A Penn State Guide to

Mechanical Engineering

By Daniel Pfeiffer-Kelly
6 February 2017

Table of Contents:
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1. Introduction
1.1. Contents and Scope 3
1.2. Intended Audience 3
1.3. Guide Assumptions 3
1.4. Guide Organization 4
1.5. Tips of Use 4
2. Course Homework Help
2.1. Chegg 5
2.2. Wolfram Alpha 6
3. Career Help
3.1. Glassdoor 7
3.2. eCareer 8
4. Mechanical Engineering Resources
4.1. Engineering Case Studies Online 9
4.2. Applied Mechanics Reviews 10
5. Government Publications
5.1. Catalog of U.S. Government Publications 11
5.2. Statistical Abstract of the United States 12

1. Front Matter:
1.1. Contents and Scope:

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This guide contains descriptions of useful resources for Penn State

Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Students. The information
inside the guide provides homework help, career services, as well
as engineering resources. This guide is a backbone for mechanical
engineering students to excel in coursework, research, and career
advancement.

1.2. Intended Audience

This guide is intended for Penn State Mechanical Engineering
Students both before and after they enter the major. For
prospective students, the guide outlines resources the audience
has likely never applied prior to Penn State. It also lays out
databases and journals to pique students interest in the major.
However, in addition to underclassman students, the guide may
be quite useful for upperclassman looking for an internship, co-op,
full time job, or research assistance. Mechanical engineering
student alumni may also find some of the contents of this
resource applicable if they require a technical journal or database
for inquiry on the job.

1.3. Guide Assumptions

This guide assumes the audience at a minimum has received a
high school diploma, plans to attend Penn State, and has interest
in majoring in mechanical engineering. Because the audience has
received a high school diploma, the guide assumes the audience
has a rudimentary understanding of engineering as well as ample
experience using the Internet.

1.4. Guide Organization

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This guide is organized into 5 key sections, each containing sub-

material. The front matter, which is the current section, outlines
the guide as a whole. The Course and Homework Help section
provides resources to aid students succeed in the classroom.
Career Help Section provides resources to help students find a
job. The Mechanical Engineering Resources section provides both
an index and journal to help pique student interest and provide
mechanical engineering guidance. Last, the Government
Publications section provides two government resources to further
aid mechanical engineers succeed. If there is any confusion
where to locate these sections, the table of contents outlines each
of their locations.

1.5. Tips of Use

The entire guide may not be worth reading in full. Pick and choose
the sections you feel are most applicable to your needs. The
following approach may be helpful:
Freshman will find the Course and Homework Help Section,
the Career Help Section, and the Mechanical Engineering
Resources section most helpful.
Sophomores will find the Course and Homework Help Section
and the Career Help Section most helpful.
Juniors and Seniors will find the Career Help Section, the
Mechanical Engineering Resources Section, and the
Government Publications Section most helpful.
Former students will find the Mechanical Engineering
Resources Section, and the Government Publications Section
most helpful.

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2. Course and Homework Help:

2.1. Chegg
Website
Link: https://www.chegg.com/

Abstract:
Chegg is a website designed for college coursework assistance.
The website contains explanations and solutions to homework
problems typically encountered in engineering classes. These
solutions provide a concrete, step-by-step process to aid students
with difficult problems they may not be able to solve on their own.
The site is particularly helpful for pre-major, introductory classes
taken freshman and sophomore year. Access to solutions on the
site can only be granted via an annual fee of $14.95 a month or
$119.95 annually. After creating an account, it is easy to search
the site by simply typing the specific question of concern into the
search bar. On top of the homework solutions, Chegg also offers
two other useful services. First, if students require significant
homework help, Chegg provides an online private tutoring
service. This service can be obtained for a supplementary fee.
Second, digital textbooks can be rented for significantly lower
prices than the Penn State Student Bookstore. These two
resources in addition to the thousands of homework solutions
make Chegg a must have for both homework help and saving big
on textbooks.

Tips:
Try and split the cost of Chegg with some friends in class.
Accounts can be shared amongst multiple people.
Simply copying and pasting a homework question into
Google, then typing Chegg is another quick way to pull up
a solution. This can sometimes be quicker than going to
Chegg first then typing the question.
It is better to simplify homework question by just typing key
words into the Chegg search bar. This will typically result in

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more helpful solutions rather than typing out an entire

question.

