Rensselaer Libraries

indicates a resource for which access is restricted to current Rensselaer students, faculty and staff, and walk-in users of the Libraries. If you are accessing such a database via a non-Rensselaer Internet Service Provider, you will be prompted to use your RCS ID and password or library account to log in.

Overview

• Typically describe results from government-sponsored research.

• Provide rapid dissemination of research results.

• Usually produced by research organizations, universities or research centers.

• Comprised mostly of technical/scientific research, but also seen in social science research fields.

• Rarely undergo comprehensive, independent peer review.

Access

• Some may be classified and not available to the public.

• May or may not be listed individually in library catalog of university or research center, even when report authored at university or research center.

• Numerous websites and databases as well as print indexes are available for locating technical reports.

Top Finding Aids

Use the following databases and websites to locate technical reports on a topic or verify citations to technical reports. In some cases, the technical reports will be available in full text from the database or website. See More Finding Aids for additional search aids and indexes.

• DOE Information Bridge (US Department of Energy)
  
  Provides an open source to full-text and bibliographic records of Department of Energy (DOE) research and development reports in the fields of physics, chemistry, materials, biology, environmental sciences, energy technologies, engineering, computer and information science, renewable energy, and other topics.

• DTIC Online
  
  The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) serves the DoD community as the largest central resource for DoD and government-funded scientific, technical, engineering, and business related information available today.

• NASA Technical Reports Server
  
  The NTRS is a valuable resource for students, educators, researchers, and the public for access to NASA's current and historical technical literature since it was first released in 1994. The type of information found in NTRS include: conference papers, images, journal articles, photos, meeting papers, movies, patents, research reports, and technical videos.

• National Technical Reports Library (NTRL)
  
  Acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government-sponsored technical reports in existence. The NTRL offers access to these authenticated government technical reports to libraries and technical information users.

• Science.gov
  
  Gateway to government science information provided by US Government science agencies, including research and development results. .

• Google Scholar
  
  Google and Google Scholar work with publishers of scholarly information to index peer-reviewed papers, theses, preprints, abstracts, and technical reports from all disciplines of research and make them searchable on Google and Google Scholar.

Recognizing Technical Report Citations

Often times, you can identify a technical report from its citation or reference. Recognizing a technical report will help you determine where to look for the report. In particular, a technical report citation will include a report number and will probably not have journal or publisher information.

Below are two typical references to technical reports that may be found in reference lists of articles and papers:

McMaster, W. H., et al., Compilation of X-ray Cross Sections, Rep. UCRL 50174, Sec. 11, Rev. 1, University of California, Livermore, California (1969)

or

Howe, H. C., 1990 "Physics Models in the Toroidal Transport Code PROCTR," Oak Ridge National Laboratory Report ORNL/TM-11521

When searching databases, you may come across citation records for technical reports. A typical citation record for a technical report looks like this:

Acknowledgment: Princeton Engineering Library

More Finding Aids

Databases and Websites

• CERN Document Server
  
  The CERN Document Server contains over 650,000 bibliographic records, including 320,000 full text documents in particle physics and related areas. Documents include preprints, articles, photographs, books and more. CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the world's largest particle physics center.

• DOE Data Explorer
  
  Information collected at various data centers: Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles, Atmospheric Radiation Measurement, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis, Comprehensive Epidemiological Data Resource, Controlled Fusion Atomic Data, DOE Joint Genome Institute, National Nuclear Data, Renewable Resources Data, and U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registers.

• EDTEWEB (EDTE World Energy Base)
  
  Includes information on the environmental impact of energy production and use, including climate change, energy R and D, energy policy; nuclear, coal, hydrocarbon and renewable energy technologies. A growing collection of over 1,021,100 bibliographic records with more than 4.4 million downloadable full text pages now available.

• EIS: Digests of Environmental Impact Statements (CSA-ES)
  
  Resource which provides detailed abstracts of the impact statements. EIS extracts the key issues into concise, readable abstracts. Each entry includes a description of the project, sections on positive impact and negative consequences, and legal mandates.

• ERIC (EBSCOHost)
  
  Provides access to information from journals included in the Current Index of Journals in Education and Resources in Education Index. Also provides full text of ERIC digests.

• IAEA.org (International Atomic Energy Agency)
  
  Independent international organization within the United Nations focusing on safety & security, science & technology, and safeguards & verification.

• INIS Database (International Nuclear Information System)
  
  All aspects of the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. There are central areas to the scope such as nuclear reactors, reactor safety, nuclear fusion, applications of radiation and radioisotopes in medicine, agriculture, industry and pest control as well as related fields such as nuclear chemistry, nuclear physics and materials science. Special emphasis is placed on the environmental, economic and health effects of nuclear energy.

• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  
  National Security laboratory that conducts research in energy, environmental, nuclear and economic security.

• NACA: National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics
  
  Founded to undertake, promote and institutionalize aeronautical research. Evolved into the current NASA.

• National Academies Press
  
  Publications issued by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and health. Over 2000 books free online.

• NTIS.gov
  
  Government sponsored source for technical reports in science, engineering, and related business.

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  
  Basic and applied research in neutron science, biological systems, energy, advanced materials, national security and supercomputing.

• Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  
  Technical reports authored by PPPL scientists on research performed under the PPL/DoE contract.

• RAND Publications
  
  RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through research and analysis. Report and book topics include Criminal Justice, Education, Enterprise Analysis, Health, Civil Justice, and Science and Technology.

• RITA (Research and Innovative Technology Administration, National Transportation Library).
  
