materials 4l04 session 2: more research resources

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Materials 4L04Session 2:

More Research Resources

Linda Michtics, Engineering Liaison Librarian

Thode Library


Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• use additional features of • use RefWorks• find theses• search patent databases• find “Database Alerts for Sci and Eng”


Click on this to get to Ulrichsweb.


This tells you that this journal is refereed =peer-reviewed.


RefWorks


What is RefWorks

• Web-based citation management software• FREE to Mac students• Registration required• Create one or several accounts• Store unlimited number of references• Can move your RefWorks database into

another database programme (eg. Endnote,

ProCite, Reference Manager, etc.)


You can use RefWorks to manage

your references and create bibliographies.

If you want to learn more, there is an

online tutorial and lots of other online help.


Click on this to set up an account.


Choose a folder first and then click “Create Bibliography”.


How to Find Theses


You can also search by Advisor.


How to Find Patents


a) A letter, numeral, word, phrase, logo, or symbol (or combination of these) used in connection with a product or service.

b) A legal agreement between a country and an inventor giving the inventor the right to exclude others form making, using, or selling an invention for a limited time in that country.

c) Lengthy, formal paper usually written by candidates for a master's or doctoral degree at academic institutions.

What is a patent?


b) "A patent is a legal agreement between a country and an inventor giving the inventor the right to exclude others form making, using, or selling an invention for a limited time in that country."

(Kawakami, Alice K. Patents and Patent Searching. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship. Summer,1998.)

Answer


MIT Patent Tutorials• An introduction: Why search for patents?

What is a patent? (5:30)

http://libraries.mit.edu/video/patents/intro/intro.html

• What does a patent look like? (2:25)

http://libraries.mit.edu/video/patents/example/example.html


Why Search for Patents?

• Gain access to a wealth of technical information not published anywhere else - patents can be the sole source of technical information on a particular invention or process

• Learn how something works (diagrams, detailed description) - patents are invaluable in helping guide researchers when evaluating and developing ideas.

• Avoid duplication of research efforts• Identify new research trends and/or licensing

opportunities• Gain protection for an idea or invention


Patents

• There are three main international patent offices: United States, Japan, and the European Union.

• In the United States and Canada, patents are usually granted for a term of 20 years from filing or 17 years from date of issuance, whichever is longer.

• Patents are often more difficult to read and understand than books and journal articles because patents are usually written in legal phraseology by patent attorneys or agents who act for inventors.


This is the drop down that appears when you click “Articles/Databases”


Best Bets

• Canadian Patents Database• United States Patent and Trademark Office• European Patent Office (esp@cenet)• FreePatentsOnline


Canadian Patents Database

•The database contains patent documents from 1869 to the present. This database is updated regularly with newly granted patents and applications opened to public inspection.

•The electronically available patent information consists of patent document images and bibliographic and text data.

•The text of the abstracts and claims is not available for patents that were granted prior to August 15, 1978. These patents can only be searched by their patent number, titles, owner or inventor names, or classification.


Searching the Canadian Patents Database

•use the Number Search to find a specific patent document by its number;

•use the Basic Search to find patent documents containing a specific word or phrase;

•use the Boolean Search to find patent documents with words or phrases in one, two or three text fields, using boolean connectors (AND or OR) to narrow or expand your search;

•use the Advanced Search to find patent documents with words or phrases in any of the searchable fields or consult the ‘search language help’ to form a complex query.


United States Patent and Trademark Office

Search steps

1. Brainstorm keywords related to the purpose, use and composition of the invention.

2. Look up the words in the Index to the U.S. Patent Classification to find potential class/subclasses.

3. Verify the relevancy of the class/subclasses by using the Classification Schedule in the Manual of Classification .

4. Read the Classification Definitions to verify the scope of the subclasses and note “see also” references.


Useful patent searching tutorials• MIT Video Tutorials: -An introduction: Why search for patents? What is a patent? (5:30)

http://libraries.mit.edu/video/patents/intro/intro.html -What does a patent look like? (2:25) http://libraries.mit.edu/video/patents/example/example.html -How to search for patents (7:50) http://libraries.mit.edu/video/patents/searching/searching.html -Which search tool should I use? Why shouldn't I just use Google? (5:36) http://libraries.mit.edu/video/patents/tools/tools.html

• How to Conduct a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search: A step by step strategy - USPTO (36 minutes)

http://www.uspto.gov/go/ptdl/CBT/

• International Intellectual Property Searching - McKinney Engineering Library

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/engin/instruction/foreignpatents/index.htm


Database Alerts for Science and Engineering


Summary

additional features of RefWorks theses patent databases “Database Alerts for

Science and Engineering”


Questions?


Need Help? Just ask!

• Visit: Research Help Desk in Thode Library,1st Floor

• Email: [email protected]• Call: ext. 22000• Chat: http://library.mcmaster.ca/justask/• Contact Linda Michtics, Engineering Liaison

Librarian [email protected] or ext.

23882

materials 4l04 session 2: more research resources

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