Library Searches and
Thesis/Dissertation Writing
Antonio Trani
Zheng Fan
Virginia Tech
October 25, 2014
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Library Resources
• Look at http://www.lib.vt.edu/
• Good amount of information
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Finding Sources
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Books and E-Books
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Books and E-Books
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Articles and Databases
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Articles and Databases (2)
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Good Databases for TISE Students
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Compendex, from Engineering Village
ASCE Civil Engineering Database
Computer and Information Systems Abstracts
CRC Engineering Handbooks Online - ENGnetBASE
Engineering & Technology
Mechanical and Transportation Engineering
Abstracts - MTEA
• NTRS: NASA Technical Report Server
• TRIS - Transportation Research Information Service
Online
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Sample Search (Compendex)
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Sample Search (Compendex)
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Sample Search (Cont.)
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Selecting a Reference
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Retrieving the Article
• Most of the time you can retrieve the article
directly form the links provided in the database
• If not:
– Try another database engine
– Use interlibrary load
• You can retrieve abstracts and directly import
information to other programs like EndNote from
the Compendex iinterface
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Exporting Searches to Other
Applications
Selected papers to export
Download link
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Exporting Information to End Note
Export format wanted
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EndNote Library Created after
Exporting Data from Compendex
Library information
With articles that
You exported
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EndNote Demonstration
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Thesis/Dissertation Organization
• Two possible formats:
– Traditional
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Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - Literature Review
Chapter 3 - Model Description (or Analysis Methods)
Chapter 4 - Model Results
Chapter 5 - Conclusions
Chapter 6 - Recommendations
Appendices - as needed
– Article/Paper format
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Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - Literature Review
Chapter 3 – Paper #1
Chapter 4 – Paper # 2
Chapter 5 – Conclusion
Chapter 6 - Recommendations
Appendices - as needed
Consult with
Your advisor before
mapping out the
chapters of the thesis
or dissertation
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Traditional Organization
• Chapter 1 - Introduction
• Chapter 2 - Literature Review
• Chapter 3 - Model Description (or Analysis
Methods)
• Chapter 4 - Model Results
• Chapter 5 - Conclusions
• Chapter 6 - Recommendations
• Appendices - as needed
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Chapter 1
• Independent of the format used, Chapter 1
needs to address a few items:
– The need for your research (justify the good work
that you are about to do)
– State the gaps in knowledge (literature review is key
in supporting this fact)
– State your approach briefly
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Chapter 2 - Literature Review
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Often overlooked
Very critical to any research effort
Justifies your analysis (gaps)
Spent time reading journals and articles
Spent time summarizing them
Give credit and learn how to cite
Use VT library sources + End Note (a free
program to students to do bibliographic
references)
• End Note can be downloaded at:
https://www.ita.vt.edu/Apps/WebObjects/NetSoftware
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Software for Students
https://www.ita.vt.edu/Apps/WebObjects/NetSoftware
To get End Note
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Chapter 3 - Model Description
• Describes the methods used to do your work
• Be explicit - do not assume the audience knows
much
• Explain any software issues
• Explain your methods and materials used
• Include any statistical analysis employed in
analyzing data
• Explain why this method is different than others
used before
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Chapter 4 - Model Results
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Be explicit
Use graphs and tables
Label graphs and tables appropriately
Use consistency in your tables and graphs
Watch out for inconsistent significant figures
(typical in Excel and sometimes in Matlab graphs)
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Chapters 5 and 6
• Often the weakest part of the thesis
• Be explicit and thoughtful
• Conclusion should support your entire
thesis/dissertation
• Are your results unique? Are they repeatable?
Etc.
• How has my thesis advanced the state of
knowledge in my area of study?
• Recommendations are very important - do not
rush just to write them at the last minute
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