Engineering Education

ENGE 5014 Course Guide

Navigating University Libraries

The University Libraries website will serve as the main portal for most of your research.  From the main website, you will be able to 

• access Addison (the library catalog) or Summon (the library search engine)
• sign in from off campus to use restricted resources
• locate subject guides for help on researching various topics
• order books and articles through Interlibrary Loan
• find more helpful tutorials for conducting research

General/Interdisciplinary Databases

At University Libraries, we subscribe to over 700 databases.  Subject guides (like the Engineering Education Subject Guide) provide some guidance on helping you select databases that may be relevant to your research topic. General databases offer a wide variety of information, and can often be good places to start your research.  Click each title below for a description of what can be found in each database.

• Academic Search Complete
• Dissertations & Theses
• ERIC
• Web of Science 

Much of the information that you may find through these general or interdisciplinary resources may feel very different and have a different style than engineering literature.  If you find you'd like to know a little bit more about that, we have quite a few books on social science research, such as Understanding social science research, in Newman Library.  

Engineering databases

By visiting the Engineering Education Subject Guide, you'll get an idea of some of the subject-specific databases.  Click the titles below for a brief description of each database:

• IEEE Xplor | IEEE Tutorials
• Engineering Village | Engineering Village Tutorials
• ACM Digital Library
• Additionally, you may want to review the Guides for finding engineering related information, created by Engineering Librarian Larry Thompson.

eBooks

University Libraries has recently been increasing the number of eBooks that you have access to.  You can review information about many of our eBook packages on our eBook webpage.  Recommended eBook packages for engineering education include:

• CRC Engineering Handbooks Online
• Knovel Online Books
• National Academies Press
• Safari
• SpringerLink eBooks

Locating current information

While books (and book chapters) can be located through Addison, and journal articles through various periodical databases, you may want to consider including other types of information in your research.  These resources may include:

• Websites | Example:  ASME News Online
• Blogs | Example:  ASEE Blogs 
• Technical papers
• Conference proceedings
• Standards
• White papers | Example:  White Paper from Center for Green Chemistry & Engineering at Yale

Hint:  Using Google Advanced search, and limiting to particular domains (such as .edu or .gov) is extremely helpful in finding authoritative blogs, white papers, and other types of documents on the web.  Similarly, use blogs and websites associated with organizations whose missions and reputations you trust.  

Evaluating information

Regardless of the type of information that you are using, you always need to consider the authority, coverage, objectivity, accuracy, and currency of the information.  University Libraries offers several guides on evaluating information:

• Evaluating Information, in general
• Information Skills Modules:  Evaluating Information
• Evaluating Internet information

Citation and style guides

• Manuals available through University Libraries
• APA guides available through University Libraries
• OWL at Purdue APA Guide

Managing your research

Citation, or reference, managers are very helpful when you are collecting, organizing, and then retrieving large amounts of research.  At University Libraries, we recommend

• EndNote
• Zotero
• Mendeley

Classes on these tools are frequently offered through University Libraries and FDI.  

Questions?  

Schedule a one-on-one appointment with your subject librarian if you have any other questions or concerns.  Information for all College Librarians can be found here. Additionally, the 4th floor reference desk (Science & Technology Reference Desk) is staffed during normal library hours, if you have a question that needs immediate assistance.  You can drop in, or use our Ask a Librarian system for virtual service.  We look forward to seeing you in the library!