A Selection of Print &
Electronic Library
Resources
For MAE 4344
Edmon Low Library
Oklahoma State University
Kevin Drees
Engineering Librarian
July 2002
Edmon Low Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK
KD 7/02
Purpose: demonstrate the
following

Print Sources
 Electronic Resources

Library Homepage; Index and Databases Page

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
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Compendex
Applied Science & Technology Index
Web of Science
IEL (IEEE/IEE Electronic Library)
ASM Metals Handbook
Knovel
Standards
 Patents
Print Resources
Electronic Resources
Searching techniques: To
focus or broaden a search:
generally applicable to any
database or catalog
 Boolean
operators
 Synonyms = similar terms with Boolean
“OR”
 Truncation
 Proximity operator – Not detailed here;
see database help menu
Boolean Logic
A1 OR A2
A AND B
{IDEA A(1) TERM(S)} OR {IDEA A(2) TERM(S)}
OR Retrieves all records including either term.
-- usually used to connect synonyms in a search
Example: column OR pillar
{IDEA A TERM(S)} AND {IDEA B TERM(S)}
AND Retrieves only those records containing
both terms.
-- usually used for contrasting terms in a search
Example: brittle AND elastic
{IDEA A TERM(S)} NOT {IDEA B TERM(S)}
NOT Excludes records containing a particular term.
Example: brittle NOT elastic
A NOT B
CD-ROM WORKSHOP; u.wisconsin, madison; njb, mmc, pjh 12/89 rev. for IIT, cbw 2/99
Synonyms = Similar terms
 Used
with the Boolean operator “OR”
 method
OR technique OR approach
 design OR create
Truncation
 Truncate
the term
 The use of $ or ? and the truncated
term
 For example “design$” for “designs”,
“designation” etc.
 Demonstrate
Online Sources
Compendex
 search
the same topic in
 Applied
Science & Technology Index.
 Web of Science,
 IEL
 ASM Metals Hdbk,
 Knovel
Compendex
 Search
“slider crank”
Compendex
 Boolean
OR with synonyms
slider or pin or shaft
crank or mechanism
Note: increase in output
Truncation searching
 Design*
should locate documents with
 Design
 Designer
 Designation
Search: retrieved over 487,000 items
Locating full text
 Study
abstracts
 Make decisions about usefulness
 Plug journal title, conference title, etc
into FTPL and Catalog to determine
OSU full text availability
 Determine if full text found meets needs
If you found useful abstract(s)
but the FT did not meet the
need

Try new search

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


Boolean AND –restricts search
Synonyms with Boolean OR widen search
Truncation (design*) widens search
Proximity operator – restricts search
If you just need more of the same

Use same or similar search terms in another
database:



Index terms in the abstract
Also called “controlled terms” in Compendex
See the flow chart for full text availability
If you did not find useful
abstracts
 search
the same topic in
 Applied
Science & Technology Index.
 Web of Science,
 IEL
 ASM Metals Hdbk,
 Knovel
Applied Science & Technology
Index
 Search:
slider crank
slider and crank: retrieves 22
records
Locating full text
 Study
abstracts
 Make decisions about usefulness
 Plug journal title, conference title, etc
into FTPL and Catalog to determine
OSU full text availability
 Determine if full text found meets needs
If you found useful abstract(s)
but the FT did not meet the
need

Try new search





Boolean AND –restricts search
Synonyms with Boolean OR widen search
Truncation (design*) widens search
Proximity operator – restricts search
If you just need more of the same

Use same or similar search terms in another
database:



Index terms in the abstract
Also called “descriptors” in ASTI
See the flow chart for full text availability
If you did not find useful
abstracts in Compendex or
Applied Science & Technology
Index
 Consider
 Web
of Science,
 IEL
 ASM
Metals Hdbk,
 Knovel
Web of Science
 Web
of Science is the electronic version
of Science Citation Index
 Coverage from 1981 to the present
 Search: slider crank
Locating full text and obtaining
satisfactory results
 Go
through the same process as before
to locate full text
 If not satisfied with output modify the
search terms as indicated previously
 Also consider
design notes
 Engineering handbooks
 faculty/instructor

IEL (IEEE Electronic Library)

Database for electrical engineering, physics,
computer science
 Main advantage to mechanical and aero
engineers is that there are a lot of electomechanical devices – and related information
which is available in this database
 Full text PDF available
 Journals, conference proceedings, standards
____________________________

