Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia articles, written by subject authorities, provide information useful for gaining a basic understanding of a topic and getting started with a research project. Typically, a bibliography, or list, of "classic" books and articles for further research follows each article. Students will find also these encyclopedias useful for brushing up on topics related to their central area of investigation. [Note: See the Research Guides for sources that deal with narrower sub-fields within the discipline.]

Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering, 4th ed.  Edited by James R. Pfafflin and Edward N. Ziegler.  Amsterdam, The Netherlands : Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 1998

This fourth edition, revised in response to rapid advances in science and technology, addresses a wide range of topics related to the environment and environmental engineering.  Over eighty in-depth entries cover issues in the effects and management of pollution and environmental change.  Illustrated, with bibliographies.

CALL NUMBER: Ref TD 9.E50 1998 -- v.1-2

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.

The 7100 articles on the subject matter and applications of the life, physical, and earth sciences offer comprehensive treatments of a wide array of subjects.  Brief bibliographies.

CALL NUMBER: Ref Q 121.M3 2002 -- v.1-20

Van Nostrand's scientific encyclopedia. Glenn D. Considine, editor ; Peter H. Kulik, associate editor. New York : Wiley-Interscience, a John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Publication, 2002.

The articles range in length from a one-sentence definition to several pages. The longer pieces have a list of suggested readings, which have been updated and now include important web sites. Biographical entries are new to this edition, as are the time lines and glossaries included with larger articles.

CALL NUMBER: Ref Q121 .V3 2002  v.1-2

These specialized subject dictionaries define the terminology in the discipline. See the Research Guides for sources that deal with narrower sub-fields within the discipline.

Engineering Dictionary. [ Online ] EngNet, Ltd.  Available: http://www.engnetglobal.com/tips/glossary.asp (Accessed 9 November 2003).

Brief definitions to basic engineering terminology, provided by engineers for engineers.  Browse the list or search a specific term.

Dorf, Richard C.

The Engineering Handbook. Edited by Richard C. Dorf.  Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2005

Provides a reference for practicing engineers in industry, government, and academia. Material is divided into 30 sections that offer information on classical fields, such as mechanical, electrical civil, chemical, and environmental engineering, as well as the underlying fields of mathematics, materials, biomedical engineering, and nanotechnology. Focus is on key concepts, models, and equations. Bibliographies and illustrations included.

CALL NUMBER: Ref TA 151.E424 2005

Ganic, Ejup N.

The McGraw-Hill Handbook of Essential Engineering Information and Data.  Edited by Ejup N. Ganic and Tyler G. Hicks.  New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991.

Intended for researchers familiar with engineering theory, this work is designed to provide "immediate answers to questions arising from practical work."  Early chapters address overarching engineering principles, while later chapters delve into specific subdisciplines.  Illustrated. 

CALL NUMBER: Ref TA151 .M34 1991 

Gieck, Kurt.

Engineering Formulas, 6th ed. By Kurt Gieck and Reiner Gieck.  New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990.

A pocket guide to mathematical equations and physical and chemical properties.  Numerous tables and illustrations.                          

CALL NUMBER: Ref TA151.G47130 1990

Hicks, Tyler G.

Standard Handbook of Engineering Calculations, 3rd ed. Edited by Tyler G. Hicks, S. David Hicks, and Joseph Leto.  New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995.

A guide to solving applied problems in engineering, this resource outlines step-by-step calculations for each of thirteen major engineering fields. 

CALL NUMBER: Ref TA332.S73 1995

The library subscribes to the ASI Microfiche Library. Every document indexed in ASI since 1979 is available in this library. In addition to the ASI Microfiche Library for federal government publications containing statistical data, the library also subscribes to the SRI Microfiche Library, containing most but not every non-federal statistical item indexed in SRI. A third collection, Index to International Statistics, deals with statistical material from international, intergovernmental bodies, completes the package. Online access to the database—and to some of the documents themselves—is available through the Statistical component of LexisNexis Academic.

Directories identify the professionals, institutions, organizations, and associations within a discipline.

Who's Who In Engineering, 9th ed. Washington, D.C. : American Association of Engineering Societies, 1977-

CALL NUMBER: Ref TA 139.E37 1995

 

Style manuals and citations guides illustrate how to cite book, journal, and other research sources, including materials found in online databases and on the Web according to the conventional format of a particular discipline. Subject specific citation guides are listed below, and a complete listing appears at Reference Sites: Citation Guides and Style Manuals.

