Conferences

Conference papers are usually published in book-like publications with words like conference, workshop, symposium, colloquy, or proceedings in the title or subtitle.  Sometimes, conference papers are published in journals published by the sponsoring agency.  Increasingly, conference papers are being published on web sites or CD.  The Engineering Library E-Texts site lists some of the major collections. However, many authors are now self-publishing their conferences on their own web sites.  The easiest way to locate these is through a search using your favorite search engine, searching by the presenter's name.

Conference papers tend to be timely presentations.  They normally have strong supporting documentation, graphs,etc. and the proposal to present the paper was usually refereed.  Many conferences are now publishing the proceedings before  the papers are presented so they  can be distributed to the attendees.  Most others endeavor to publish shortly after the conference.  For these reasons they tend to be relatively current.

The CAT - provides access to the conference in its entirety. Search by   the conference name, sponsoring associations, or editor.  You can also do a subject search and append the term 'congresses,' the library term for conferences.  For example:

                        Decision making -- Congresses
                                                  or
                         Smart materials -- Congresses
 

Databases - When you locate a conference through a database search remember to note all pertinent information.  To locate the conference you will  need the name of the  conference and date.  It is also very  useful to note the editor, sponsoring organization, volume if given, any standard number (usually an eight digit ISSN) and place and date of meeting.

Databases that index conferences include:

Aerospace - (1986 -->) Aeronautics, astronuatics, space sciences

Compendex - (1970 -->) All aspects of engineering

IEEE - (1988 -->) Full  text papers of the IEEE and IEE

Inspec - (1896-->) Computer science, electronics, physics

Papers First - (1993 -->) Interdisciplinary coverage

SPIE (1990-->) Papers from the International Society for Optical Engineering

TRIS (1960s -->) Papers from the Transportation Research Board

Some conferences are available full text.  For additional full text reports, check the Engineering Libraries' E-Text site.

Searching for conferences is one of the biggest challenges in a database. Generally, you will use a subject database (Compendex, Aerospace, etc.) to locate conference papers.  If the paper is not available full text online, you will go to The CAT to see if the University Libraries owns the conference in question.

Note that databases and bibliographies will often cite a  conference differently than The CAT.  This is due to specific cataloging rules.  Your first search will  probably be the title of the conference as it is noted in the database record.  If you find the conference this way - great!

If you do not find the conference the first time, there are several other search strategies that work.  It is suggested you try at least 2 before giving up, or asking for help.

1. Use the ISSN or ISBN if you have it. 
                        Ex.     079182731 in a keyword box

2. Do a keyword search on the conference title.  Pick 2,3 or 4 unique  words and use the 'and' boolean operator.  If you search results in too many hits, add another title word to the search.
                         Ex. convection thermophysics heat transfer

3. Search on the place and date of the conference in a keyword search.
                         Ex.  colorado springs    1998

Each of these examples would bring up the record for

Fundamentals of mixed convection, 1994, : presented at the 6th AIAA/ASME Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Conference, Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 20-23, 1994.