ECE Undergraduate Library Information

For Assistance Contact:

• Bette Finn, Subject Librarian for the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Georgia Tech Library, e-mail: bette.finn@library.gatech.edu, phone 404-894-1790.  For one-on-one in-depth, quick, or verification assistance searching the Library databases, contact Bette Finn at bette.finn@library.gatech.edu.
• Classes for ECE undergradate students are taught fall and spring semesters. Advanced ECE orientation classes are taught all three semesters.  Contact bette.finn@library.gatech.edu to request an additional class session, if you have schedule conflicts. Customized undergraduate group instruction sessions can be scheduled for your lab or project group.
• Quick, brief help -  "Ask! US"
• ECE Research Guide:  http://libguides.gatech.edu/ece.  ECE library services, database search hints and guides: http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceguides.htm

ECE Undergraduate Database Search Hints (Detailed PowerPoint lecture slides): http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/ECE_undergrad_hints.pdf

• Books and Handbooks
• Search for books in the Library's Classic Cataloghttp://gil.gatech.edu/
• When non-catalog publications need to be searched, such as SMARTech repository, search the overlay GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind).
• Search hints for the Catalog.
• Other libraries:  GIL Universal Catalog (Univ. System of Ga.) and WorldCat (U.S. and foreign)
• Handbook databases:
• Referex Engineering handbooks. Search Referex by itself; do NOT search with Inspec and Compendex.
• Knovel (handbooks)
• ENGnetBASE CRC Press' engineering handbooks
•  Scholarly journals and scholarly conference paper indexes; includes selected trade journals:
• Inspec/Compendex. Detailed and complex searches are possible. Combine Inspec and Compendex.
• Applied Science and Technology indexes scholarly journals and selected trade journals.
• Search hints for Inspec/Compendex
• Trade journals and product/company  information - trade journals, trade newsletters, product announcements:
• Wilson Business Abstracts (business)
• ABI/Inform Complete  (business; can limit to full text)
• Inspec and Compendex.  Indexes selected trade journals. Combine Inspec and Compendex.
• Applied Science and Technology indexes selected trade journals.
• Computer Database (computer trade magazines)
• Company directories (identify companies, then go to company web sites):
• Manufacturers' catalogs: Thomas Register's Supplier Finder;  MacRAE's Blue Book
• Company directories: D and B Million Dollar Database;  Reference USA
• Patents (detailed "Claims" information):
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patents database. Can restrict search to title and/or abstract fields, instead of full text.
• Espacenet -- European Patent Office patents database; worldwide patents.
• Printing full image patents.  Free sites:
• pat2pdf.org (U.S. patents)
• Patent Fetcher (U.S.)
• Espacenet (European Patent Office)
• USPTO Patents (U.S., Issued and Applications; How to Access and View Full-Page Images)
• Google
• PubWEST Patent Searching.  Complex Boolean searches possible. Contact Bette Finn
• Technical reports. Detailed U.S. government sponsored research reports
• Many recent full-image electronic reports.
• Most NTIS indexed reports are owned by the Library in microform or electronic.  Can search by keyword in the NTIS database for in-depth searches.
• Standards (full image):
• IEEE.  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standards. IEEE Xplore. Published IEEE standards, redline and draft standards.
• ASTM. American Society for Testing and Materials. Active standards.
• General interest or popular. Magazines, newsletters, newspapers ("how-to" such as Popular Mechanics):
• Research Library (ProQuest).  Can limit to full text.
• Specialized databases, by Subject
• Detailed ECE database descriptions http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceindex.htm
• Examples of topics:  Aerospace, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Citation Indexes (indexes references in bibliographies and footnotes), Product/Company/Industry, Dissertations, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Energy, General Engineering, Geophysics, Materials and Metals, Mathematics, Patents, Physics, Optics, Standards, Technical Research Reports.
• All Research Guides
• Search hints http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceguides.htm
• Services for ECE Students, Circulation, Course Reserves, Interlibrary Loan/Borrowing, Photocopies, Scanning, Printing, Re-Shelving, Proxy Server, etc.

• Books - Search the Library's Classic Catalog.
• See Search hints for the Library's Catalog, given below.
• Handbook databases:
• Knovel.  Handbooks. Subject areas include chemistry and plastics, materials science, environmental science, microelectronics materials, electrical engineering, electronic engineering, chemical engineering, systems engineering, food sciences, and mechanical engineering. Can click on "My Subscription" (upper right of screen)
• CRCnetBASE (formerly ENGnetBASE) contains the contents of selected CRC Press engineering handbooks.
• Referex Engineering. (Elsevier) NOTE:  This database currently only covers the publications years before 2008.  Provides access to the full text of over 300 engineering books, including handbooks, reference books and academic books (materials and mechanical; electronics and electrical; and, chemical, petrochemical and  process). Referex is available through the Engineering Village platform. Do not search with Inspec/Compendex; search along -- with "eBook Search."
• A good way to find ideas for research topics is to look through indexes and table of contents of encyclopedias and handbooks.
• Selected electrical and computer engineering handbooks and encyclopedias are listed at http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceref.htm. Many recent handbooks are located in the TK's in the Reference Collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner.
• Wiley Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. 24 volumes.  TK9 .E53 (1999).  Latest edition kept in Reference Collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner, nearby the current journals.  Comprehensive source.  For search topics, try the table of contents and index in the last volume of the set.  Go to other sources for recent information.
• Computer Science and Engineering Handbook.  CRC Press. Call Number: QA76 .C57315 . Latest edition kept in Reference Collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner.
• Electrical Engineering Handbook.  Dorf.  IEEE Press.  Call Number: TK145 .E354.  Latest edition kept in Reference Collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner.  Dorf -CRCnetBase
• Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers.  McGraw-Hill.  Comprehensive electrical engineering reference work.  Call Number: TK151 .S8.  Latest edition kept at the Library Services Desk, 1st floor west.
• IEEE Spectrum.  IEEE Spectrum is one of IEEE's journals.  It has news analysis, articles, and other information of interest to electrical and computer engineers.  For ideas of search topics, look at the Table of Contents.
• Quick, general ebook or book search of catalog for "electrical engineering" handbooks
• Free Online Dictionary of Computing. Online dictionary of programming languages, computer architecture, operating systems, networking, electronics, and any other subjects related to computing.
• IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms.  Call Number: TK9 .I478. Latest edition kept in Reference Collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner.
• Citation Style guides and technical writing.
• The ECE Professional Communications Program Writing Resources lists three "IEEE Formatting" guides: IEEE Editorial Style Manual ; How to Prepare Papers for IEEE Journals ; Information for Authors .  IEEE style manual.  Other citation style and writing guides.
• The Library has a large number of technical writing books, such as in the T11's in the Reference Collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner.  Examples of Library of Congress subject headings include "technical writing," "communication in engineering," "business writing," "communication in science," "communication of technical information," and "report writing."
• This list provided here is only a sampling of the reference materials in the Library. To locate additional electrical and computer engineering reference items, search the Library Catalog or browse the Reference collection, 2nd Floor East SE corner under the call number range TK.  Ask us for help!