Search: automotive engine
Obtaining satisfactory results
 Add
search terms to focus a search if
getting a lot of “vague” or unrelated
results
 Or, delete search terms to increase
results
 Or, use synonyms to increase
 Pull index terms from an article that is
useful. Go to the bottom of the abstract
to locate index terms
Add the term, ‘vibration’, to
previous search
20 items. Fewer results with
an additional term
Locate and search with an
index term: vibration reduction
Searching Multiple
Databases:
 Divide
the class into groups to
search the same topic in
CDX, ASTI, WoS, and IEL, ASM
Metals Hdbk, & Knovel.
Search:
aluminum and
fatigue and strength.
Analysis of results/comparison
Compendex: 1033 hits
 Emphasis
on fatigue strength,
aluminum, and aluminum alloys (in this
search)
 a great number of Japanese journals for
this search
 as well as Elsevier as a publisher
ASTA: 102 hits
 emphasis
on materials and metallurgy
sources (in this search)
 a subset of ASTA is found in
Compendex (can replicate this using in
CDX, serial title lookup on right hand
side of the screen, checking against the
title list in ASTI)
Web of Science – 407 hits
 emphasis
on materials, metallurgy,
fatigue, and composites journals (in this
search)
IEL – 11 hits
 emphasis
on aluminum as an electrical
component as you might expect
 IEEE – OSU receives most of the IEEE
and and a few IEE publications through
this one database.
ASM Metals Handbook – 177
hits
 Properties,
materials selection,
metallurgy of aluminum, fatigue and
fracture.
Knovel
 There
are 1121 match(es) in 90
book(s) found for (aluminum)
AND (fatigue) AND (strength)
 Including Aluminum Alloy
Database
 Tabular data can be easily
exported to Excel.
Knovel: Advanced Search
Conclusions
 Searching
in only one database limits
the amount of information retrieved.
 So then, it is better to search in more
than one database – results will likely
be more comprehensive.
 ASM Metals Hdbk and Knovel add to
the results – efficient searching.
Standards
Defined
A standard is a rule or requirement that establishes the
size,
shape
uniformity,
quality,
performance
definition,
testing methodology
for any given material, chemical, process, etc.
(Figa, 1998), (CSSINFO, 2000)
Standards Standards are written for, but not limited to
raw materials
manufactured products. (Figa, CSSINFO)
methods of analysis:
chemical
electrical
mechanical
nondestructive
units of measure* (National Bureau of Stds)/(NIST)
time
distance
mass
information privacy issues
environmental considerations
*C.B. Wenger, personal communication, March 2000
Standards – Why
Safety
Reliability – Expectations are established
Quality
Ease of use
Interchangeable parts – price reduction
Commerce - standards influence the buyer-seller transaction.
quality and stability of product influences market.
recurring Problems – establishment of standards usually
implements the most practical and appropriate solution
Benchmarks
(CSSINFO, 2000)
Why Charge for Standards?

1. Supporting the standards development
process. Expenses incurred:

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operational costs of standards organizations
technical development, writing, etc.
creation of catalog and indexes
print & electronic distribution
2. Supporting the standards users


Telephone assistance is free -- this aids in the
dissemination of information – user expectation
user assistance cost is part of the whole package

3. Education, court costs, global acceptance
 4. Intellectual property and commercial value


standard is intellectual property of an organization
Users have to pay a fair value to use it.
( American National Standards Institute (ANSI) http://www.ansi.org/public/why_charge.html , 1997-2002)
Standards – Producers
Over 350+ societies in the the U.S. produce standards
Over 40+ non US – national and International societies
and organizations
military and government
U.S.
Outside the U.S.
Some Standards Sources of
Importance to OSU
ANSI – American National Standards Institute
NSSN -- National Standards Systems Network
Electronics Standards Store http://web.ansi.org/
ASTM -- American Society of Testing and Materials
http://www.astm.org/
ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers
http://www.asme.org/
DOE -- Department of Energy
IEEE -- Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers
NIST – National Institute of Standards &
Technology (formerly NBS-National Bureau of
Standards) http://www.nist.gov/search.htm
World Standards Services Network
http://www.wssn.net/WSSN/
How do I locate standards

Locate the organization that produces the
standard –
 Look at the application & objective



Industrial – guidelines suggest standard(s)
Consumer goods
Many organizations standards are searchable
on the web.


It does not cost you anything use the index to
locate the title of the standard
Full text - cost
Look for a standard on friction
testing machines
 ASTM
(American Society of Testing and
Materials)
 Search
the ASTM website (index) for the
standard
 OSU Library owns the print in full text, not
the electronic.
 Locate the print set on the 2nd floor,
Reference area, Call # 620.112 A512bs
Click: search for individual
standards
Locate the item in print at the
OSU Library
 Simply
take the standard number shown
and locate the full text of the standard,
using the index of the first volume of the
set.
Look for a standard/code on
elevators
 ASME
(American Society of Mechanical
Engineers)
 Search
the ASME website (index) for the
code
 Full text of very few of the ASME codes are
available in the library, and most of them
are not current.
Type: elevator
ASME
 A17
- Standards Committee on
Elevators and Escalators.
 The website gives information regarding
the standard and how to obtain it.
Iterative nature of the search
process
 One
of the things you should realize
from the presentation is the iterative
nature of the search process is similar
to that associated with the design
process
 the
two can be intertwined
 A change in design may require a change
in information needs – going online or to
the library
Summary:

Print sources


Electronic Resources



ASTM in print & electronic
ASME
Handouts

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Use more than one for comprehensiveness
Standards –

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Handbooks, etc
Search Process/Full text availability, etc
Patents – see Patents Powerpoint
Presentation.