ECE 4440 / ECE 4991 Portal: Students
Welcome
Welcome to the library portal for ECE 4440 / ECE 4991. The portal provides quick links to the resources you need to succeed in your course. Whether you are online or on-Grounds, UVA Library services and support are available to all students.
Your Librarian
Your librarian is Erich Purpur.
Each school at UVA is assigned a research librarian. 
Connect with Erich for help with your assignments. This service is available to all Electrical & Computer Engineering students, and meeting with a librarian early in your research process can help you save time and get a better grade.
Erich can help with: learning how to use the Library online, brainstorming your research topic, developing your search strategy, capstone/thesis/dissertation planning, identifying relevant databases/journals for your literature reviews, tracking down resources, and citation management. Erich can meet with you in-person or online via Zoom.
Patent Searching
- The US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency which serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States
- Google Patents is a search engine from Google that indexes patents and patent applications
- Lens serves global patent and scholarly knowledge as a public good to inform science and technology enabled problem solving. No account required.
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Basic Introduction to Patent SearchingA first stop for learning how to find existing patents
Zotero
Zotero (pronounced "zoh-TAIR-oh") is an application that collects, manages, and cites research sources. It's easy to use, connects with your web browser to save sources, and best of all it's free.
Zotero allows you to attach PDFs, notes and images to your citations, organize them into collections for different projects, and create bibliographies.
It's incredibly customizable for how you work and how you want to use the platform.
Search for academic articles
Academic databases contain peer-reviewed articles, scientific papers, reports, and more. These are the most used databases for your field of study.
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Engineering Village This link opens in a new windowCombines the databases Compendex, Inspec, Inspec Archive, and NTIS with one search interface.
API available, more information here: APIs for Scholarly Research -
Compendex (Ei Compendex*Plus) This link opens in a new windowA large interdisciplinary engineering database listing journal articles, technical reports and conferences. Includes book reviews.
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ASTM Science and Engineering Digital Library This link opens in a new windowThe ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library is a vast collection of industry-leading standards and technical engineering information. The Library covers a broad range of engineering disciplines, including aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, environmental, geological, health and safety, industrial, materials science, mechanical, nuclear, petroleum, soil science, and solar engineering.
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IEEE Xplore This link opens in a new windowFind articles and other information from the journals, proceedings and standards published by IEEE and by the Institution of Electrical Engineers. Full-text is from 1988 to present with some selected earlier content.
API available, more information here: APIs for Scholarly Research
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Web of Knowledge/Web of Science This link opens in a new windowIncludes Book Citation Index- Science (2005-), Book Citation Index- Social Science & Humanities (2005-), Conference Proceedings Citation Index- Science (1990-), Conference Proceedings Citation Index- Social Sciences & Humanities (1990-), Current Chemical Reactions (1985-), Index Chemicus (1993-), Science Citation Index Expanded (1900-), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-), and Emerging Sources Citation Index (2005-present).
API available, more information here: APIs for Scholarly Research
Technical Standards
A technical standard is a set of guidelines or specifications established by organizations to ensure the safety, quality, compatibility, and performance of products, processes, or services. These standards help ensure consistency and interoperability across industries.
IEEE Xplore is a digital research database that provides access to technical literature published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and its publishing partners. It includes journals, conference proceedings, technical standards, and ebooks covering electrical engineering, computer science, and related fields. Widely used by engineers, researchers, and students, the platform supports advanced search and citation tools to aid in innovation and academic work. IEEE Xplore is considered a leading resource for staying current with cutting-edge technology and engineering research.
ASTM Compass accesses ASTM's full collection of standards, technical papers, manuals, eBooks, and journals. It is designed as a comprehensive research and reference tool for engineers, researchers, and professionals who rely on ASTM standards in their work. Users can search, view, and track updates to standards, as well as explore related publications across a wide range of industries. The platform helps ensure that organizations and individuals stay current with globally recognized best practices and technical guidelines.
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Ei Compendex*Plus This link opens in a new windowA large interdisciplinary engineering database listing journal articles, technical reports and conferences. Includes book reviews.
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ASM Alloy Center Database This link opens in a new windowThe ASM Alloy Center Database™ Alloy Finder is a database of more than 120,000 alloy designations,specifications, standards, and commercial grades in the U.S. and globally. The latest release includes nearly 14,500 new and updated ferrous and nonferrous alloy standards specification data sheets: UNS, ASTM, ASME, and International standards (BSI, BIS, JIS, etc.).
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MADCAD: Building Codes Online This link opens in a new windowA collection of fully-searchable building codes and standards. Includes ICC and NFPA codes, ADA and HUD guidelines, and selected codes for Virginia and Maryland.