Definitions & Basic Information
Books
Organizations/Product Research/Industry Sites
Periodicals
Internet

Definitions & Basic Information
The following resources will assist you in defining terms or learning more about the background of your project.

• Electronics Dictionaries
  Many electronics dictionaries are available in both print and online form.  Print dictionaries are located in our Reference section and will usually be found in the call number TK.  Some examples are:
  • The Illustrated Dictionary of Electronics  Ref TK 7804 .G497 1997
  • Modern Dictionary of Electronics   Ref TK 7804 .G67 1999
  • Intersil's Tools and Resources for Engineers
    
    
• Specialized Encyclopedias
  The library also has several specialized technology and electronics encyclopedias.  These may be used to find more comprehensive or more detailed information on a topic.  Generally, the books will be found in the reference section.  Some examples are:
  • AccessScience (McGraw-Hill's online version of the Encyclopedia of Science and Technology)  Contains encyclopedia articles, research updates, biographies, dictionary terms, study guides, & web links covering computing & information technology, engineering & materials,  math, and  other disciplines.  To use the service from off-campus, enter using the link located on your DeVry University – Kansas City e-mail page.
  • Tab Encyclopedia of Electronics for Technicians and Hobbyists   Ref TK 7804 .T33 1997
  • McGraw-Hill Circuit Encyclopedia & Troubleshooting Guide   Ref TK 6867 .L463
  • International Encyclopedia of Integrated Circuits  Ref TK 7874 .G5 1991
    
    
• Electronics Handbooks
  The library has a variety of electronics handbooks on its reference shelves.  Handbooks usually have information relevant to both the novice and the expert.  Some examples are:
  • Electronics Handbook  Ref TK 7867 .E4244 2005
  • Electronic Connector Handbook   Ref TK 3521 .M76 1998
  • Electronics Engineers' Handbook   Ref TK 7825 .E34 1997
  • Handbook of Electronics Tables and Formulas   Ref TK 7825 .H378 1986
  • Handbook of VLSI Chip Design and Expert Systems   Ref TK 7842 .S32 1993
  • Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers   Ref TK 151 .S83 2000
  • The VHDL Reference   Ref TK 7885.7 .V44 2000
  • Motor Control Electronics Handbook   Ref TK 7881.2 .M68 1998
  • Electronic Instrument Handbook   Ref TK 7878.4 .E55 1999
  • Antenna Engineering Handbook   Ref TK 7871.6 .A67 1993
  • Printed CIrcuits Handbook   Ref TK 7868 .P7 P76 1996

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• The James E. Lovan Library uses the Library of Congress Classification System to arrange our holdings.  This system brings books together according to their subject matter. Below are some areas of interest in Electronics.  Feel free to browse our shelves in the following areas.
  • QA76 - QA76.5   Microcomputers
  • TA   General Engineering
  • TJ   Mechanical Engineering (robotics/controls)
  • TK1 - TK453   Electronics, General
  • TK454 - TK531   Electrical CIrcuits
  • TK3001 - TK3301  Electric Power Circuits
  • TK6540 - TK6571.5   Radio
  • TK6578 - TK6600   Radar
  • TK7800 - TK7725   Basic Electronics
  • TK7867   Electric Circuits
  • TK7871.2 - TK7871.58  Amplifiers, Lasers
  • TK7871.6   Antennas
  • TK7871.7 -TK7871.8   Semiconductors/Electron Tubes
  • TK7874   Integrated Circuits
  • TK7876   Microwave Circuits
  • TK7881.2   Electronic Controls
  • TK 7885 - TK7895   Computer Engineering

• If you have a particular subject in mind, see if the DeVry Kansas City library has books on this topic by using the WebVoyage catalog.  Before searching for a subject, be sure to limit the search to Kansas City.  

• If you cannot find the item you need, try netLibrary or safari technical books online.  These services make up a large part of  DeVry University's online library. This collection of e-books covers a wide area of topics.

• If the Kansas City DeVry library does not have the books, search the online catalogs of other libraries in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

• As a last resort, use the WebVoyage catalog to see if another DeVry campus has the book.  It can take several weeks to obtain a book from another campus, so only use this option if you have plenty of time. 

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• IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
  The library does not have an institutional membership.  Non-members can find abstracts of research papers published under the auspices of the IEEE, and these can be useful in focusing your topic.

• Hoover's Online
  Find out if there is useful business or professional society information by trying a business information database .  To obtain all information available to subscription members, you must enter using the link located on your DeVry University – Kansas City e-mail page. A limited amount of information is available at this site for free from off-campus computers.  
  • TIP:  Make sure you search the following fields:  All Directories; Site Search; News.
    
    
• Faulkner's FACCTS 
  This database contains more than a dozen report types and original publications.  They are organized, prepared, and written by IT and communications professionals.  The data is most commonly used for tracking technology advancements, strategic planning, competitive analysis, market awareness, product implementation support, and product and vendor evaluation and training.   To use the service from off-campus, enter using the link located on your DeVry University – Kansas City e-mail page.
  

• EELS (Engineering Electronic Library, Sweden)
  A good source to try is this directory of web sites.  This source indexes the full text of pre-selected, high-quality web sites, so you know the information you find through this source will be credible.
  • First:  Try searching just the EELS database.  These are quality-controlled web sites which professionals have examined and classified by subject.
  • Second:  Try searching the "All Engineering Resources on the Internet" database.  This is a robot-generated database indexing the full text of thousands of web pages.  It provides a more precise and higher-quality search than would a regular search engine such as Alta Vista, because these sites have been pre-approved for inclusion by the EELS staff.
    
    
• IC Master  
  This contains current IC product information.  It includes complete device data with manufacturer information and pinout and package data.  A print counterpart is available in the library's reference section:  Ref TK 7874 .I32
  
   
• American Engineering Association
  This site contains information concerning professional issues in the field.

Periodicals
Often, the newest and most reliable information is available through periodicals.  Search for periodical articles by using the following resources:

• EBSCOhost Databases

The DeVry Kansas City library subscribes to the following databases from this vendor: (Please access remotely through the link on your student e-mail account.)

• Online Periodicals  
Our library web page covers online periodicals in your field.

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As you search for internet sites, you must be careful to evaluate the authoritativeness and credibility of each site rather than assuming that if it is published on the web, it must be accurate.  See our guide to Evaluation of Web Resources to find checklists and tutorials on how to evaluate a site for research purposes.