Some Useful Background Sources

Good articles with leads to other material.

Short, illustrated (often in color) articles on a wide range of devices (computer chips, Rubik's cube, "sonar eyeglasses" for the blind, winemaking).  Technology for dummies.  No references, but very practical.

Some Useful Web Sites

Directories of suppliers (some with prices).

 Detailed materials property data for polymers, metals, and ceramics.  Searchable by material (including trade names) or property.

HowStuffWorks

Simple, illustrated descriptions of how many devices work, from theory through practice. Includes references and links for further information.

Periodicals for Browsing

Current issues are on the second floor (level 5) of  Fairchild/Martindale Library, South Wing.  They are shelved alphabetically by title.  Back issues are filed by call number.

Some titles to begin with are:

• Design News [620.5 D457 FM-2-North]
• Engineering design graphics journal [604.05 J86a]
• Journal of mechanical design [621.06 A51tLab FM-2-North]
• Machine Design [621.81 M184 FM-2-North]
• Materials Engineering [Microfilm FM-2-South]

Tables-of-contents for journals that the library does not subscribe to can be seen in Contents1st.  A simple method to find periodicals of interest is to search keywords in the titles of the journals.  For instance, searching  engineering and design will produce a list of issues of journals with "engineering" and "design" somewhere in their titles.
 
 

Databases

Patents

Patents can provide good examples of what is possible in product design.  They also often include references to other (usually printed) sources of information about the specific product.  However, patent searching is extremely complicated and good, reliable results take years of practice.   For background information on patents and patent searching see the Introduction to Understanding Patents (U Mich).

Very basic patent searching

• Using either the Boolean  or the Advanced search pages, search for a few keywords that describe the device
• in Boolean, check the "all fields" option; in Advanced, this is the default
• search all dates
• From the results list, look at a few titles that seem promising
• note the Class/Subclass designations assigned to these patents
• primary Class/Subclass are listed first; secondary follow; all may be useful
• hint: "Field of Search" Class/Subclass indicate where the patent examiner looked
• Read the Manual of Classification and Patent Class Definitions  scope notes for what is covered in each of the relevant Classes/Subclasses
• Re-do the search using the best Classes/Subclasses

Finding Copies of Documents

in the Lehigh University Libraries

Use ASA to find items the Libraries own.  The simplest method is to do a Keyword search.  Some references are actually parts of larger works and may not be searchable by their individual titles; keyword searching often retrieves this type of reference.  For articles from journals, look up the title of the journal, not the title of the article..

not in the Lehigh University Libaries

Use PALCI as a branch library. PALCI is a consortium of academic libraries that loan books directly to each other. You can search the PALCI catalog and have items sent Fairchild/Martindale Library; you'll get an email message when the material arrives.

Check the catalogs of the LVAIC (local) Libraries. Lehigh ID cards may be used for borrowing circulating material from any of the LVAIC schools.

Request an Interlibrary Loan.  The Libraries will borrow (or photocopy) material from other libraries for you.  Use the ILL Request form on either the Libraries Web page or the Network Server.  Warning: this can take two or more weeks, depending on the proximity of lending libraries.

Check the catalogs of regional libraries, either directly over the Web or through WorldCat.  You may be able to visit these libraries or have contacts at their institutions.

Bibliography Format Styles

Sometimes the hardest step in writing a paper is properly referencing the sources.  There are many bibliography format styles to choose from; the point is to be thorough and consistent.  A list of useful choices can be found at Footnote and Citation Style Guides.

Reliable information is crucial to the development of ideas and making good implementation decisions.  Not so long ago, the choices for information were few, printed, and geographically restricted.  However, the print publication process involves a number of generally acknowledged experts who check the reliability of the data/information provided.  The Web now provides many more sources of information but very little quality control.  Using (and citing) information from the Web actually uses the same criteria as printed resources, but the user has to implement the criteria.  For a list of criteria and a methodology for implenenting them, see Evaluating Web Resources.

Last Updated: 2/2/04

Sharon Siegler