MECH 201 - Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

• Finding material to get you started
• Finding books
• Finding journal articles
• Obtaining materials that are not available at McGill
• Writing and referencing your paper
• EndNote citation software

Finding material to get you started

Books on reserve

Here are books on short-term loan for MECH 201. You can find them by call number in Schulich Library.

Reference sources

• Springer handbook of mechanical engineering
• Machinery’s handbook a reference book for the mechanical engineer
• Van Nostrand's scientific encyclopedia
• Mechanical engineers' handbook. Vol. 1
• Mechanical engineers’ handbook. Vol. 2
• Mechanical engineers’ handbook. Vol. 3
• Mechanical engineers’ handbook. Vol. 4
• Handbook of mechanical engineering terms

Finding books

Suggested subjects to search in the library catalogue:

• Mobile robots

You can replicate these results by going to the Advanced Search and typing words into the Subject field.

To refine any of these searches, type additional words into your search.

Finding journal articles

Useful databases for finding journal articles:

• Compendex– for all aspects of engineering
• Web of Science – multidisciplinary
• Scopus – multidisciplinary
• Materials Research Database – for materials science
• Applied Science & Technology Full Text – intended for undergraduate students

How to find articles using keyword searching in databases:

You are doing research for your term paper on mobility systems to be used on lunar environments (the moon), specifically on the wheels of different kinds of mobility systems.

Your keywords to search could be a combination of: mobility systems, lunar, moon, wheels, etc.

Sample search:

mobility systems AND moon in Web of Science

Ways to decrease results

• Search words as a phrase

  e.g. "mobility systems" AND lunar

• Combine additional terms with AND to generate fewer results

  e.g. "mobility systems" AND lunar AND wheels

• Select one of the database's limit types

  e.g. publication type, language, publication date

• Search for words only in a particular field

  e.g. mobility systems in Title

Ways to increase results

• Search using fewer terms

  e.g. mobility systems

• Use truncation to allow the terms to end in various ways

  e.g. mobil* AND lunar

• Use synonyms or similar concepts, combining them with OR to generate more results

  e.g. mobility systems AND (lunar OR moon)

Get new ideas for search terms

• Use descriptors in the database (also called subjects, controlled vocabulary or controlled terms)

Obtaining material that is not available at McGill

McGill students and staff may order articles and books not available at McGill using COLOMBO (interlibrary loan).

There are no charges for ordering through COLOMBO; McGill subsidizes these services.

Writing and referencing your paper

Writing tools

• Check out McGill Library's Five steps to a better paper for tips on researching and writing your paper.

IEEE citation style

• The IEEE Citation Reference and the IEEE Editorial Style Manual, both produced by IEEE, give information on how to cite your references using the IEEE Citation Style commonly used in engineering. About IEEE Style, a detailed guide created by Murdoch University, provides further information on using this style.

EndNote citation software

• You can download EndNote citation management software for free. With this software you can get references directly from many databases, such as Web of Science.
• EndNote Web is also available at McGill University. To access EndNote Web you need to create a personal account. You may sign up for an account with your McGill email address at www.myendnoteweb.com.
• There are library workshops given on how to use this software effectively.