LibGuides: Engineering: Websites

Websites / Pae tukutuku

Need help evaluating websites?

Search engines like Google can be a great way of quickly finding lots of information relevant to your study. However, you have to be careful which websites you use. Use this CRAAP test guide to help you evaluate websites you find.

The CRAAP Test
The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to ask yourself about information you find online. It can help you sort the good from the bad.

Have you tried using Google Scholar? Google scholar takes you to academic articles online. Check out this useful guide.

Google Scholar
Google Scholar includes most peer-reviewed online journals of Europe and America's largest scholarly publishers, plus scholarly books and other non-peer reviewed journals.
Using Google Scholar

Tips on Evaluating Websites

Some URL Hints

Sites that end in .edu, .ac.nz, .ac.edu.au, or .ac.uk are websites from educational organisations - like a university, or another tertiary institution. Wintec's website is wintec.ac.nz, for instance. In general, a university or tertiary website is going to be considered fairly reliable.
Sites that end in .com are usually websites for businesses - they're making money somehow. New Zealand websites often have the ending .co.nz, or Australian ones, .com.au. These are businesses too! Businesses exist to make money, so you need to be careful when using their websites. Check that the business is legitimate, and that the information you are seeing is accurate before you use it. Consider if they have a reason to give you information that only tells part of a story. Use The CRAAP test!
Sites that end in .net can be hard to figure out. Sometimes they are business or organisations, sometimes they're personal websites or something else. Look carefully to decide if they are legitimate and good quality, and use The CRAAP Test to determine if you should use it for an assignment.

New Zealand Websites

NZ Transport Agency (NZTA)
Delivering transport solutions for New Zealand on behalf of the government.
Waikato Regional Council (publications)
Waikato Regional Council produces a wide range of publications on environmental issues in the Waikato region. These include guidelines, reports, policy documents, pamphlets and information sheets. Copyright in these publications is owned by Waikato Regional Council.
Also check out the rest of the site for other relevant local information.
BRANZ
BRANZ is an independent and impartial research, testing, consulting and information company providing resources for the building industry.
Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA)
The NZ Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA) was established in 1978 as an industry owned, non-profit research organisation dedicated to serving the needs of metal-based industries in New Zealand. While the emphasis of its activities is on heavy engineering, HERA also services wider metals industry interests such as light-gauge steel, stainless steels, light alloys and metals-based composites.
New Zealand Engineering News
With design and manufacturing driven by CAD/CAM and robotics support, we make sure our readers are kept up to the minute with technical articles and case studies from New Zealand and overseas to provide models for development.
Site Safe
Assists construction businesses to improve their health and safety culture; to control hazards and reduce injuries
Worksafe NZ
WorkSafe New Zealand is New Zealand’s workplace health and safety regulator.
Our focus is to embed and promote good workplace health and safety practices. We are also the regulator for electricity and gas safety in the workplace and home.

International Websites

Austroads
Austroads Publications Online allows you to purchase Austroads Guides and freely download more than 600 technical and research reports. You'll also find the Austroads Test Methods, Pavement Work Tips, Specifications and Technical Notes here.
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
The world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology
IEEE (WIE) Women in Engineering
IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to promoting women engineers and scientists and inspiring girls around the world to follow their academic interests to a career in engineering.
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
ICE is one of the world's oldest professional institutions. We promote the practice of civil engineering, and provide professional qualifications to members across the world.
PhET - Physics
PhET provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. These tests include student interviews and observation of simulation use in classrooms. The simulations are written in Java, Flash or HTML5, and can be run online or downloaded to your computer. All simulations are open source (see our source code). Multiple sponsors support the PhET project, enabling these resources to be free to all students and teachers.
All About Circuits
All about circuits - textbook: Lessons about circuits
This free electrical engineering textbook provides a series of volumes covering electricity and electronics. The information provided is great for students, makers, and professionals who are looking to refresh or expand their knowledge in this field.
Engineer on a disk
This set of resources contains course and working notes accumulated over many years. Where possible references are cited, or at least the need for a reference. Some problems are provided, sometimes with answers
Engineer on a disk - PLC eBook
This book has been designed for students with some knowledge of technology, including limited electricity, who wish to learn the discipline of practical control system design on commonly used hardware.
electrical4u.com
Online electrical engineering

Engineering and Construction News from ScienceDaily

ScienceDaily is best known for showcasing the top science news stories from the world’s leading universities and research organizations.