• Inspec  database (1896+).
• Inspec indexes scholarly journal articles, scholarly conference papers, and selected trade journals) in the areas of physics, electrical engineering, computer engineering, electrotechnology, optics, electronics, telecommunications, communications, control engineering, computers and control, automation in any field, mechanical and production engineering, simulation and modeling, and information technology in business.  Combine Inspec and Compendex together (20% overlap).
• Search hints.  Detailed search hints and examples
• Compendex  database (1884+). Compendex indexes scholarly journal articles, scholarly conference papers, and selected trade journals . Combine Inspec and Compendex -- search together; check both boxes (about 20% overlap).   Search hints.  Detailed search hints and examples
• Search Hints for Inspec/Compendex, given below
• Applied Science and Technology Abstracts (1913+) indexes scholarly journal articles, scholarly conference papers, and trade journals . Library owns many of these scholarly and trade periodicals.
• Technical Research Reports.  A technical report is a document written by a researcher detailing the results of a project and submitted to the sponsor of that project.
• Full image online U.S. government sponsored technical reports
• DOE Information Bridge. Department of Energy. All records are full text energy technical reports, 1995+
• DTIC Department of Defense public technical reports.  Selected full text.
• NTRS NASA. Aerospace and aeronautics technical reports.  Selected full text. "Advanced Search" "Availability Type" drop down menu "Online Full-Text"
• NTIS technical reports database (1964+). NTIS (ProQuest) provides citations and summaries of U. S. government sponsored research reports.  The Georgia Tech Library owns a very large collection of microfiche U.S. government sponsored research reports. Selected technical reports are available in electronically or in print format. Use the NTIS database for in-depth, complex searches.  Search multiple ProQuest databases at one time, removing duplicate records; click on "Change" (blue, top row); check boxes - "Use selected databases." Search hints and search examples
• List of databases related to electrical and computer engineering.  http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceindex.htm
• IEEE Explore: full text IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering), IET, IEE journal and conference papers. SPIN selected physics and astronomy journals journals (AIP, APS etc.). ScienceDirect Elsevier science and social science journals.
• Web of Science's Science Citation Index.  Indexes scholarly scientific journals.  (1900 to present for Science Citation Index) Institute for Scientific Information.   Web of Science provides access to research literature through standard access points and to cited references (bibliographies, footnotes) published with a scholarly paper.  For cited reference searches, search by first author.  Search example.

• Indexes to Trade Journals and Indexes to Product/Company Information
• Inspec/Compendex and Applied Science and Technology Abstracts index selected trade and industry journals
• Wilson Business Abstracts (1913+). Provides abstracts to articles in 6000 major English-language business magazines.
• ABI/Inform Complete  covers 1971+ and full text from 1991+ (about half full text). ABI/Inform Archive 1905-1985. Index to U.S. and international journals covering all aspect of business and management. Can Limit to: "Full Text"
• Business/Management, Company Information, Georgia and Atlanta Business, and Industry Information Research Guides -- Tabs for Databases, Company Directories, Company Profiles, Company Overviews
• Business and Company Resource Center Gale.  (1980+)
• Computer Database.  Gale.  Business/computer trade industry database. (1980+)
• Business Source Premier EBSCOhost. (1984+)  Some full text from 1990+
• Company directories. The Library provides access to many print and electronic company directories. Search company web sites.
• Thomas Register's "Supplier Finder" (http://www.thomasregister.com) database provides access to about half the information found in the print version.  The print version is not expected to be updated; access the web version for recent information.
• MacRAE's Blue Book http://www.macraesbluebook.com/  is an industrial directory sourcing tool for North American industrial products. Search by company or product. American industrial directory since 1893.
• Reference USA.  Reference USA is one of the Library's company directories.  Company directory of over 13 million U.S. businesses.
• D and B Million Dollar Database is a directory of over 1.6 million U.S. and Canadian public and private businesses.
• General interest indexes.  General interest and popular magazines, newsletters, newspapers ("how-to" such as Popular Mechanics).
• Research Library (ProQuest) is a multidisciplinary database that indexes academic journals in the humanities, the social sciences, and the general sciences (about half full text). Can limit to "Full Text"
• Academic Search Premier Ebscohost. Can limit to full text
• All databases. All Research Guides.
• Government Information.
• The Georgia Tech Library and Information Center is a resource center for United States federal publications. The federal government provides help for inventors in obtaining financing (loans, grants and venture capital) as well as help in marketing and setting up their own business. Small Business Administration. Grants from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.
• Consumer Product Safety Commission. http://www.cpsc.gov/

