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Why Technical Reports?
Technical reports are "one type of literature commonly referred to as gray literature…defined as 'information produced on all levels of government, academics, business and industry in electronic and print formats not controlled by commercial printing'." (Osif, 2006)
Reports are official literature, often government funded, from all engineering disciplines.
- technical reports may be published before the corresponding journal literature
- content may be more detailed than the corresponding journal literature, although there may be less background information since the sponsor already knows it
Source: Osif, B.A. (2006). Using the engineering literature. New York: Routledge.
Core Electronic Resources
- National Technical Reports Library (NTRL) This link opens in a new window
This resource facilitates access to the latest U.S. government-sponsored research and worldwide scientific, technical, engineering, and business-related information. NTIS is the central source for the sale of unclassified and publicly available information from research reports, journal articles, data files, computer programs, and audio-visual products from Federal sources. - Science.gov This link opens in a new window
Science.gov is a gateway to government science information and research results. This provides a search of over 60 scientific databases and 200 million pages of scientific information with just one query, and it is a gateway to over 2200 scientific websites. - OSTI: Office of Scientific and Technical Information This link opens in a new window
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information provides comprehensive access to the results of DOE research and development investments. OSTI is implementing public access to the peer-reviewed scholarly publications resulting from DOE R&D funding. - Technical Report Archive and Image Library - TRAIL This link opens in a new window
The Technical Report Archive & Image Library (TRAIL) identifies, acquires, catalogs, digitizes, and provides unrestricted access to U.S. government agency technical reports. - Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) This link opens in a new window
Provides centralized access to all of Department of Defense's scientific and technical information on DoD's multidisciplinary research, development, engineering, and studies programs. The DTIC provides the general public and industry with access to unclassified, unlimited information, including many full-text downloadable documents.
Federally-Funded Technical Reports - Additional Resources
- NASA Technical Reports Server This link opens in a new window
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) provides access to aerospace-related citations, full-text online documents, images, and videos. Types of information included: conference papers, journal articles, meeting papers, patents, research reports, images, movies, and technical videos.
- National Technical Information Service (NTIS)NTIS is an agency responsible for collecting for government-funded scientific, technical, engineering, and business related since the 1950s. The NTIS database provides citation information for over 3 million publications from 1964 to the present and is available for no cost as Public Access to NTRL. For the same content with some full text options, one can search the National Technical Reports Library (NTRL) (Mines Computing Network/VPN only).
- National Academy of Science (NAS)The following resources provide information about current studies and reports issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine:
The National Academies' Web Site: Provides a wealth of information about activities across the institution, including information about newly released reports.
National Academies Press (NAP): Publisher for the Academies; offers print copies of reports and other material for sale and provides PDF files of reports free of charge. - National Science Foundation (NSF)The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..." NSF is vital because we support basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future. T
- CENDI: Federal STI Managers GroupCENDI’s mission is to increase the impact of federally funded science and technology by improving the management and dissemination of data and information. CENDI provides a forum for sharing expertise, promoting best practices in information management, and developing and executing collaborative projects.
Search Tips
- Often technical reports and especially federally-funded technical reports are not in library catalogs.
- Citations for technical reports often include agency names, agency report numbers or series, contract numbers, grant numbers, and accession numbers. All of these numbers and/or letters could be important in locating the report.
- Use specific keywords when searching for technical reports, as they cover specialized subjects.
- Many technical reports are disseminated directly through the agencies themselves and/or the National Technical Information Service (NTIS).
Example Citations
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Building and calibration of a FAST model of the SWAY prototype floating wind turbine preprint. By J.H. Koh. (NREL/CP-5000-60096). September 2013. (Conference Paper). Available at: http://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo47393; Accessed: 05/12/2014.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Bioflocculation and the Accumulation of Chemicals by Floc-Forming Organisms. By Partick R. Dugan. (EPA-600/2-75-032). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1975. (Environmental Protection Technology Series). (EP 1.23/2:600/2-75-032).