Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences: Technical Reports
Technical Reports
What is a technical report?
Technical reports describe unpublished results of scientific or technical research. They are usually produced in response to a specific request or research need, and serve as a report of accountability to the funding organization.
Technical reports usually fall into two categories:
- Government sponsored research reports (Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency)
- Privately funded research reports (Hewlett-Packard Labs)
Another type of technical report is an open-file report (OFR) -- an informal releases that allow immediate public access to geologic data.Open-File Reports should not be used as final reports of major scientific investigations.
How do I find a technical report?
Technical reports may be found online in full text, but many are still available only in print or as microfiche, microcards, maps, or bound volumes. They can be hard to track down. Ask a librarian if you have trouble.
Each technical report is identified by an individual number such as an EPA document: EPA/456/R-99/002. That number consists of a series of letters and numbers called the report series code which identifies the:
- agency, society, or company
- year published
- specific number for each report
You can find technical reports online from a number of different sources.
- National Technical Reports LibraryNTRL is the U.S. Government agency charged with the collecting and disseminating scientific and technical reports from government-sponsored research. The NTIS database contains records of unclassified research materials from 1964 to date. Citations and abstracts from unclassified government-sponsored research reports from the Departments of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA, EPA, and other federal agencies.
- USGS Science ExplorerThe majority of the USGS Open-file reports are listed in SearchWorks; check by author and title. Others are also available through the Georef database.
- OnePetroOnePetro.org is a multi-society library that provides a simple way to search for and access a broad range of technical literature related to the oil and gas exploration and production industry. From one place, you can search and buy documents from many different professional societies, or similar organizations, that serve the oil and gas industry.
- Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical InformationThe U.S. Dept. of Energy OSTI provides free access to full-text DoE research and development reports and the DOE contractor research and development community in physics, chemistry, materials, biology, environmental sciences, energy technologies, engineering, computer and information science, renewable energy, and other topics. The current collection includes reports that have been received and processed since 1995. Legacy documents are added as they become available in electronic format.
- Science.govThis index simultaneously searches over 45 databases and websites of the US government.
- Trail technical report archive & image libraryThe Technical Report Archive & Image Library (TRAIL) is an initiative of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) -- in which Stanford Libraries is participating -- to identify, digitize, archive, and provide access to federal technical reports issued prior to 1975. Technical reports communicate research progress in technology and science; they deliver information for technical development to industry and research institutions contributing to the continued growth of science and technology. These highly detailed reports contain valuable information serving specialized audiences of researchers. While availability to more recent (1994́⁰₃current) technical report literature has greatly improved with Internet access via the National Technical Reports Library (NTRL) -- also listed on databases.stanford.edu -- legacy technical report documents remain elusive to researchers. Most large research libraries across the country have sizeable collections of federally funded technical research reportś⁰₄frequently a million or more ranging from several pages to several hundred pages. An example of some report series digitized include: --U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Civil Effects Test Operations (AEC-CEX) --U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Lovelace ------Foundation for Medical Education and Research (AEC-LF) --U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Health and Safety Laboratory (AEC-HASL) --U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Radiation Instruments Branch (AEC-RIB) --U.S. National Bureau of Standards, Monographs --U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin
Where can I find technical reports at Stanford?
Most technical reports housed in the library were written under contract to U.S. government agencies.
Type of Report |
Shelving Code |
Location |
USGS Open File |
550.6.U58o [YR]-[number] |
Branner Main Floor |
State Open File |
US [state code] [number] |
Branner Mezzanine |
Canadian Open File |
CAN OFR [number] |
Branner Mezzanine |
Canadian Province OF |
CAN [province code] [number] |
Branner Mezzanine |
Stanford Engineers Reports |
3780 [Author's name] |
Branner Locked Stack |
Stanford Masters Reports |
3780 [Author's name] |
Branner Locked Stack |
Stanford Departmental Reports |
[Agency] Report # SU XXXX |
Branner Technical Reports |
Other Government Agencies (DOE, etc.) Field Reports |
[Agency] Report # XXX |
Branner Technical Reports |
How can I view a microtext/microfiche/ report?
Microformat readers and a reader/printer/scanner are available at Branner Library as well as Green Library.
- Last Updated: Oct 17, 2024 10:35 AM
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