Undergraduate Research Guide

Patents are one of the most important primary source materials for engineers. Approximately 70 to 90 percent of technical information can only be found in patents and they can effectively demonstrate how previous generations of engineers have tackled specific design problems. Recently filed patents can provide insight on emerging technologies and industry trends that may not be discernible from other sources. In addition to resources on how to access and evaluate patents, the library also provides many print and ebook titles on patent and intellectual property law.