• Patents are a valuable source of information.  Therefore, the patent document is often the first place an invention is described. Patents can be useful for cutting edge technology.  Also the patent must be written in enough detail that another person, familiar with that area, could reproduce the invention.
• Patents Research Guide
• U.S. Patent Databases.
• USPTO Patent Database. United States patents. Full Page Images 1790 to present.  Full text is searchable back to 1976.   The USPTO Web Patent Database is now searchable in five year blocks back to 1976, and in one additional block covering the years 1790-1975. The full text of a patent includes all bibliographic data, such as the inventor's name, the patent's title, and the  assignee's name, as well as the abstract, the full description of the invention, and the claims; all of the words (text) in the patent are searchable from 1976 to present.  Current US classifications have been added to the Full Text Database in place of issue classifications.  However, the 1790-1975 block contains only patent numbers and current U.S. Classifications, and thus will produce search results (hits) in only those two fields.  Remember to change the year ("Select years") on the search screen.
• PubWEST Patent Searching.  Contact Bette Finn at bette.finn@library.gatech.edu for information about searching the USPTO PTDL's PubWEST patent search system.  The PubWEST system uses powerful BRS search software -- proximity operators, field searching, manipulation of previous search statement lines, etc.  Available databases include USPT (full text of most patents 1971+), USOCR (Optical Character Recognition to scan patent copies 1920-1970 and 1971-1976 that are missing from the USPAT file), PGPub (utility applications that have been pending for 18 months), JPAB (English language abstracts of unexamined Japanese patent applications, Oct 1976+), and EPAB (published documents from the European Patent Office, selected EPO member countries, USPTO, and the World Intellectual Property Organization; dates vary).
• Espacenet worldwide patents. European Patent Office.
• Full Image Patents. Free sites for printing full image patents:
• pat2pdf.org  U.S. patents
• Google
• Patent Fetcher  U.S. Patents
• Espacenet  worldwide patents (European and U.S. patents)
• USPTO Patent Database. How to Access and View Full-Page Images -- USPTO full page patent images in TIFF format
• U.S. Patent Classification Guides
• The Manual of Classification is used to determine the appropriate U.S. patent classification. Classes/Subclasses are hierarchical. The print (paper) version, located in the Library's patent area (ask at the Library Services Desk 1st Floor West), may be easier to use than the online version
• The Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System is available in paper copy or online.
• Classification Definitions are available online or in microfiche.
• Class Subclass Searching.  Although searching by keywords can be easier than searching by classes and subclasses, classification searches will often retrieve patents that are right on target.  Searching by classification is more thorough than searching by keywords.   Keyword searches will miss relevant patents and will also retrieve irrelevant patents.
• Patents and Trademarks Research Guide -- Tutorials and Guides
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office homepage: http://www.uspto.gov
• General Information Concerning Patents USPTO
• Patent Web Resources.

Standards and specifications are documents that stipulate or recommend minimum and/or optimal levels of performance, quality, conditions and procedures for production, evaluation, distribution, and use of materials, products, and services.  Standards can be set by law. Others are voluntary and are established by societies with particular interest in the field in question.  Specifications are usually narrower in scope than standards.

Standards at Georgia Tech" or "Standards Vendors" or "Society Standards." Standards Research Guide.

The Library's print and electronic standards.   Standards and Building Codes Research Guide

The Library subscribes to full image electronic ASTM and IEEE standards and has access to many free governmental electronic standards.

Selected standards are cataloged in the Classic Catalog at http://gil.gatech.edu/

Standards which are set by the federal government.

A selected list of groups of standards or standard producing organizations follows:

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards are available full image at IEEE Xplore (log-out when finished). Published standards, redline versions, and draft standards.
• ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) issues test methods for all kinds of materials, products, systems, etc.  Active standards.
• Department of Defense DTIC Specifications and Standards. assistdocs.com provides access to the U.S. Department of Defense Defense Standardization Program documents obtained from the official DoD repository, the ASSIST database (https://assist.daps.dla.mil/online/start/).
• DOE (Department of Energy) Technical Standards
• National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) (formerly National Bureau of Standards (NBS))

• Search Assistance.
• Access to Library electronic resources requires authentication through the Library's Proxy server: a Georgia Tech "GT Account" ID and password is required (used for PASSPORT, BuzzPort, or GT email, etc.).  Enter at http://www.library.gatech.edu  "Articles/Databases" "eJournals" "Classic Catalog - Electronic Version" field, Galileo Password or "Course Reserves."  If you have never activated your "GT Account" ID, or if it has been inactive for four months or longer, you will need to activate or reactivate it. Note: the GT "Active Directory" password has stricter rules than does the "GT Account" password. The PASSPORT website https://passport.gatech.edu/offers tools for GT Account and GT Active Directory password changes, student activation, email aliasing and GT Directory options.
• OIT Help ; OIT Technology Support Center (Clough) E-mail: support@oit.gatech.edu, phone: 404.894.7173, Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday.  OIT FAQ.  OIT User Accounts. How do I change my "GT Account" password?  Your password is set to expire every 90 days.
• Printing
• Add GT proxy bookmark, prefix http://www.library.gatech.edu:2048/login?url=
• GT Web Localizer/LibX GT
• Link Maker/Linking to Library Resources.
• "DOI" Citation Linker

• GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind)
• The GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind) is the overlay to the Classic Catalog.
• Use the GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind) for
• Quick searches, to retrieve a few records on a topic (do not use for comprehensive catalog searches)
• Searches of Georgia Tech repository records (SMARTech), selected locally loaded Government Reports Repository technical reports, and other non-Catalog records.  Research Guides will be added later.
• GT Catalog (Finder/VUFind) search hints: (a) Use quotes to search for phrases; example: "Windows 2000 Server."  (b) Use an * for wildcard searches; example: biochem* will return biochemisty and biochemical.  (c) AND, OR and NOT can be used for boolean logic.  (d) Boolean operators must be ALL CAPS
• Use the Classic Catalog  for comprehensive searches of "catalog" records (journals, books, and cataloged government documents).  Classic Catalog  searches may retrieve additional "catalog" records missed by searches using the new GT Catalog (VUFind).  Use the Classic Catalog  for journal name searches.
• Classic Catalog  http://gil.gatech.edu/
• The Classic Catalog contains books, journals, conference proceedings, maps, many government documents and other materials owned by the Georgia Tech Library.  Many technical reports and patents are not in the Classic Catalog.
• Classic Catalog slide examples used in class presentations are at http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/2gil.pdf   [Get Acrobat]
• Georgia Tech project reports (technical research reports from GTRI and academic departments).  For recent unclassified Georgia Tech project reports not listed in the Classic Catalog, contact Records Management.

