Library Research Assignment - ECE and CS Graduate Seminars - 2012

** DUE Friday, September 21 **

For this assignment, you will research a topic by finding information through the library and its online research resources, and write a SHORT paper (less than one page) on your topic. References cited in the text of the paper must be included in a list of references at the end. Be careful to avoid plagiarism, and to cite properly.

1. Select a specific topic related to your anticipated research area. For a list of suggested areas from which to choose a topic, see the bottom of this assignment page. You may select another topic that is relevant to your program. Make your topic as specific as possible, for example by limiting to a particular material or application. For example, "Biosensors" alone is too broad a topic. Narrow it to a particular sensor, a particular purpose, a particular type, etc. You will need to explore the literature first, in order to decide what specific area you will focus on.
2. Begin your paper with an introductory paragraph describing your topic, including the key terms for the specific aspect or application you are researching.
3. Search for information on the topic you just described in the following sources. Keep track of which source your information came from. Each source you use will be cited in your list of references. Each reference should be unique.
   1. Find one book.  Use the Library Catalog . You may also use e-book collections listed on the CEAS Library website under Books Online. Identify and read pages of the book relevant to your topic.  In your list of references, provide a complete reference for the book according to the prescribed citation format. 
   2. Find one reference book .  Refer to the Reference Guides on the CEAS Library website.  Refer to the section of the guides called HANDBOOKS and ENCYCLOPEDIAS.  Find the book in the Reference area or online.  When citing the reference book in your bibliography, indicate the specific pages of the book containing relevant information (Note: some e-books don't provide paging).
   3. Find one journal article using ONE of the following comprehensive indexes. Read the article.
      • Compendex Limit the publication type to journal articles.  Use the "UC Article Linker" link to locate the article. OR
      • Scopus OR
      • Academic Search Complete
   4. Find one journal article using INSPEC .  Limit the record type to journal papers.  Use the "UC Article Linker" feature.  Read the article.
   5. Find one journal article using ONE of the following specialized databases.
      • IEEExplore .  Read the article online.  OR
      • SPIE Digital Library.  Read the conference paper online.  OR
      • ACM Digital Library .  Read the article online.
   6. Find an article citing an author or article you have already found using ISI Web of Knowledge (Science Citation Index).  If finding a cited author or article is not possible, find an article written by the author of an article you have already found.  Use the "UC Article Linker" button to locate the article.  Read the article.
   7. Search the web for an article on your topic.
      • Use Google Scholar Advanced Scholar Search. Find an article where your words occur in the title of the article.
4. Based on the information you have read in the seven assigned sources, add a few paragraphs to follow your introductory paragraph (Step 2 above). Use your own words.  DO NOT cut and paste information from the abstracts or articles you found. Improper citing of quoted or paraphrased material constitutes plagiarism.
5. Conclude the paper with a List of References in the IEEE citation format (listed as "Electrical Engineering Citation Style" in the linked source).  Each type of source uses its own format; do NOT simply copy/paste the format from the database or source.
   1. Each reference cited in your paper should be identified by a number in brackets [ ] corresponding to its number in the list of references.
   2. References should be numbered in the order they appear in your paper. However for my benefit, preface each reference with the source by which you found the reference, as exemplified below:
      • Library catalog (book):
      • Reference book from guide (include specific pages as part of the reference):
      • Article from Compendex, Scopus, or Academic Search Complete (identify which):
      • Article from INSPEC :
      • Article from IEEExplore, SPIE Digital Library, or ACM Digital Library (identify which):
      • Article from ISI Web of Knowledge (Science Citation Index) (state the name of the cited author after the reference):
      • Citation from Google Scholar:

Make sure your paper has your name.

 

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Suggested areas from which to choose a topic:

Computer Science and Engineering
    VLSI
    Design automation
    Computer communication
    Compilers
    Wireless communication
    Artificial intelligence
    Advanced analysis of algorithms
    Graphics, web-based architecture
    Web servers

Applied Systems
    Intelligent systems
    Communication systems
    Digital imaging systems
    Data processing systems

Materials and Devices
    Silicon/germanium alloy for electronic devices
    Medical applications
    Pressure sensors in modern society
    Urbium doping for lasing and silicon dioxide
    Heat sinking for electronic power devices
    Phase Change Materials and Optical Recording (DVDs)
    Silicate Glasses and Optical fibers
    IR transmitting Optical Materials and fibers
    Nano-materials, science and technology
    Semiconductor light generation
    Lab-on-a-chip
    Bio-sensors
    Photonic bandgap devices
    Plasma assisted submicron etching

twb
9/11/12