2.2. Wolfram Alpha

Website
Link: https://www.wolframalpha.com/

Abstract:
Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge and answer engine.
Students can use the search bar to input math problems as
complicated as integrals or Taylor Series. Wolfram Alpha will
provide a detailed, step-by-step process to solving nearly any
math problem of concern. These solutions provide a wide range of
data, containing information such as plots, series expansions, or
roots. To view full solutions, the site costs a reasonable fee of
$2.99 a month for students. Mechanical Engineering Students in
introductory courses such as Math 140, Math 141, or Chemistry
110 will find the resource extremely practical. In addition to just
math problems, the site provides information on topics as diverse
as quantum mechanics, economics and even sports statistics.
This is extremely useful for students looking for diverse
information across varying subjects. Overall, Wolfram Alpha is a
must have for Mechanical Engineering Students looking to
succeed in the classroom.

Tips:
It is not always necessary to buy a membership to Wolfram
Alpha. Without paying, the website still provides answers to
problems and detailed information. However, paying a
monthly fee is required for step-by-step math solutions.
Split the costs with friends by swapping payments by month.
Multiple users can share an account.

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3. Career Help:

3.1. Glassdoor
Website
Link: https://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm

Abstract:
Glassdoor is website where current and former employees can
review their experience working for a company. The website also
provides an abundant amount of practical information such as a
salaries, interview reviews, and 1-5 star evaluation criteria for a
company. Mechanical Engineering Students looking for a full time
job, internship or co-op will find the resource quite practical.
Signing up and writing a company review will grant students
access to hundreds of potential interview questions and reviews
of companies. However, students who chose not to sign up can
still access many sample questions and reviews. Four tabs on the
top left of the page provide seamless navigation between
information students may be looking for. Overall, the website
provides a great resource to help students land their top job.

Tips:
Never have had an internship and want to access
Glassdoors full content? Anywhere you may have worked in
the past still qualifies for a review, even if it was a part time
high school job. Another good idea is to have a parent or
guardian write a company review for you.
Another quick way to access content on Glassdoor is to use
Google. Simply search the company name or job title then
Glassdoor and the information you are looking for should
be the first link.

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The interview questions / reviews are very helpful for

interview prep (Possibly the most helpful aspect of Glassdoor
for college students). Questions frequently come straight off
Glassdoor.

3.2. eCareer
Website
Link: https://eng-psu-csm.symplicity.com/students/?signin_tab=0

Abstract:
eCareer is a Penn State run job search webpage for current and
former Penn State Mechanical Engineering Students. The website
provides hundreds of job posting for students. Students can
upload documents such as their resume or cover letter directly to
eCareer for job applications. Once signed in to eCareer, students
can use the left side bar to browse seamlessly between uploaded
documents, jobs, and interviews. If a company is interested,
interview locations and times can be directly scheduled through
eCareer. Students will be informed via email whether they receive
an interview. Additionally, tabs on the middle of the screen allow
you to observe recommended jobs as well as favorite jobs you
have marked for interest. eCareers countless capabilities make it
an excellent job search engine for Penn State Mechanical
Engineering Students.

Tips:
Not all job applications allow you to submit your resume
directly through eCareer. For example, many companies
encourage you to instead apply through their website rather
than eCareer for a position.
Submit cover letters whenever possible. Employers may not
necessarily read them, but they show that youre interested.
Apply to jobs as often as you can. It is imperative to get your
resume out there, even if you are only slightly interested in a
position. Better to have some job than no job.

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Check eCareer often. New jobs are posted all the time and it
is important to double check whether any companies
scheduled you an interview.
eCareer is very useful during the Penn State career week.
Many companies attending the career fair post jobs they are
looking for prior to the fair. It is key to let employers know
you already applied online.

4. Mechanical Engineering
Resources

4.1. Engineering Case Studies

Online
Index
Link: http://search.alexanderstreet.com/engv

Abstract:
Engineering Case Studies Online is an index that provides hours
of engineering related video and text material from the 20 th and
21st century. The site is useful for younger students who want to
learn more about mechanical engineering or upper classman and
graduates looking for research support. The topics cover
information such as detailed experiments, engineering design
failures, and documentaries. The site provides seamless
navigation with the left side bar covering engineering subjects,
engineering events, and video playlists. For instance, by clicking
Mechanical Engineering, dozens of related articles will appear.
These articles can be further refined by author, format, publisher,
etc. The broad range of material make Engineering Case Studies
Online an excellent resource for both prospective Penn State
Mechanical Engineering Students as well as current engineers.