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• Exact Search in Classic Catalog
• Use the Classic Catalog "Exact Search" screen for exact word-for-word phrases, left anchored. Do not use initial articles ("The").
• Copy and paste journal "ISSN" numbers from databases such as Inspec and Compendex records to the "Exact Search" screen box and choose "ISSN (XXXX-XXXX)."
• Copy and paste the entire journal title to the "Exact Search" screen box and choose "Journal Title * (e.g., Georgia Review)," if the ISSN number search is unsuccessful.
• Searching by Call Number is also possible using "Exact Search," choosing "Call Number" Browse.
• Keyword Search in Classic Catalog
• Use the "Keyword Search" screen for subject searches or author/title searches in the Classic Catalog.
• Leave out the keywords AND, OR, NOT and do not use quotation marks. Searching the keywords and or not will result in zero records and the message "The system could not interpret your search statement."
• Truncation symbol is a question mark (?). Example: http? or aeronaut?   Truncation overflow is possible.
• "Narrow My Search," if used, can be applied before entering the search or from a results screen. You can narrow your search by publication date or by format, such as narrowing your search to Journals ("Serial (magazines, journals)").
• Use the drop down menu to narrow your search. "Any of these" is similar to OR. "All of these" is similar to AND. "As a phrase" is the third option.
• Book Status
• Recalls. A book checked out for 21+ days can be recalled by Circulation immediately. If a non-Reserve book is checked out less than 21days, a recall will be sent on the 22nd day.   http://www.library.gatech.edu/services/borrow/students.php -- See "Recalls:"
• Locates can be placed by the Library Services Desk, 1st floor west (Circulation) for items not found for a prolonged period of time.
• Journals (Periodicals and Magazines)
• Use the truncation symbol (?) when guessing journal abbreviations in the Keyword Search box (possible truncation overflow). Ask us for help.  The Library Service Desk 1st floor West has journal abbreviation reference books that convert journal abbreviations to complete titles.
• To limit a search to journals use "Serial (magazines, journals)" click on the "Narrow My Search" button (lower left corner of Classic Catalog search screen).
• Copy and paste the journal "ISSN" number from the database record (such as Inspec or Compendex records) into the "Exact Search" search box, choosing "ISSN (XXXX-XXXX)."
• If the ISSN number search is unsuccessful, and you have an exact journal title, copy and paste the complete, exact journal title (exact, word-for-word phrase, left anchored) to the "Exact Search" screen box and choose "Journal Title * (e.g., Georgia Review)."
• Publication coverage, electronic and print.
• E-journal publication dates/volumes are listed in the Classic Catalog "Electronic Version: Get fulltext copy. Find It GT" Online field, after "Available from."  For example, you may need a 1991 volume of an e-journal, but the Library's e-journal subscription may not begin until 1995. The E-Journals list and Classic Catalog e-journal records contain aggregator e-journals with possible selective coverage and embargo date restrictions (EBSCOhost, ProQuest, GaleGroup, Factiva, Lexis Nexis, etc.).  Choose the Library subscription e-journal before the aggregator e-journal.
• Always check the years (holdings) of the Library's print subscription in the "Library has" fields -- Main Library, remote Storage, Recent issues.
• The Library's Classic Catalog contains records for print (hard copy) and electronic subscription, aggregator and open access journals.  Search the Classic Catalog to obtain print holdings (years/dates) in the "Library has:" fields.  Separate electronic and print records exist; print (hard copy) Classic Catalog records may be listed after the electronic journal records. A few Catalog records may have both electronic and print holdings in the same record.
• Title changes.  Each time a journal changes its name, there may be a separate Classic Catalog record for each title change. The Classic Catalog fields "Continued By" and "Continues" and "Split into" indicate title changes. Holdings information (years/volumes) is in the Classic Catalog print "Library has:" field and in the "Electronic Version: Get fulltext copy. Find It GT" -- "Available from" field.  Each "title change" record will have its own holdings information (years).
• Loose, non-bound "Recent Issues" are shelved on the 2nd floor east.
• The Classic Catalog print "Library Has:" fields indicate which print/hard copy journal volumes are owned by the library and shelved under the "Call Number." Separate print "Library has" holdings fields may be present for "Main Library" volumes, "Recent Issues" and remote "Storage" volumes (see below).
• Journals (periodicals) published before 1980 are housed in remote "Storage."
• Catalog records provide access instruction for locating specific print journal volumes published through 1979.  Journals have been moved from in-house storage to remote storage, due to a serious mold problem
• If the Catalog record says "Location: Unavailable (request articles through your ILLIAD account)" -- request the journal article through interlibrary loan at http://illiad.library.gatech.edu/
• If the Catalog record does not indicate "Unavailable ... ILLiad account" -- request retrieval at the 1st floor west Library Services Desk. Note the Storage holdings field (Library has:). The specific pre-1980 journal volumes will be located in remote Storage (off-campus), if the Catalog record does not say "Unavailable .. ILLiad." Storage request form
• Volumes which are at the "Bindery" are indicated in the print "Status" field. Journals are not currently being bound, due to budgetary reasons.
• "Find It GT" works for most (but not all)  journal records (not for most conference proceedings or reports) in databases such as Inspec and Compende
• Conference Proceedings
• Searching for conference proceedings in the Catalog can be very difficult. Please do not hesitate to ask us for help.
• Conference proceedings are cataloged in the Catalog as either monographs (books) or as serials.
• Catalog "serial" records combine all volumes and years into one record, making searching of specific conference years or unique conference titles impossible; only the title which occurs every year can be searched.
• Catalog "monograph" (book) records are for a specific conference proceedings, held on a specific date and at a specific location, with an unique monographic title.
• Many database conference/proceedings records (from Inspec, Compendex, etc.) contain more than one conference information field -- serial title/source fields, conference name/monograph title fields, conference date/location/sponsor fields and publication year fields. Note all of the information provided in all conference fields, such as the Inspec or Compendex database "Source/Serial/Journal" field and the "Conference Name" field.
• ISSN Problem.  "ISSN number" conference proceedings searches in the Catalog may not work, although the conference is in the Catalog.
• Proceedings can require viewing of all database conference fields (Source/Serial/Journal, Conference Name fields; title that occurs every year, specific title of a specific date and location) in Inspec and Compendex or other database records.
• "Find It GT" often will NOT work properly.  Use the Classic Catalog "Keyword Search" screen for conference proceedings and questionable journal names, leaving out the keywords "and" "or" "not." Ask for help.
• "Find It GT" often will not work for conference proceedings/society papers, technical research reports or patents.  Even though owned by the Library, "Find It GT" may only list the option "ILLiad Interlibrary Loan."  The "Find It GT" Print "GT Catalog (GIL/Classic Catalog) GO" link may return "Not Available" or "Your search failed!" when the item is owned by the Library. Ask us for help!
• Search the most significant and/or unique words in the conference name or title of collection; use the Classic Catalog [all of these] drop down option.   Search for the proceeding's title not the article/paper title.  If too many results, in a second search box, search {conference? proceeding? symposia  symposium meeting? congress? transactions workshop?} using the drop down menu [any of these] option.
• IEEE Xplore for IEEE and IEE and IET Journal and Conference Papers
• IEEE and IEE/IET.  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) -- now Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).  If the database (Inspec, Compendex etc.) record has the keyword "IEEE" or "IEE" or "IET" for the years 1988 to present (and for selected papers before 1988), try finding out if the Library owns the electronic version of the journal or conference paper by going to the "IEEE Xplore" database. Look for IEEE and IEE/IET in the index database Journal/Source/Serial and Conference Name fields.
• Many older and some joint IEEE and IEE/IET papers are not in IEEE Xplore, but are owned by the Library and are cataloged in the Catalog.
• IEEE Xplore is a relatively small subset of the Inspec database. Inspec is the world's foremost electronics and electrical engineering index, far superior to IEEE Xplore's capabilities of searching only IEEE/IEE/IET publications. "Indexed by IET Inspec" is on IEEE Xplore's home page, and Inspec's abstracts are in IEEE Xplore records.
• IEEE Xplore contains most full text IEEE and IEE/IET conference and journal papers after 1988 (and selected papers before 1988), but does not include many joint conferences, for copyright reasons, etc.  Always search the Classic Catalog.   Please log-out when finished.
• Use IEEE Xplore's "Search" "Advanced" screen. Include one word per box for "Author" and "Document Title" fields, taken from database (Inspec, Compendex etc.) fields.
• Inspec/Compendex index a very large number and wide variety of Library owned electronic and print publications (such as ACM, SPIE, ASME, OSA, AIP, IOP, IPC, APS, SIAM, MRS, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, North Holland, Taylor and Francis, MIT Press, Pergamon Press, Kluwer, Academic Press, Chapman and Hall, and many others) not covered by IEEE Xplore.
• Use "electric engineering" when searching for this Library of Congress' subject heading for the phrase electrical engineering.  You can trucate with electric? in the Classic Catalog.
• ECE detailed search hints and database guides
• Classic Catalog search hints and searching Classic Catalog using information from Inspec and Compendex fields
• Classic Catalog search examples used in class presentations are at http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/2gil.pdf

• Inspec and Compendex Databases (Ei Village)
• Quick Searches
• Limit to
• limit to Journals or Conferences (Document Type)
• limit to English (Language)
• limit by Date
• Only Inspec has current treatment types:  can limit by Inspec types such as "General Review" or "application"  Inspec Treatment Type. Compendex "Treatment Types" apply only to 1985 to 2008.
• Search Inspec and Compendex together (Select Database)
• Sample keywords:
• future or overview* or trend*or survey* or review* or "State of the art" or  "cutting edge" or advance* or innovati* or new or novel or "current technology" or improv* or useful* or comparison or compare* or introduct* or advantage* or disadvantage* or benefit* or pros or cons * or versus or "trade off" or "trade offs" or tradeoff* or "better performance" or fundamental* or drawback* or "draw backs" or "draw backs"
• Limit by field (title, subject headings -- controlled or uncontrolled terms).  Limit using proximity operators.  Combine previous search statements (Search History).

