Technical reports

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What are technical reports?

Technical reports are research documents produced by academic, government or industry/research organizations.

Where can I find references to technical reports?

Many article and research databases list references to technical reports. Examples include:

• Compendex (covers all aspects of engineering)
• Scopus (multidisciplinary)

Where can I find the full text of technical reports?

1. Search McGill's collections

   • Use keywords to search for the report title or organization name in the Library Catalogue
   • For reports by McGill staff & students, consult:
     • McGill Engineering Technical Reports (Civil & Mechanical Engineering)
     • McGill Computer Science Technical Reports
     • Websites of individual labs/research groups (e.g. McGill Computer networks research lab)

2. Not available at McGill? Search the internet

   • Virtual Technical Reports Center: An extensive online directory of organizations producing technical reports
   • Or search for the website of the organization directly (*tip: search the organization's name AND technical reports e.g. IBM AND technical reports):

     • Academic institutions

       (e.g. MIT)

     • Government agencies/departments

       , for example:

       Canada

       • Publications by departments and agencies

       United States

       • NTIS (National Technical Information Service)
       • NASA Technical Reports
       • Environmental Protection Agency publications

     • Industry/research organizations

       (e.g. IBM labs)

3. If the technical report you need is neither available at McGill nor freely available on the internet, order it through COLOMBO Interlibrary Loans