MECH 532 - Aircraft performance, stability and control

Often in aeronautical engineering, one is faced with having to find information on a specific topic in preparation for doing work or research in the area. For example, say you are working on the topic of unmanned aerial vehicles for search and rescue. Before you start conducting your own research, you must start by searching what previous research exists on the topic.

Any approach to finding information must be multi-pronged: you may look at reference books, e.g. subject specific encyclopedias; search the Classic Catalogue for books; and do a targeted search for articles using research databases. These are discussed below in more detail.

Doing research:

1. Start your research in the TA, TJ, and TL sections of the Schulich Library Reference area (Room 217, main floor) to look up encyclopedias and other reference books, for example:

   Aeronautical engineer's data book, e-book

   AIAA aerospace design engineers guide, e-book

   Cambridge aerospace dictionary, e-book

   Concise encyclopedia of aeronautics & space systems,
   Ref TL509 C66 1993

   Handbook of space technology, e-book

   An illustrated dictionary of aviation, e-book

   Standard handbook for aeronautical and astronautical engineers, Ref TL509 S664 2003

2. Use the Classic Catalogue to find books. For example:

   • Do a basic keyword search: unmanned aerial vehicles
   • Find a good book. For example:

     Advances in unmanned aerial vehicles, e-book

     Click on the title. You will see three subject headings listed in the LC Subject fields: Drone aircraft; Flight control; Kinematics.
   • Click any one of these subject headings to retrieve more books about that subject.

3. Search any of these research databases to find journal articles or conference papers:

   • Compendex (covers all aspects of engineering)
   • Aerospace Database (covers aeronautics, astronautics, and space sciences)
   • Applied Science Full Text (covers engineering and technology, with selected full text coverage)
   • Web of Science (multidisciplinary)
   • Scopus (multidisciplinary)

   Use McGill Library's list of article and research databases. Use of these databases is restricted to McGill users. For details about connecting to resources from off campus, click here.

   For example:

   • Search Compendex.
   • Search for journal articles and conference papers about: unmanned aerial vehicles search and rescue
   • Find the paper by Goodrich et al.:

     Goodrich, M. A., Cooper, J. L., Adams, J. A., Humphrey, C., Zeeman, R., and Buss, B. G., 2007, Using a Mini-UAV to Support Wilderness Search and Rescue: Practices for Human-Robot Teaming, Rome, Italy.

   • Click on "Abstract" [1]; read the summary of the conference paper to make certain it's what you want. [Note that clicking on the Controlled terms will give you more articles about those subjects e.g. "Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)".]
   • Now you need to track down the paper. Click on the "Full-text" [2] or "Find It McGill" [3] link. The pop up menu indicates that the library has the conference paper full-text online. Click on the link to open the paper.

Obtaining materials that are 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.

Please do not wait until it is too late for us to help you with COLOMBO.

Writing and referencing your research paper:

Consult these resources for tips on how to write a research paper. Click on the call number to find out the McGill Library where the book is located.

Writing Tools

• Check out McGill Library's Five steps to a better paper for tips on researching and writing your paper.
• For other tools to help with writing, click here.

Citing

• Check out McGill Library's website on avoiding plagiarism.
• McGill University's website on Academic Integrity:Keeping it honest.

IEEE Citation Style

• The IEEE Citation Reference gives information on how to cite your references using the IEEE Citation Style commonly used in engineering. A detailed guide About IEEE Style was produced by Murdoch University and provides detailed information on using this style.

The Chicago Manual of Style

• The Chicago Manual of Style is available online through the McGill Library. The Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide is the easiest place to start. Click on the "author-date" tab for the style used by those in the physical, natural and social sciences.

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 now 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.
• There are library workshops given on how to use this software effectively.