• Inspec (1896 to present).  Indexes journal articles and conference proceeding papers in the areas of physics, electrical engineering, computer engineering, electronics, communications, control engineering, computing, manufacturing and production engineering, and information technology. Combine with Compendex.
• Inspec and Compendex can be "combined" and searched together (about 20% overlap).
• Compendex (1884 to present).  Indexes major journals and conference proceedings in most engineering disciplines.  Combine with Inspec.
• Detailed Compendex and Inspec search examples     http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/3ei.pdf
• Format for marked records (email, print, download). "Choose Format." Default is "Citation." Change to "Detailed record" Format.
• Fast searches in Inspec and Compendex for a few papers on a topic: Limit By -- drop down menus. (1) "English" (Language); (2) "Journal article" (Document Type) -- Find It @ GT works properly for most journal papers, but often does not work for conference papers; (3) Inspec "General review" -- only Inspec has current Treatment Types (Compendex Treatment Types apply only to 1985-2008);  (4) recent date.  Add synonyms to your search strategy by checking: Title, Abstract, Subject Heading fields; thesauri (online); bibliographies/references at the end of similar papers and footnotes.
• "Limit By." Publication Year.  Earliest possible publication date is 1896/1884.  Reverts to default date for each new search.
• Truncation (*) and Wild Cards.
• Truncation (*) and wild cards cannot be used within quotation marks or braces or used with the near or onear command.
• The asterisk (*) is the right and left hand truncation symbol.
comput* returns computer, computerized, computation, computational, computability
*sorption returns adsorption, absorption, desorption
• Stemming allows retrieval of variants of a word using the word root as the stemming basis. Search terms are automatically stemmed in Easy Search and Quick Search except terms searched in the author field.  In Expert Search, stem terms using $-- $management returns managing, managed, manager, manage, managers, etc.  Truncation, wild cards and stemming cannot be used within quotation marks or braces, but stemming can be used with the proximity operators NEAR/#  ONEAR/#.
• Wild cards:     wom?n finds woman, women.      t??th finds tooth, teeth, truth, tenth.     h*emoglobin finds haemoglobin.
• Phrases (" ") and Proximity (NEAR/# ONEAR/#)
• Phrases. Use quotation marks (" ") or braces for exact, word for word phrases, with no truncation or wild cards.  Examples:  "International Space Station"   {solar energy}
• The NEAR/# and ONEAR/# commands do not work with truncation, wildcards, parenthesis, quotes or braces.
• Search for terms that are within 0-x terms of one another in any order: laser NEAR/4 diode.
• Search for terms that are within 0-x terms of one another and searched in the order entered: laser ONEAR/5 diode
• Search for terms that are near and within the same index:   (laser ONEAR/5 diode) wn TI
• Search for terms that are adjacent:   Space NEAR/0 stations
• If no number of words if specified, four is assumed:  laser NEAR diode is the same as laser NEAR/4 diode
• Fields.  Can restrict to field names.  "Search In"
• Title.  TI=
• Controlled Term is a thesaurus subject heading term.  CV=
• Controlled thesaurus terms and uncontrolled identifier subject terms differ in each database (Inspec and Compendex).
• Publication year coverage for controlled terms can vary.
• Uncontrolled Term is the Uncontrolled Identifier subject heading term selected by an indexer (not a thesaurus term).  FL=
• Example: (((model* or simulat* or algorithm*) WN TI) AND (("signal processing") WN CV)), 1980-2004
• Subject/Title/Abstract retrieves from Abstract, Title, Translated title, Ei and Inspec controlled terms, Ei main heading, and Uncontrolled terms.
• Limiting to "Document Type" or by "Treatment Type" will exclude records from Compendex added before 1985.  Only Inspec "Treatment Types" (General Review, etc.) are current.  Compendex "Treatment Types" apply only to 1985 to 2008.  Each database offers unique "types" not available in the other database.
• Browse Indexes.  Author.  Search AU=(Clough). Spaces and commas are important. The format for author name differs for each database.
• Inspec only uses initials for first names.  Compendex cites authors' names as they appear in the original document (either initials or full first name).
• Surnames can be followed either by a "space" or followed by a "comma."   Example: In "Expert Search," browse Author Index by both "Clough, G" and by "Clough G" or browse Author Index by both "Clough, W" and by "Clough W."
• Use the "Expert Search" screen for "Browse Indexes," such "Author" box. In Quick Search, if more than three terms are selected, the fourth term will overwrite the term in the third search box. In Expert Search, as many terms as needed can be selected.
• "Search History" combines previous search statements with Boolean operators "and" "or" "not."  Can add search terms with item numbers (#).
• Example: #5 and ((simulat* or model*) wn CV).     Example: (#1 or #2) and #3.
• Only searches run in the same database, or combination of databases, are combinable.
• Combined searches allow you to search multiple databases (Inspec and Compendex) databases simultaneously.
• Duplicates. Click on "Remove Duplicates" then choose Inspec at "Database Preferences: Inspec" (Inspec has fewer record errors than does Compendex).  Duplicate records will be removed from the first 1000 records in the result set.  Inspec is the "database that you prefer to see results from."
• Journals.
• Can copy journal ISSN numbers to the Classic Catalog "Exact Search" screen, choosing ISSN (xxxx-xxxx).
• When the journal ISSN search is not successful, copy and paste the exact,left anchored journal name to the Library Catalog "Exact Search" box and choose "Journal Title."  The Classic Catalog may contain separate records for electronic and print volumes. Note publication year coverage and title changes.  Electronic records are often listed before print records.  "Find It GT" works for most, but not all, journals.
• Conference Proceedings.    Please ask us for help!
• "Find It GT" often will not work for conference proceedings and technical research reports.
• Use the Classic Catalog "Keyword Search" screen for conference proceedings and questionable journal names.  Remember that the words "and" "or" "not" are not allowed in a Classic Catalog "Keyword Search."  Try major conference name keywords first.
• Note "Journal/Source/Serial" field and "Conference Name/Monographic title" fields. Conferences can be cataloged in the Classic Catalog as either monographs (books, with an unique monographic title, a specific date and specific location) or as serials (similar to journals; all conferences listed in one "serial" record).
• "Find It GT" link can incorrectly indicate non-ownership (Find It "ILLiad Interlibrary Loan" or Classic Catalog error "Not Available" or "Your search failed!") when in fact the the Library owns the publication, such as a conference proceeding in the Classic Catalog, a report in the reports collection, or a patent. Ask us for help!
• ISSN problem. Many conference proceeding ISSN numbers will not work with SFX "Find It GT," although the proceedings are in the Classic Catalog.  The Library may own all volumes of a particular conference proceedings in the Classic Catalog, but the INSPEC and Compendex or other database "ISSN number" will not work in the Classic Catalog.
• IEEE and IEE/IET.  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) -- Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).  If the keywords "IEEE" or "IEE" or "IET" are in the Inspec or Compendex "Journal/Source/Serial" field or in the Inspec or Compendex "Conference Name" field, search both IEEE Xplore ("Advanced Search" one word in each box, such as author last name and title keyword) and the Classic Catalog.  Some IEEE and IEE/IET papers are not in IEEE Xplore, but are owned by the Library and are cataloged in the Classic Catalog.
• "Find It GT".  "Find It GT" (located at the end of each record) works for most (but not all) "journal article" document types.  "Find It GT" links to electronic full text or to the Classic Catalog record.  Note that aggregator databases can have selective full text coverage and embargo date restrictions (ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Factiva, GaleGroup, Lexis Nexis, etc.).  Some joint and many pre-1988 IEEE/IEE/IET conference papers are not in IEEE Xplore.  "Find It GT" often indicates that the Georgia Tech Library does not own the record's publication (such as technical reports, conferences, patents) when in fact the Library actually does own it.  "Find It GT" often will not work for conference proceedings or reports -- the conference proceeding may be in the Classic Catalog.  Check journal title changes (Continues, Continued by, Spilt into) in the Classic Catalog.
• Mark your records and E-mail, Print or Download them. Remember to change "Choose format" from the default "Citation" to "Detailed record."
• Session expiration.   Your session will expire after 20 continuous minutes of inactivity.  Mark and send records to email or save in a file.
• DOI.  "Detailed record" format only. Try copying and pasting the "DOI:" number (such as 10.1117/12.754566) into the eJournals "Have a ...DOI you'd like to find? Try the Citation Linker" -- "DOI" blank box, for electronic subscription collections such as IEEE Explore, SPIE, AIAA, ScienceDirect, PROLA or SPIN.
• Spellings.  Remember British and American spellings of words and alternative spellings, and spell out acronyms and abbreviations (fiber/fibre, modelled/modeled, AGV/automated guided vehicle*).Select range.  You can add up to 400 records in "Select range" before choosing to e-mail or download.   "Choose format" email, print, or download selected records. Check "Clear Selected Records" on new search.  Choose either "Detailed record" or "Abstract" under "Change format." Only 5,000 results can be retrieved from any search.
• Stop words.   Place the phrase within braces or quotation marks. {block and tackle} "water craft parts and equipment"  {near earth objects}
• Thesaurus.  Use "Exact Term" if you know a controlled vocabulary term and want go directly to its thesaurus entry which contains broader, narrower and related terms as well as scope notes, prior terms and lead-in terms
• "Quick Search" and "Expert Search" screens are available..
• Classic Catalog slide class presentation examples, using Inspec and Compendex field information  http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/2gil.pdf
• Classic Catalog search hints  http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/gilei.htm

