FAQ for Graduate Students

Did you know...

You can access resources from home or off campus with WPI's proxy server, which is different from

You will get your library notices by email (books due, overdues, holds filled, interlibrary loans, etc.)
You can make an online request to get items (books, articles, proceedings) that WPI doesn’t own
You can set up current awareness alerts for table of contents of your favorites journals sent to you via email

Where can I find information on my research topic?

Connect to Gordon Library's Webpage » Searchable Collections » Databases &

Electronic Resources to start your research. The library subscribes to an incredible amount of paid content that is not accessible via web search engines.

You will find more than 150 databases to search, by title, subject (Biomedical Engineering to Urban Planning), and by type of resource (patents, technical reports, electronic books). Favored databases of graduate students include:

IEEE Xplore – full text of all IEEE journals, proceedings, standards
ScienceDirect – 2000+ full text research journals
Web of Knowledge/Web of Science – Abstracts core scholarly journals with ability to track citation trail
EBSCOhost Business Source Premier - top management journals and trade publications
Engineering Village - abstracts core engineering research

Most library databases are considered deep or invisible web and are not indexed by search engines. Google Scholar is a great research tool but much of the content you will find is not full text. Use our Journals List (bottom left of main library web site) to track down journal titles or try Interlibrary Loan for items we do not own.

QUICK START on the main library web page should be your first stop.

What are the major databases and research tools for my field?

Depending on the area of research there will be specialty databases and journals. We list the major databases by category on our Databases & Electronic Resources page. Ask a librarian to point you to the best databases for your topic, we'd be glad to and will save you time:

Ask a Library Question

chat: wpiref

508-831-6700.

Sign up for a library workshop to learn more about research tools.

I am a Teaching Assistant for a course. What do I need to know about the Gordon Library?

Librarians are available to help
- Answer research & citing questions
- By visiting your classroom as guest lecturer on information retrieval topics
- Educate students on research strategies
Librarians can help Teaching Assistants and faculty
- Connect course content to library/information content
- Copyright questions
- Research strategies for your own scholarly endeavors
- Search databases on Education & Teaching resources to help improve your own teaching effectiveness

I have a citation, how do I get the full text?

Click the FullTextFinder link within the database, which will lead you to our link resolver, which helps you to connect to full text, if we subscribe, or other access options.

Notice Journal Search on left of library navigation menu

Check Getting What You Need section of our Library Research Skills tutorial.

You can also try to search for journals by title using our Library Journal Search.

Can I access library resources from off campus?

The library subscribes to many online databases that can be access from off campus. Check WPI's proxy server for the steps to set up your web browser. You will have to enter your WPI Unix username/password to access these subscription resources outside the WPI domain.

How do I search for library books?

We have more than 290,000 books, check the library catalog or come on over and browse. Not only do we have titles on all research topics, but we have popular titles and audio books as well. Search for books and materials under Quick Start » Find Books @ WPI | Beyond (WorldCat).

I am off campus. How can I get into electronic books I found searching the Library Catalog?

The library subscribes to many electronic book collections (Netlibrary, Knovel, Books 24x7, ebrary) which can be searched within our library catalog. If you are off campus, check WPI's proxy server for the steps to set up your web browser. You’ll have to enter your WPI Unix username/password to access these subscription resources outside the WPI domain.

1)Search Library Catalog and limit to Electronic Books

2) Choose the title you wish to link & then look for WEB LINK to read the full text

How do I use Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service through which Gordon Library obtains from other libraries books, articles, conference papers, and media that WPI does not currently own. The service is available to students, faculty, and staff, and there are a variety of ways to place requests. For requesting options and additional information please visit ILLiad Interlibrary Loan.

ILL Fast Facts

Requests can take from two days to two weeks to fill so plan accordingly.
Articles that arrive at WPI in electronic format will be posted to your ILLiad account.
ILL is usually free except when another library charges us for an item, and then we pass the cost on to you. This is rare and we'd notify you of any potential fees before placing an order from another library.
Due dates and renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. To request a renewal: email lib-ill@wpi.edu. Late fees for ILL books are $.50 per day.
The ILL Office does not request textbooks.
Questions? Contact us at lib-ill@wpi.edu, 508.831.5414, or stop by the library's Information Desk.

Can I use other area libraries?

WPI students, faculty, and staff may borrow directly from over a dozen local libraries by obtaining an Academic & Research Collaborative (ARC) card. Bring your valid WPI ID to the Gordon Library Circulation Desk and within minutes you will hold the key to borrowing from a variety of libraries at Clark University, College of the Holy Cross, Assumption College, and many others. Your ARC card is valid through the end of the academic year.

Search for books and materials at other libraries by connecting from the Quick Start » Find Books … Beyond (WorldCat).

What do I need to do to prepare my thesis for submission?

Research & write it of course! When your work is complete you will need to create a PDF file and you can also choose to have the document bound for yourself and/or for your department to archive a copy. Check the following for more information:

Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Checklist
FAQs
Getting a Bound Copy for yourself and/or archived print copy for ($15 per binding request, bring printed thesis to Judy Fallon, jf@wpi.edu)

How can I search for theses & dissertations? Where are they located?

Since 2002, WPI has required all theses and dissertations to be submitted and made available electronically. Search the collection online or within the Library Catalog.

Prior to 2002, bound copies can be found by searching the Library Catalog. The physical copies are located on the Ground Floor of the library along the back wall if you would like to browse the collection.

I would like to publish a paper, what are the most important journals or researchers in my field?

To find major journals, you have a few options. You could try Journal Citation Reports to rank journals by "impact factor" in specific disclipines. Also check the Journals List, by choosing Advanced Journals Search from the library web site. Choose the Subjects tab to browse for journals by topic area. This will show only journals that the library subscribes to in print or electronic formats.

Try searching the ISI Web of Knowledge (if off campus connect via proxy) on your research keywords and then analyze the results by journal to obtain a listing of the journals publishing content about your research area.

Web of Knowledge/Web of Science database

Ask a librarian to suggest the best journals for your field, we’d be glad to point you in the right direction and save you time:

Ask a Library Question

chat: wpiref

508-831-6700.

How can I check publisher policies and get information on copyright and scholarly publishing?

SHERPA is a good place to start for publisher copyright policies & self-archiving. Use this site to find a summary of permissions that are normally given as part of each publisher's copyright transfer agreement.

Check WPI's Copyright Compliance Policy for information and Best Practices for Copyright Compliance.

I published a paper, how do I find out if it's ever been cited by anyone?

Come to a Who's Citing Your Research? Cited Reference Searching session. Register online.

Depending on your field there may be other search options. Start with Google Scholar and WPI subscription database Web of Knowledge.

How can I check out a book for a professor I am working for?

Faculty may grant proxy borrowing privileges to a trusted WPI student employee or research assistant in order to check out items on their behalf. Download the Proxy Patron form and ask the faculty member to complete it to be able to check out items under your professor's library account.

Do you have a question we have not listed?

Ask a Library Question now!

Proxy server allows WPI community members to access library subscription databases from off campus. Check WPI's proxy server for the steps to set up your web browser.

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Last modified: Oct 22, 2009, 11:23 EDT