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Tips:
The videos provided on Engineering Case Studies are very
interesting. They are great ways to learn more about
mechanical engineering before majoring in the subject.
More information is still currently being added to Engineering
Case Studies Online. Check back for more text and videos in
the future.

4.2. Applied Mechanics Reviews

Journal
Link:
http://appliedmechanicsreviews.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/jo
urnal.aspx

Abstract:
Applied Mechanics Reviews is a journal that covers information
across mechanics and engineering science. The information
includes new developments in research and technology related to
the subject matter. This resource is useful for prospective
students looking to learn about interesting new advancements in
Mechanical Engineering. However, the journal is most beneficial
for upper classman or graduated mechanical engineers looking
for research assistance and developments. Articles can be
navigated between most recent and popular content. After
clicking on an article, the journal offers a number of services and
data including related articles to the topic, pdf exports, and
smooth browsing between reference materials. Overall, the
journal is a quite useful resource for comprehensive detail on
mechanical engineering advancements.

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Tips:
If the article content isnt quite what you are looking for, the
Related Journal Articles tab is quite useful for finding a
similar article to a topic. This is very useful for research
assistance.
Looking for a capstone or research idea? Applied Mechanics
Reviews provides hundreds of potential research
advancements to build ideas off of.

5. Government Publications

5.1. Catalog of U.S. Government

Publications
Government Resource
Link: https://catalog.gpo.gov/F?RN=91770103

Abstract:
The Catalog of U.S Government Publications can be used to locate
reports published on mechanical engineering or other fields of
interest. This resource is most useful for upper classman or
graduated mechanical engineers looking for research assistance
and new developments. The site provides a search bar where
students can input information such a report title, subject, or key
words. After searching Mechanical Engineering in the search
bar, hundreds of different reports appear. For the sake of interest,
NREL next generation drivetrain, 2014 will be used as an
example:

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Nrel Next Generation Drivetrain:

This report documents the testing of a wind turbine drivetrain.
The new drivetrain is aimed at decreasing costs and increasing
efficiently. The author of the report is Christopher Halse and is
published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2014.
The bibliography also includes a poster hyperlink summarizing the
report http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/61599.pdf. This is just
one example of the hundreds of reports the Catalog of U.S
Government Publications provides.

Tips:
The Catalog of U.S Government Publications includes an
advanced search option if you cannot find the article you are
looking for. This can be quite helpful when you need to refine
for specifics.
Avoid inputting too many words into the search bar. Restrict
searches to key words and phrases.

5.2. Statistical Abstract of the

United States
Website:
Link: http://www.census.gov/library/publications/time-
series/statistical_abstracts.html

Abstract:
The Statistical Abstract of the United States provides statistical
data on a diverse range of topics dating from 1878 through 2012.
The data collection was halted in late 2011, therefore, data after
2012 is unavailable. This resource is most useful for upper
classman or graduated mechanical engineers looking for research
assistance. By clicking on a year, information ranging from
agriculture to population can be reviewed. As a relevant example,

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a statistical abstract on federal expenditure in space, science, and

tech will be reviewed:

821 - Federal Outlays For General Science, Space and

Other Technology, and Projections:
This statistical abstract can be located by first clicking on the year
2012, then navigating to section 16, the Science and
Technology tab. In this tab, relevant statistical abstracts focused
on engineering, technology, and R&D can be located. As defined
in the title above, the purpose of this abstract is to detail
government spending for various engineering related fields. The
report comes as an excel spreadsheet, laying out yearly spending
(and current projected spending) from 1970 to 2012. All of the
spreadsheets headings are clearly indicated, addressing topics on
the top row, and year on the left column. Like this document,
other abstracts on the Statistical Abstract of the United States can
be seamlessly navigated to locate engineering related data of
interest.

Tips:
You can use the top left bar to navigate between other topics
such as audio, reference, and video. Some of the videos
included contain interesting material.

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