPIE Digitial Library - % indexed?
SPIN – heavier emphasis on physics than Inspec, electrical engr, and computer science
Indexes:
SPIE Digital Library – (subjects: lasers, photonics, optics, terahertz)
American Institute of Physics,
American Physical Society
Nature (2000-present)
SciFinder Scholar – medical, biomedical, chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials
Indexes: Chemical Abstracts, Medline
Requires program download to your computer prior to using. Also available on
the public computers in the Library.
NTIS – (National Technical Information Service) www.ntis.gov
Government sponsored research, abstracts free, full-text has a fee. NTIS is
missing a large number of publications.
Also, use for literature review in engineering/science:
Web of Knowledge (includes the following databases):
Web of Science (keyword alerting services – via email)
CAB Abstracts,
Food Science and Technology Abstracts
MEDLINE
File name: Template EngrSnapshot July2008.doc
Common questions apart from the indexes above:
ASM Handbooks. Print – call number: 669.02 A512m 1990
Electronic – Locate from the Library homepage. Indexes and databases page:
http://www.library.okstate.edu/database/index.htm
ASTM Standards. Index and full text in print – call number: 620.112 A512bs
For the electronic www.astm.org for index only – no full text subscription.
Knovel – (Handbook database) Provides how to, equations, diagrams, figures from most
engineering disciplines and other applied sciences. 600 Handbooks. Locate from the
Library homepage. Indexes and databases page:
http://www.library.okstate.edu/database/index.htm
Locating articles and standards:
journal article: search with the first 4 words in the article title beginning with
Compendex above and work thru the other indexes
conference article: search with the first 4 words in the conference article title
beginning with Compendex and other indexes as above, then, if that fails search
with the first 4 words in the conference title in the Library Catalog, Compendex
and other indexes, and if needed confirm the conference and article title in Google
Scholar.
Standards:
Search the Library Catalog (Advanced Search) for a standard such as
using the prefix (such as ASHRAE) and the standard number or the
standard number by itself without prefix – this may indicate that the
Library owns the item.
Exceptions:
ASTM standards are found by checking the index (volume 1) of
the ASTM standards, which the Library receives in print full-text –
General Reference, 1st Floor (Non-circulating) call number
620.112 A512bs - Or, you may indentify the existence of a
standard and its location in the multi-volume set by searching
http://www.astm.org - the ASTM website provides the title and
abstract for the standard. The OSU Library does not provide
electronic full-text for ASTM standards. Searching the Library
catalog for ASTM standards by prefix and standard number is not
recommended because the standards are not entered individually
into the catalog in a comprehensive manner on an annual basis.
IEEE standards can be found full text in IEEE Explore.
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