Kresge Engineering Library
University of California, Berkeley
Ask Us
E 140 Guide to Technical Information
- Off-Campus Access
- Identify engineering literature
- How do I find technical terminology?
- How do I find background information?
- How do I keep up with hot topics in my field?
- How do I find journal articles and conference papers?
- How do I find books, journals, and conferences in the library?
- How do I find patents?
- How do I find quality websites in engineering?
- UC Berkeley Project Websites
- How do I get help in the library?
PowerPoint Presentation:
PowerPoint Presentation:
http://docs.google.com/EmbedSlideshow?docid=dcbqssrp_18c2mwv9g2
Off-Campus Access
Off-campus access to licensed library resources such as journal articles and databases requires changes in your browser's settings that allow you to connect through a proxy server.
» Instructions on setting up access
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Identify engineering literature
This movie gives a brief introduction to the different types of engineering literature, including explanations of technical reports, conference proceedings, patents, and more.
» Getting started in engineering research: engineering literature (movie: approx. 5mm:00ss)
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How do I find technical terminology?
You can try these online dictionaries to find definitions for technical terms:
- Comprehensive Dictionary of Electrical Engineering UCB access only
- Environmental Engineering Dictionary and Directory UCB access only
- Eurodicautom: translations for technical terms in 12 European languages.
- Free Online Dictionary of Computing
- Telecommunications Illustrated Dictionary UCB access only
You can also try the other online dictionaries listed on our Electronic Books page, or use the technical dictionaries and multilingual technical dictionaries shelved in our Dictionaries section.
How do I find background information?
You can try these online encyclopedias and handbooks to find background information on topics in engineering.
- ENGnetBASE UCB access only
- Encyclopedia of Materials UCB access only
You can also try the other online encyclopedias and handbooks in our list of Electronic Books, or use the encyclopedias and handbooks shelved in our Reference section, especially
- McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997. (Q121.M3 1997)
- Encyclopedia of Physical Science & Technology. 3rd ed. San Diego: Academic Press, 2002. (Q123.E497 2002)
- Wiley Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. New York: John Wiley, 1999. (TK9.W55 1999)
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How do I keep up with hot topics in my field?
You can browse the current issues of trade journals and society magazines in your field to find news and features about research, products, and innovations. You can find the current issues for all of these titles in our Display Journals section.
Trade Journals and Society Magazines in Engineering
You can also check these web sites for breaking news on science and technology research and products. Most are freely available and some permit you to sign up for email notices when new items are added to your area of interest.
- BBC News: Science and Environment, and Technology
- CNN SciTech
- NASA Science
- Nature Science Update
- New York Times Science Page
- Science
- Science Daily
- Science News (U.S. Department of Energy)
- Science News Online
- Science Now
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How do I find journal articles and conference papers?
You can search article databases to find research published in journal articles and conference papers. Use keywords, boolean operators, truncation, and limits as appropriate in your search. Choose the article index most appropriate for your topic.
There are two article databases essential to engineering research:
Compendex UCB access only
Coverage: 1884–present
All areas of engineering, journals and conferences.
» Guide: HTML, PDF
INSPEC UCB access only
Coverage: 1898–present
Electrical engineering, computer science, physics, and related fields.
» Guide: HTML, PDF
There are several other article databases appropriate to engineering research:
Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management UCB access only
Coverage: 1981–present
All areas of the environment and pollution.
» Quick Reference Card: PDF
PubMed UCB access only
Coverage: 1947–present
Medicine, life sciences, health administration.
» Guide: HTML, PDF
You can also search the other articles indexes in our list of Article Databases, using the descriptions to choose indexes appropriate to your needs.
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How do I find books, journals, and conferences in the library?
You can search on titles in the library catalog to find books, journals, and conferences. Remember that conferences can be difficult to find, so consult our guide on How to Find Conference Proceedings for assistance.
- Melvyl: catalog for books, journals and conferences in the UC Library System.
To find… Choose this search type… Books – specific books: Title and/or Author Books – on a topic: Keywords Journals: Title Conference proceedings: Title or Keywords
Use the call numbers to locate books, journals, and conferences on our shelves. Remember that call numbers are based on subject matter. Once you find call numbers for books on your topic, you can look at other books shelved nearby to find additional resources.
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How do I find patents?
You can search patent databases to find patents on particular technologies, methods, and processes. You can also search patent databases for patents issued to specific inventors, companies, or institutions. All U.S. patents back to 1790 are available in full-text TIFF images for free online.
You can also search for foreign patents using the patent databases in our list of Patents links.
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How do I find quality websites in engineering?
You can use search engines and gateways to find technical information on the web:
- Google: quality search engine for general web sites, compiled by computers without expert selection
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UC Berkeley Project Websites
Here are links to a few projects currently underway at UC Berkeley. For additional projects, check the College of Engineering website or the UC Berkeley website.
- Berkeley Institute of the Environment
- Energy and Resources Group, an interdisciplinary academic unit of the University of California at Berkeley
- Renewable and Appropriate Energy Lab, Dan Kammen, Director.
- UC Energy Institute, Severin Borenstein, Director.
- Consortium on Green Design and Manufacturing (CGDM), Arpad Horvath, Director.
- Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH), Alex Skabardonis, Director.
- Sustainability at the University of California, Berkeley
- Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center
- Center for Environmental Design Research
- Institute for Environmental Science and Engineering
- Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society
- Engineers for a Sustainable World, Berkeley
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How do I get help in the library?
- In person: Make an appointment
- E-mail: Use our Ask Us form to send us questions online.
- Phone: (510) 642-3366
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