  Includes 400,000 bibliographic records covering transportation research published in books, journal articles, technical reports and other media; coverage includes Federal, state, local, and association publications.

• Science Accelerator
  
  Science Accelerator searches science, including R&D results, project descriptions, accomplishments, and more, via resources made available by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI), U.S. Department of Energy.

• Technical Reports in Computer Science from Cornell University.
  
  Resource for computer science technical reports, with the capacity to view in full text, from Cornell University.

• Technical Reports in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  
  Resource for computer science technical reports, with the capacity to view many in full text, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

• TRAIL (Technical Report Archives and Image Library)
  A collaborative project involving the Greater Western Library Alliance and the Center for Research Libraries to digitize, archive, and provide persistent and unrestricted access to federal technical reports." So far, a number of AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) and NBS (National Bureau of Standards) reports have been included.

• TRIS Online Regional Depository
  
  Includes 400,000 bibliographic records covering transportation research published in books, journal articles, technical reports and other media; coverage includes Federal, state, local, and association publications.

• USGS - Publications Warehouse (US Geological Survey)
  
  Searches approximately 67,000 bibliographic citations and obtain USGS series publications. Availability of content ranges from USGS store purchase, to full text, to bibliographic citation only.

Print Indexes

Folsom Library, Bibliography Area (1st floor

Printed indexes are located on the first floor of Folsom Library

• Abstracts of Declassified Documents. ZQC770 .U64 / 1947-1948. Consists of AECD 1-2023 (no. 1-1779 called MDDC).

• International Aerospace Abstracts. ZTL500 I57 / 1961-2003

• Bibliography of Scientific and Industrial Reports. ZZ7916 .B47 / 1946-1949.

• Bibliography of Technical Reports. ZZ7916 .B47 / 1949-1954.

• EPA Publications Bibliography / Sponsored by Library Systems Branch, US Environmental Protection Agency in Cooperation with EPA Offices of Air and Waste Management ... (ET AL.). ZTD170 U47x / 1977-2000.

• Guide to the Subject Indexes for Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports. ZTL500 S35. / rev. 1-3. Continues: Guide to the subject index for technical publications announcements. NASA SP-7016

• Highway Research Abstracts. (Title on some spines is Transportation Research Abstracts) ZTE1 .N462/ 1948-1975.

• Highway Research Abstracts. (Title on some spines is HRIS Abstracts) ZTE1 N464X / 1970-1993.

• Nuclear Science Abstracts / US Atomic Energy Agency. ZQC770 .U64 / 1948-1976.

• Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports / National Aeronautics and Space Administration. U.S.A. ZTL 500 S35. NAS 1.9/4: (microfiche). / 1962-1995.

Other Capital District Libraries

The following indexes provide additional coverage of government reports from 1954 through 1996. While these indexes are not included in Rensselaer collections, they are available at other area libraries. If you wish to locate one of these indexes in an area library, Ask-A-Librarian.

• Government reports announcements & index. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service, 1975-1996.

• Government reports announcements. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 1971-1975.

• Government reports index. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 1971-1974.

• United States Government Research & Development Reports. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 1969-1971.

• United States Government Research Reports (USGRR). U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information (CFSTI), 1965-1969.

• United States Government Research Reports (USGRR). U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Office of Technical Services (OTS), 1954-1964.

Rensselaer Technical Reports

• Use this quick guide to search for technical reports in the Rensselaer Libraries' catalog.

• A small collection of Rensselaer technical reports is included in the Rensselaer Digital Collections.

• Technical Reports in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Computer Science Department).

New York State Library (NYSL)

• Largest collection of technical reports at the NYSL comes from National Technical Information Service (NTIS).

• NYSL also serves as depository for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) publications, as well as those from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and its successor, U.S. Department of Energy.

• As a U.S. Government Printing Office regional depository, the NYSL receives many technical reports produced by Federal agencies.

• Also a depository for a retrospective collection from General Electric, as well as a depository for reports from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

• See additional information about NYSL technical report collections at Technical Reports: NYSL.

• See Library Visitor Information for information on hours, directions, parking, etc.

Interlibrary Loan

• This service is available to Rensselaer faculty, staff, and students as well as for researchers affiliated with the Rensselaer Incubator Center or Rensselaer Technology Park.

• Staff will attempt to obtain published materials that are not part of Rensselaer Libraries' collections.

• Requests should be submitted via ILLIAD interlibrary loan system.

Writing Technical Reports

Writing Guides

• Designing technical reports: writing for audiences in organizations J.C. Mathes, Dwight W. Stevenson. Folsom Library Reference Area: T11.M36 1991 LIBRARY USE ONLY

• How to prepare defense-related scientific and technical reports Walter W. Rice. : Folsom Library Reference Area: T11.R445 2007 LIBRARY USE ONLY
  ELECTRONIC

• How to prepare defense-related scientific and technical reports Walter W. Rice. : Folsom Ref Area;
  Print, Folsom Reference Area, T11 .R445 2007
  

Center for Communication Practices

• Offers help to writers who would like responses to ANY type of writing and ANY oral presentations, in ANY subject area.

• Will work with any type of project–essays or lab reports, resumes or doctoral theses, PowerPoint slides and more.

This webpage is maintained by Colette O. Holmes, Management Librarian, Folsom Library.

• Overview
• Access
• Top Finding Aids
• Recognizing Citations
• More Finding Aids
  • Databases
  • Print Indexes
    • Rensselaer
    • Capital Area
• Rensselaer Reports
• New York State Library
• Interlibrary Loan
• Writing Reports
  • Guides
  • Writing Center