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      • Introduction
      • Chapter 1: Choosing Your Topic
      • Chapter 2: Developing the Search Strategy
      • Chapter 3: Evaluating Your Information Sources
      • Chapter 4: Preparing Your Bibliography
      • Chapter 5: Finding Help with Your Research Paper
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This is an important step to complete early in your research. Every research paper that you write should have at least one technical journal resource. Technical journals are an excellent source for recent information about your topic. You will often find related topics and research in trade publications.

Tip: Because these articles tend to be highly technical in their reading, use the information as a guide to your research and paraphrase carefully when using the information so as not to overwhelm your audience with technical jargon.

The MSOE Library has a collection of many technical journals that are related to the majors offered at MSOE. Most of these journals are published in affiliation with a professional society. In addition, the Internet provides databases of technical journals and professional societies that you can consult for more information.

Go to Electronic Journals at MSOE.

Why consult professional societies?

Professional societies are an excellent source for current information in the particular discipline that includes your topic. The information given on web sites for these associations points you to periodicals that are either published in affiliation with the associations themselves or seen as valuable resources for their members.

Encyclopedia of Associations

The MSOE Library reference section includes the Encyclopedia of Associations. This encyclopedia is arranged in alphabetical order by principal subject keyword. Once you find your general topic, read on and the encyclopedia includes information for contacting the society (mailing address, phone, fax, Email, etc.) as well as a brief description of the society membership.

More important, the encyclopedia includes a list of periodicals that are published by the particular society. See if you can find actual copies of these publications or find archives at the society’s home page.

Tips: When you consult various resources in this step, be sure to use the other search words and phrases that you discovered in Step 1 of this lesson. Also check out MSOE Library’s list of Engineering Professional Associations and Societies for links to various professional societies. You can also find a number of professional societies by typing professional societies in for one of the World Wide Web Net Directories. Similarly, type journals in to find technical and trade journals on the Internet. For help with searching the Internet, jump to Lesson 2 of this chapter.