Assignment for Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Seminar 2002-2003
(First-year graduate students only)
20-METL-871

For this assignment you will research a topic by finding materials in the library and its online resources, and write a short paper (less than one page) on your topic.  References must be included in proper format in a bibliography at the end of the paper.  Satisfactory completion of the assignment is required for seminar credit. This assignment is due to Indrajit Dutta October 11, 2002.

You will need UCLID/OhioLINK (the online catalog) to complete the assignment.  Access the web version from

• six PC workstations in the Engineering Library (Baldwin 8th floor), or
• sixteen stations in the Information Commons next to the Library, or 
• ALL the Engineering PC and Unix labs.

Select a specific topic you are considering for your degree.  Make your topic as narrow as possible.

• Begin your paper with
• a short description of the topic including what specific aspect or application you are researching, and
• the keywords you used to find information.

1. Find at least one book .  Use UCLID/OhioLINK .  Find the book on the shelf in the library.  Identify and read pages of the book relevant to your topic.  In your bibliography, provide complete references for the book(s) according to the prescribed format.  Following each reference, provide call number and subject headings in brackets [].  
2. Find at least one reference book using the Reference Guides on the Engineering Library homepage.  Refer to the section of the guides called HANDBOOKS and ENCYCLOPEDIAS.  Find the book in the Reference area of the Library.  In your bibliography, provide a complete citation for the book, including the specific pages containing relevant information.
3. Find at least one journal article using Compendex .  Limit the publication type to journal articles.  Use the "Find a Copy" link to locate a source.  Read the article(s)!  In your bibliography, provide a complete citation and indicate which article(s) you found using Compendex .
4. Find at least one article using the Cambridge Materials Science Databases .  Use the "Locate Document" link to locate a source.  Read the article(s).  In your bibliography, provide a complete citation and indicate which article(s) you found using Materials Science Databases.
5. Find at least one article using one of the following three databases.  In your bibliography, indicate which database you used and cite the article you found.
• Chemical Abstracts .  Use Chemical Abstracts' SciFinder Scholar on designated workstations in the Engineering Library Reference area or Information Commons (south end).  Locate the article using UCLID, OR
•  Academic Search Premier to find a scholarly or news article online, OR
• LexisNexis Academic to find a Business/Industry & Market news article.  Read the article online.
6. Find at least one granted patent using the USPTO Web Patent Database, Full-Text search.  Suggest limiting field to abstract.
7. Find at least one article using the Cited Reference Search option in Science Citation Index (SCI).  The article should cite an author or article you have already found.  (If finding a cited author or article is not possible, find an article by an author you have already found, or find an article citing one of your professors.)  Read the abstract if the article is not available full-text online through OhioLINK's EJC.  In your bibliography, indicate which article you found using Science Citation Index.  After the citation, provide the name of the cited author.

• In your own words, summarize the information you have read from the references.

• DO NOT cut and paste information from the abstracts or articles.  Use of material without proper citing constitutes plagiarism.
• In your summary, refer to the articles in your bibliography by number.

• Conclude the paper with your bibliography of the seven or more complete references, numbered as below.

• Cite them in ASM International format .   (Use this assigned format rather than attaching printouts or cutting and pasting from the databases.)
• Put the references in the order of the assignment and label each accordingly, as follows:
1. Books (including call numbers and the subject headings):
2. Reference books (including specific pages):
3. Article(s) from Compendex :
4. Article(s) from the Materials Science databases:
5. Article(s) from Chemical Abstracts or Academic Search Premier or LexisNexis Academic:
6. Patent from USPTO Web Patent Database:
7. Citing article(s) from Science Citation Index (including the name of the cited author)

Your paper, including bibliography, should fit on no more than two pages.  Make sure your paper has your name.

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