LibGuides: UGS 303 How Things Work (Beaman): Background Information and Newspapers

Why Should I Start Here?

It can be tempting to just dive into your research with scholarly articles. However, you might gain a better understanding of your topic if you begin with these more accessible sources for background information.

Encyclopedias are wonderful sources for facts and general overviews. They should *not* be your only sources of information, but knowing the factual background of your topic will help you understand interpretations presented in academic materials.
A dictionary can be your best friend! Or maybe not really. But it can be a vital part of your research. Make good use of the OED!
Newspapers and magazines can provide cutting edge coverage of current events because they are published more quickly than academic articles. Over time, they transition into historical records of how different events were perceived by journalists and the general public. The newspapers and magazines in our databases represent a broad spectrum of political and cultural beliefs; read widely and critically.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Most current edition. Unlimited users.
Updated regularly. A database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources. Fully searchable across all files.

For more information on ebooks see the Ebook Guide
Oxford English Dictionary (OED) This link opens in a new window
2nd ed. 1989. Unlimited users.
Updated quarterly. Covers words from across the English-speaking world and offers etymological analysis, listings of variant spellings, and phonetic pronunciation. Corresponds to the print Oxford English Dictionary published in 1989 and the three Additions volumes published 1993-1997.
ASM (American Society for Metals) Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Most current edition. Unlimited users.
Updated regularly. Includes the complete content of all twenty volumes of the ASM Handbook plus two ASM Desk Editions.
Part of ASM Materials Information which includes the ASM Alloy Center Online and the ASM Phase Diagrams.
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics This link opens in a new window
Most current edition. Unlimited users.
A first-stop reference source containing a wealth of basic chemical and physical data for compounds, as well as many other useful tables, constants and formulas, and definitions in the physical sciences.
AccessEngineering This link opens in a new window
Most recent edition. Unlimited.

Updated regularly. Provides access to hundreds of McGraw Hill handbooks, textbooks and monographs across all engineering fields, a materials properties visualization tool, downloadable spreadsheets, and instructional videos.

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology by Kirk-Othmer (Editor)
ISBN: 9780471238966
Publication Date: 2001-01-26
The fifth edition of the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology builds upon the solid foundation of the previous editions, which have proven to be a mainstay for chemists, biochemists, and engineers at academic, industrial, and government institutions since publication of the first edition in 1949. The new edition includes necessary adjustments and modernisation of the content to reflect changes and developments in chemical technology. Presenting a wide scope of articles on chemical substances, properties, manufacturing, and uses; on industrial processes, unit operations in chemical engineering; and on fundamentals and scientific subjects related to the field. The Encyclopedia describes established technology along with cutting edge topics of interest in the wide field of chemical technology, whilst uniquely providing the necessary perspective and insight into pertinent aspects, rather than merely presenting information.

Newspapers, Magazines, and Film

Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited
Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world's major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires and news magazines. In addition, it offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources.
Factiva This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. 9 users.
Updated daily. A global information resource, providing full-text access to top national and international newspapers (including full text of the Wall Street Journal), newswires, business journals, market research reports, analysts reports and web sites. Contains over 8000 publications with content from 118 countries in 22 languages.
This database was formerly called Dow Jones Interactive.
We have a limited number of users for this database. Please select the logout option before you leave your session. When the limit is reached, a username and password prompt will probably be displayed. If this happens, simply wait 15 minutes and then try the link again.
Kanopy This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited users.
This streaming service has a catalog of over 30,000 titles covering various educational topics and feature films for some 800 producers including Criterion, Documentary Educational Resources, New Day Films, Media Education, California Newsreel, PBS and others.
Titles streamed by Kanopy are available either directly from the library catalog or from the UT Kanopy interface linked above. Some titles on the UT Kanopy interface are not immediately available to UT community for streaming. Those titles for which we do not hold streaming rights could be requested by filling in a request form. This form would appear on your screen and forwarded to a staff member for consideration. Given our limited funds, we emphasize study and research needs when making purchase decisions.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited users.
Updated continually. Nexis Uni™ features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis®—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790—with an interface that offers discovery across all content types, personalization features such as Alerts and saved searches and a collaborative workspace with shared folders and annotated documents.