BE 100: Introduction to Bioengineering
This guide is designed to help you navigate sources in bioengineering and understand where they fit in the process. These resources and many others are also linked from the Science and Engineering Libraries Website.
| Background information | Journal articles, etc. | Specific data | Books |
| Contacting experts | Do we have that resource? | Citation style | More help |
Background information on a topic
- Engineering
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias provide up-to-date, summary-level information on topics within their area of coverage. - Franklin
This is the library's main catalog, where you can use keyword searching to find general books on a topic. - Dictionaries
Specialized dictionaries define words, phrases, acronyms and journal abbreviations relevant to the field of engineering. - Guides to the Research
Literature
Guides to the literature are essentially directories of information sources. They will let you know what information sources are out there, what kinds of information these sources contain, and how they are organized. - Guides and Tutorials
These guides and tutorials are geared specifically to BE 100.
Finding journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, patents, etc.
- Databases
Here you can identify journal or magazine articles, conference papers, and technical reports and magazine articles on your topic. You can then check FindIt to see if we have the journal, conference proceedings, or magazine here at Penn. If not, you can order it through Interlibrary Loan. - Patent Databases
Patent searching will let you make sure that your project does not duplicate work already done in the field. Patents also have very detailed procedural information and are often used for that purpose. They are also available from other specialized patent sources. - Business resources
Consult these to discover current products and the market need in order to evaluate the viability of your product idea. - Background, limitations and shortcomings
Check these resources for background reports and to research limitations and shortcomings.
Finding specific data
- Handbooks
Handbooks contain specific data, properties, facts and figures, for instance the boiling point of a compound or the tensile strength of a material.
Finding books
- Bioengineering books
This is a list of relevant books selected by librarians. It includes both print and electronic books. - Franklin
For more books and textbooks held in Penn libraries. - WorldCat
WorldCat lists books held in many different libraries. Use interlibrary loan to order books that Penn does not hold.
Contacting experts
- Directories
Directories can help you locate relevant experts in the field.
Do we have that resource?
- FindIt!
Once you've found a citation to an article, use this to see whether the journal is included in the library's holdings, either electronically or in print.
NOTE: Remember to search by the title of the journal, e.g., Applied Catalysis, not the title of the article.
If not, you can order the article through Interlibrary Loan.
Citing your sources
- Citation Styles
Use the style your professor recommends. It may be one of these:- IEEE Information for Authors
From IEEE Transactions, Journals and Letters. - ACS Style Guide : A Manual for Authors and Editors, 2nd ed.
by Janet S. Dodd
Engineering Reserve QD8.5.A25 1997
Chemistry Circulation QD8.5.A25 1997
- IEEE Information for Authors
- Penn Online Research Tutorial
More information on citation styles can be found here.
Need more help? Contact our subject librarians:
| Douglas McGee | Danianne Mizzy | |
| Assistant Director for Engineering and Physical Sciences Libraries | Assistant Head, Engineering Library | |
| 217 Towne | 217 Towne | |
| Email: dmcgee@seas.upenn.edu | Email: danianne@seas.upenn.edu | |
| Phone: 215-898-8170 | Phone: 215-898-5700 | |
| AIM/MSN/Yahoo:PennEngSciDir | AIM/MSN/Yahoo: PennEngLibrarian |
For help with business-related questions, visit the Lippincott Library Reference Services page for their reference desk hours and contact information.
Top


