Locate Conferences and Conference Papers

Proceedings of conferences, meetings, symposia, workshops, summer schools, etc. may be difficult to find in the library because they don't fall neatly into either the book or the journal category. When looking for conference proceedings, be prepared for a multi-step search process.

How can I find a paper presented at a conference?

• The complete proceedings of a conference may be published in:
  • Books
  • Journals
  • Series
    
• A few "Select" papers from conference proceedings may also be published in books, journals and series.
  
• Complete proceedings are not always published. Extended abstracts, digests of papers, and invited papers are examples of what may be published in lieu of complete proceedings. 40% of the time, NOTHING is published.
  
• If you cannot find it, do not assume that the Libraries don't own it. Ask your librarian for assistance!  

Where to begin:

• Do you have a complete, accurate citation?

Where to search to verify your citation and locate online full-text papers:

• Google Advanced Search
  • How to set up Google Scholar off-campus
• Select Conference Databases
• Compendex
• Technology Research Database
• MU Libraries databases
  

What fields to search (possible searching points):

• ISSN search (International Standard Serial Number)
• Series title search
• ISBN search (specific book number)
• Editor(s)’ last name(s)
• Sponsoring agency
• Corporate Author versus conference title
• Author(s) of article plus key phrase from article title
• Key “two or three-word” key phrases from conference information or source
   

Where to locate the complete conference proceedings in print:

• MERLIN Keyword search
• WorldCat
• Other Library Catalogs

Examples of conferences and how they are represented in catalogs and databases:

Sample Conference Citation #1

Nakai, Teruo and Masaya, Hinokio. "An Elastoplastic Model for Normally and Over Consolidated Soils in General Stress Systems and Its Application to Some Geotechnical Problems." 1st Japan-U. S. Workshop on Testing, Modeling, and Simulation. June 27-29, 2003, Boston , Massachusetts , USA

• Same citation reformatted:

• Search Compendex for the author and/or title of article.
  
  • Full Record for conference in Compendex (excluding subject terms and abstract):

• Locate the full-text of the article.
  
  
  •   Fields to Search in Catalogs, WorldCat, other databases:

• The MU Libraries do not have this conference in print. However, we do have access to the electronic version in the ASCE Research Library. You must search one of the following (or combination of):
  
  • individual author(s) of the specific paper
  • title of the specific paper
  • portion of conference title (i.e,. geomechanics 2003)
    
    
• For some reason, ASCE exludes the sub-title of the conference proceeding which is why it's important to try several strategies.

Conference Citation #2

McKean, J.; Buechel, S.; Gaydos, L. J. "Remote sensing and landslide hazard assessment ." Proceedings of the Eighth thematic conference on Geologic remote sensing; exploration, engineering, and environment. Proceedings of the Thematic Conference on Geologic Remote Sensing, May 02, 1991, Vol. 8, pp. 729-742

• Same citation reformatted:

• Search GeoRef for a more complete record:

• Search the MERLIN Catalog for the conference, Thematic Conference on Geologic Remote Sensing.
• Try other databases: Search Compendex, Google / Google Scholar
  
  • Compendex citation:

McKean, J. Buechel, S. Gaydos , L. Remote sensing and landslide hazard assessment . [Journal Article] Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing. v 57 n 9 Sep 1991. p 1185-1193

• NOTE: "Select" papers from the conference are published in this journal issue.
• Search MERLIN for MU Libraries' holdings of the journal, Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing.

 

Conference Citation #3

Tanaka, A., Bauer, G. and Queiroz de Carvalho, J.B., 1989. Failure and Analysis of a Concrete Silo. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering , Vol. 1, pp. 345-348.

• Search in Compendex. Note the AUTHOR(s) listed. In this case, only one author is in the record!

Accession Number 92120160173
Title Failure and analysis of a concrete silo.
Author Tanaka, A.
Institution Federal Univ of Paraiba , Braz
Source Proceedings of the International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering . Publ by A. v 1.A. Balkema, Rotterdam , Neth. p 345-348.
Conference Information Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Rio de Janeiro , Br. 19890813-19890818. Conference
Abstract A concrete corn silo, founded in a desiccated stiff clay deposit, failed upon first filling. A detailed soil investigation in the field and in the laboratory followed. This paper reports on the events leading to the failure, the extensive in situ and laboratory tests which were carried out and on the subsequent bearing capacity analysis considering the varying strength parameters of the soil deposit. (Author abstract) [References: 0]
Publication Type Conference Paper
Language English
ISBN 90-6191-891-x

• To locate this conference paper / proceedings, try the following:
  
  • Search Advanced Google for paper/proceedings
    • ISBN
    • Author/title of article
    • Conference title/corporate author
• Search MERLIN (Keyword) for proceedings
  • ISBN
  • Conference title/corporate author
    
• Search WorldCat for proceedings
  • ISBN
  • Conference title/corporate author
  • Specific conference number + title (12th and "soil mechanics" and "international conference")
  • Limit by year(s): 1989 or 1990 or 1991
    
• NOTE: ISBNs and ISSNs are not always included in MERLIN or database records, or they are sometimes inaccurate. Search author, title, and conference title if no records are retrieved by an ISBN/ISSN search.
  
  
• If all else fails, submit an interlibrary loan request!