Engineering Information Resources

Since anyone can put whatever information they want on the Internet, not all web sites are created equal.

Some points to consider when evaluating the information provided by a web site:

• Who is the audience for the information and what is their goal?
• Is the information accurate and complete?
• Is the information current?
• When was the web site last revised?
• Who is the author(s) or sponsor of the web site?
• What are the credentials of the author(s) or creator of the web site?
• Are there other online or print sources for the information?

Evaluating Web Pages - techniques to apply and questions to ask from the University of California at Berkeley's Teaching Library Internet Workshops.

If you are accessing resources through Google Scholar and want to ensure your access to MSU Library resources is seamless, do the following:

• Go to Google Scholar
• Click on the menu option in the upper left corner
• Click on Settings
• Click on "Library Links"
• Search for Michigan State University
• Select "Michigan State University – MSU Libraries Access" by checking the box
• Click "Save"
• Do your search in Google Scholar
• Click on the link for "MSU Libraries Access" that will appear to the right of the title of the resource and you'll be prompted for your NetID and password to access that resource. 

Engineering Case Studies Online

• Engineering Case Studies Online is the first comprehensive resource to provide in-depth, impartial analysis of key engineering failures. Engineering Case Studies in Video offers over 300 videos and 70,000 pages of text resources to meet this growing need. It provides in-depth coverage for 80 of the most frequently taught and seminal case studies around the world together with supplementary materials from more than 1,000 additional failures. All materials in Engineering Case Studies Online are cultivated by expert editors, with the assistance of an advisory board of engineering librarians and faculty. Materials come from a wide range of content partners, including the National Transportation Safety Board, BBC, Future Media, ABC, National Geographic, and engineering associations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers.

The MSU Libraries also provides access to online video resources in a number of subject areas including engineering through the Alexander Street, Academic Video Online, database.