Writing Guidelines For Engineering and Science Students. [ Online ] Michael Alley, Leslie Crowley, Jeff Donnell and Christene Moore. Available: http://writing.eng.vt.edu/ (Accessed 12 January 2004)

Hosted by Virginia Tech and edited by specialists at four major universities, this resource provides scholarly guidance for writing a variety of scientific reports, documents and correspondence.  Appendix B: Documenting Sources is a brief guide to citing and referencing in science and engineering research papers

Books in Schaffer Library are arranged by Library of Congress Class number. Class numbers are searchable in the Web Catalog and browsable in the Stacks and Reference Collection.

QA	Mathematics
QC	Physics
T	Technology (General)
TA	Engineering (General). Civil engineering
TC	Hydraulic engineering
TD	Environmental technology
TE	Highway engineering
TF	Railroad engineering
TG	Bridge engineering
TH	Building construction
TJ	Mechanical engineering and machinery
TK	Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering
TL	Motor vehicles. Aeronautics
TN	Mining engineering. Metallurgy
TP	Chemical technology

The New Acquisitions List—residing on the Library Catalogs page—is generated on the 10th of each month and includes items added to the library's collections for the previous calendar month.

Union College honors and masters theses and PhD dissertations are accessible in the Schaffer Library Catalog. Two copies of the thesis are available in microfiche format. One copy is held at the Reference Desk and another in Special Collections. Some older theses are located offsite and will be retrieved on request. Information about thesis advisors is not listed in the catalog. The link below will offer assistance in selecting the department and limiting to a particular year or thesis.

Faculty using Blackboard are encouraged to incorporate links to Library resources—and specifically the Research by Subject pages and the appropriate course-related Research Guides—into the Blackboard course pages. Your Departmental Liaison or Bibliographic Instruction Contacts can assist you.

Research Guides supplement the broader Research by Subject pages by focusing on the print and electronic resources that are most useful for a subject-specific research assignment. For faculty, the Research Guides provide structured access to the Library and Internet resources relevant to their own work or in advising students on their research projects. For students working independently, it serves as a reminder of services and materials offered within the library while at the same time providing a gateway for information available from remote sites.

Research Guides > Engineering

Sophmore Research Seminar: Can You Hear Me Now?

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Schaffer Library provides a range of general and subject-specific electronic databases—some offering full-text access to articles or library holdings information.

Databases & Indexes > Electrical Engineering
Databases & Indexes > Mechanical Engineering

Engineering

Education Index, Engineering Resources
http://www.educationindex.com/engineer/
This index is a gateway to online engineering sites and resources.  Provides links to and brief descriptions of each site.

Engineering and Technology
http://www.galaxy.com/b/d?n=47451
Technical reports, news and resources by subject via the Galaxy Internet directory.  Search the entire site or browse the subdisciplines in the Engineering and Technology menu.

Engineering Central
http://www.engcen.com/
This website features employment resources for engineers: Browse the job ads; Browse entry-level job ads; Find out about placing a job ad on Engineering Central. Links to many other engineering resources, and a  large assortment of engineering software links.

The Internet Guide to Engineering, Mathematics, and Computing
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/engineering/index.htm
This guide serves as an index to a host of engineering and computer science resources, including e-journals, databases, professional societies, and college and university departments.  Content is reviewed and compiled by subject specialists.  The Internet Guide to Engineering, Mathematics, and Computing is a product of the Enhanced and Evaluated Virtual Library (EEVL), a cooperative project of major universities and science institutions in the United Kingdom.

MotioNET
http://www.motionnet.com/
MotioNET is a directory to engineering-related businesses, associations and publications.   A "Quick References" toolbar features engineering tools ranging from calculators, translators, patent searching and unit converters.  Click on "more" in this toolbar for access to "Library References," a collection of engineering dictionaries, encyclopedia, and guides.

Yahoo!-Science: Engineering
http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/Engineering/

Tools for tracking recently published articles.

SciQuest, Engineering Sciences [ Online ] SciQuest, Inc.  Available: http://www.sciquest.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/sci_disciplines.d2w/ report?nav_banner=eng&Tmstmp=48316 (Accessed 9 November 2003) 

Access to research news in the engineering sciences, with a subject index to more specific disciplines within the field.

Contacts and Connections

Bibliographic Instruction Contact For information on scheduling course-related instruction session or faculty training session

Department Home Page

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Created by: Courtney Seymour, Reference Librarian, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308; 518/388-6281; Fax 518/388-6641

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