Discipline Specific Resources

7. Dispcipline Specific Resources

Engineering is an information intensive profession. Learning about the reference tools traditionally used by engineers is an important part of your professional education. This section will introduce you to some of the most important and frequently used resources for engineers.

This section is arranged by engineering discipline. Read the section for your own discipline major of course. We encourage you to read all of the sections. You never know when something from another discipline will be useful.

Handbooks and Related Resources

Data, formulas, and other information frequently ued by engineers can often be found in handbooks. Some handbooks are devoted to broad topics like Mechanical Engineering or Civil Engineering. Other handbooks are more specialized and focus on narrower topics such as piping, lighting, or quality control.

You can find handbooks using the Library Catalog. Start with the Keyword search and use "handbook" as one of your search terms.

image of catalog screen showing keyword search "structural engineering handbook"

Subject Encyclopedias

Subject encyclopedias can be very useful, especially for students new to a discipline. Unlike World Book, Britannica, Wikipedia, or other encyclopedias you may have used, subject encyclopedias are devoted to specific subjects and are written for a more advanced reader with at least some background in the field.

The Library has hundreds of print and electronic subject encyclopedias on all topics. For hints on finding them read Help > Finding Encyclopedias.

Journals

Journals are an important source of information for engineers and engineering students. This where you'll find the most current research and information on developing trends and technologies.

Your professors will expect you to use professional or research journals rather than popular magazines like Time, Wired, or Scientific American. Engineering journals generally fall into two categories:

Trade or professional journals publish technical articles, company and industry news, and report on new technologies and products. These journals contain advertising and may also contain employment opportunities and other professional and career information. Trade journals are very useful for students who want to learn about developments in their disciplines.
Research or scholarly journals (also call peer-reviewed journals) publish the results of original research. Articles in research journals are written for other researchers and assume a high level of expertise in readers.

Read more about the different types of journals:

Remember:

Use Databases (Section 6) to search for journal articles.
Use the Library Catalog (Section 5) to find out if the Library subscribes to a journal.

Resources for:

Questions or comments? Please contact:
Ann E. Morgan * (909) 869-4670 * aemorgan@csupomona.edu *