• Distance Learners -- Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan  "Library Materials Request Forms and Procedures"
• Distance learners request loans and copies from the Georgia Tech Library and from other libraries
• Georgia Tech Savannah, Georgia Tech Lorraine, Center for Distance Learning, Other Off-Campus

• Borrowing and Requesting from other Libraries:  "OPTION 2 - ILLiad Interlibrary Loan System"
• Information Delivery will try to provide loans or photocopies of items not owned by the Georgia Tech Library.
• Electronic interlibrary loan ILLiad forms are at http://illiad.library.gatech.edu/.
• Most loans and photocopies are free. However, you would be responsible for any charges in excess of $25.00 per item.
• You can indicate in the ILLiad "Notes" field that you wish to be notified if the item is not free to you.
• Delivery can range from a few days to several weeks, so allow enough time when requesting material. I
• Most book loans and photocopies from University System of Georgia libraries are free.  Most interlibrary loans from ARCHE and ASERL regional consortial libraries are free. Some libraries may charge more than $25/item
• Notes.  Fill out all empty field boxes and also copy and paste the entire Library bibliographic database record into the ILLiad "Notes" field box.
• Item Pick-Up.  Pick up loaned items and photocopies at the Library Services Desk (Circulation), 1st floor west.
• Questions.  For questions about your interlibrary loan, ask the Information Delivery Department, located on the 2nd floor east (office door). Phone 404-894-4511. Hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.  Email: delivery@library.gatech.edu
• Time. Interlibrary loan turn around time is usually 2-3 weeks. Interlibrary Loan FAQ
• Distance Learners Document Delivery and interlibrary loan for Georgia Tech Savannah, Center for Distance Learning, GT Lorraine, and other off-campus.
• Borrowing and Requesting from other Libraries:  "OPTION 1 - GIL Express" GT students and faculty/staff have access to books held by the libraries of the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Gwinnett University Center. GIL Express online requests can be made from the Universal Catalog, which combines the individual collections of the 35 libraries. Most requested materials are delivered within three days. Check your "My Account" for the status of your GIL Express book order. For more information on GIL Express visit http://gilexpress.usg.edu. GIL - funded by the Governor and the General Assembly of Georgia.

