Skip to Main Content

Research Skills for Engineering Students

This tutorial supports the development of engineering information literacy skills

Books

You might be hesitant to consult books, but academic books are not written like novels, you don't have to read the whole thing!

  • introductory chapters often provide a general overview of a topic
  • as books are simply longer, authors can provide more context than in a journal article and this is really helpful to understanding a topic
  • many engineering fields rely on key books that describe an entire area of knowledge comprehensively
  • the Library has copies of some textbooks, so do a quick search and save a few dollars!

Where to search for books?

  • Summon, the UBC Library search tool
    • limit to books/ebooks
    • limit by date if relevant to your topic
    • use the icons on the right side of each title to email results to yourself and cite sources
  • UBC Library provides a full guide to Finding Books if you need to dig deeper into this topic

Sample search results:  concrete AND reinforcement

screenshot of Summon search results for concrete AND reinforcement limited by books/ebooks and last 5 years of publication, also highlights icons for email and citing of results

The role of books in research

Scholarly books are ideal information sources to consult in the early stages of research when you are looking for an introduction or overview of your topic. While journal articles can help you find more targeted information or a specific study related to your research area, books provide a more comprehensive overview, and may analyze a number of related studies. Additionally, because books include sub-topics, they may assist you in narrowing a broad area of interest into a narrow or more manageable research topic.

Books...

  • Are in-depth and cumulative studies of a topic.
  • Include more contextual and historical information than other information sources.
  • Are longer than other works (typically over 100 pages).
  • May be republished in new editions to account for further research.
  • May be available in print or electronically through UBC Library.

Books typically take longer to write and publish than other scholarly materials, which means they offer more complete coverage, but may be less current than sources like journal articles, newspaper articles, or websites.

In engineering, there are books that cover a topic generally (think about your textbooks) as well as handbooks that are designed to facilitate the practical application of skills or technology. Both are very important to documenting what is known about a topic, as well as how to turn that information into the application of engineering in the real world.

Select and evaluate books for research

Consider WHO

  • Who wrote the book? What experience and expertise do they have on the topic?
  • Who published the book?
  • Who is the intended audience?

​Consider WHY

  • What is the author’s purpose in writing this?
  • Is the author attempting to educate, advocate, or sell a product?

Consider WHEN

  • How current is the research being presented?
  • Are there newer works you should consult instead of, or in addition to, this book?

Test your knowledge