• Classes customized for ECE undergraduate students are taught fall and spring semesters. Contact bette.finn@library.gatech.edu to request additional class sessions (due to your schedule conflicts).  Customized undergraduate classes can be scheduled for lab or project groups.
• Advanced brary orientation classes in Atlanta "ECE Student Library Orientation" are taught fall, spring and summer semesters. Professor Bonnie Heck Ferri's ECE 8010 library orientation lecture recorded by DLPE/Distance Learning: (streaming link and download link).
• Scanners.  The 1st floor west OIT Library West Commons is equipped with scanners; one scanner is located on the 2nd floor east counter.  Machines on the 2nd floor east are available to copy (enlarge), scan and e-mail microfilm or microfiche.
• OIT Printing  Note costs for printing (beyond $2.20 each week).  Print jobs can also be submitted from student's personal computer by downloading the OIT Mobile Print Package available on the OIT Software Distribution website. CentralPS - printed (free) offsite and delivered to the student bins in the Student Center (2nd floor).
• Copy Services. Photocopy machines are located on the 2nd floor east. Standard and legal photocopies are $0.10 per page.  Use BuzzCard.
• Re-Shelving. Each floor (east and west) has a re-shelving area for books and periodicals.  Also ask 1st floor west Libary Services Desk.

• Georgia Tech Library's Electronic Reserve (Services -- Course Reserves) System makes course reading materials accessible 24 hours a day. Faculty place both scanned and print [book] material on Reserve.  Class notes, homework solutions, "Word" (old tests and exams), journal articles, and book chapters are the components of Electronic Reserves.

• GT CrossSearch.  Search multiple Library databases at one time.
• The best database may not be listed first (such as Inspec for ECE).
• Databases with simultaneous user restrictions must be searched using the original platform, such as SciFinder Scholar.
• Good for very general, simple, quick, brief, limited searches across multiple databases. Good for quick searches for short phrases, such as new terminology.  Can use to quickly identify a few papers on a general topic. Not good for engineering searches.
• Can result in irrelevant records.
• Does not utilize advanced search capabilities of native platforms. Conduct in-depth or complex searches using the original vendor platforms (Ei Village Inspec/Compendex, CSA NTIS, etc.).

• Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources
• Evaluating Information Found on the Internet
• Evaluating Internet Research Sources
• Evaluating Web Sites
• Evaluation: Yahoo
• How to Critically Analyze Information Sources
• How to Evaluate Information on the Web
• How to Pick a Search Engine
• Internet Detective
• Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources

• Ethics, Mediation and Arbitration Resources
• IEEE Code of Ethics.

• Professional Organizations
• IEEE Spectrum.  IEEE Spectrum is one of IEEE's journals. It has news analysis, articles, and other information of interest to electrical and computer engineers.  For ideas of search topics, look at the Table of Contents.
• IEEE style manual.  Other style guides. IEEE Information for Authors
• IEEE Professional Communication Society. The primary mission of PCS is to help engineers and technical communicators develop skills in written and oral presentation, through promoting advanced practices and theories for writing technical and scientific documentation that achieve both technical accuracy and user friendliness, developing presentation skills that capture the audience and deliver information across technical and cultural boundaries, provide information about state-of-the-art technologies for document design and publication, exploring the integration  visual communication tools (e.g., drawings, diagrams, 3-D models, animation) with written and spoken communication, and conducting research on how to ensure effective communication in a modern engineering environment
• IEEE Home page.  Home page for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Includes membership information, publications, job listing service, standards server, society web pages, and more. IEEE is a leading authority in technical areas ranging from electrical and computer engineering, biomedical technology and telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace and consumer electronics, among others.
• IEEE Computer Society. Home Page for the IEEE Computer Society. Includes membership information, publications, job listing service, and more.
• ACM Home page.  Association for Computing Machinery.
• IEE/IET Home page. (London)  Institution of Electrical Engineers, now Institution of Engineering and Technology.
• AIP Home page. American Institute of Physics.
• OSA Home page.  Optical Society of America.
• SPIE Home page.  SPIE is the International Society for Optical Engineering.
• Society for Technical Communication's related organizations.
• Selective ECE Professional Organizations
• Society papers LibGuide
• Gale's new Directory platform (Encyclopedia of Associations, Research Centers directory, etc.) will migrate to a new interface.  Search the Classic Catalog for print versions.
• Electrical and Computer Engineering Internet sites  http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/ecesites.htm

• Trademarks. Trademarks are words, phrases, symbols or designs, or combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, which identify and distinguish the sources of the goods or services of one party from those of others. Service marks are the same as trademarks, except that they identify and distinguish the sources of services rather than products.
• Federally Registered ® Trademarks. Federal trademarks generally must be used in interstate commerce. U.S. Federal Government trademark information is available at http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm The U.S. federal trademark full image database (TESS Trademark Electronic Search System).
• Library's Trademarks Research Guide. Trademark Web Resources: Free Search Sites.

States.  Contact the appropriate state agency for state registered or SM trademarks.

ECE Library Services, Search Hints, Database Guides and Database Examples

Georgia Tech Library mobile site

Information for Distance Learners  Document delivery: Georgia Tech Savannah, Center for Distance Learning, GT Lorraine

Search this guide

Library Home Page
Classic Catalog
GT Catalog
All Library Research Guides
All Library Databases

Add GT proxy bookmark, prefix http://www.library.gatech.edu:2048/login?url=
GT Web Localizer/LibX GT

Course Reserves

ECE UPCP, Professional Communication Program