Technical papers, filing

Finally, I should mention a word about filing technical papers. It is tempting to keep a file of papers by subject, and this is satisfactory for collections of 100 to 200 papers, but beyond that a more systematic method is necessary. Ben Wylie, my dissertation advisor, filed his papers by unique serial number and uses an ingenious system of cross-referenced index cards for retrieving papers by author, title, or subject. I ve adopted the same serial-number system, but I use a computer database to cross reference the file records. I use that database online to help locate a needed reference at a moment s notice. 

Almost equally important, members of the organization can use the same files to prepare technical papers and books. Here the advantages are manifold subject classifications may be removed from the files one by one as needed and taken home or to the oflRce for individual use. In many cases, the article file suflBces for the work in question. However, the card file is available when more comprehensive coverage is needed. In essence, the card file is a portable condensation of Chemical Abstracts arranged by subject matter. Extraction of a subject classifica-... 

How effective the files are may be judged from the fact that The Chemical Technology of Petroleum was written almost exclusively from them. This book, by W. A. Gruse and D. R. Stevens of Gulfs Mellon Institute fellowship, is widely known and highly regarded throughout the petroleum industry. It is only one example of the way in which the files have rendered yeoman service. Other examples include numerous technical papers and at least one other book. 

Stevens is only one example of the way in which the files have rendered yeoman service. Other examples include numerous technical papers and at least one other book. 

ANIL KUMAR KRUTHIVENTI is an Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Sri Sathya Sai University, India. The author of 40 technical papers, he has filed two patents in microbial mediated o-dealkylations of aryl alkyl ethers and is a member of the Indian Science Congress. He is the recipient of the Young Teachers Career Award (1996) from the All India Council for Technical Education, New Delhi, India. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Sri Sathya Sai University, Prashanti Nilayam, A.P. India. 

In an effort to avoid reproducing indexing errors from other systems, hard copy of all articles selected for inclusion into the data base is always obtained before information is entered into the ETIC file. When a complete copy of an article is in hand, the bibliographic data are entered into the computer. The fields that are entered include the author, title, citation, literature type, language or translation notes, secondary source, and selected abstracts. The technical staff then indexes the data using experimental parameters that allow searching in a variety of ways specific to the interests of the users. Only that portion of the paper concerned with teratology or... 

This paper outlines a scheme for preparing literature and patent surveys with a near minimum of time expenditure and a high degree of completeness. The scheme consists primarily of the continuous collection, classification, and filing of current literature and patents. As a result of this operation, surveys may be prepared directly from filed material without arduous searching through the abstract iournals. Stenographic personnel may be utilized lor much of the work to reduce the cost of the operation and conserve the time of technical personnel. 

In most situations the industrial sponsor should try to agree to publication of Background and University Technical Information (subject to prior review by both parties). To circumvent the "academic freedom" obstacle (and protect valuable research developments), corporate sponsors of university research should request the right to review papers or articles by university scientific personnel pertaining to the Sponsored Research field sufficiently in advance of the time they are to be submitted for publication. The advance review period should afford the corporate party adequate time to evaluate the proposed publication for the presence of patentable subject matter or Corporate Technical Information. Publication of an invention prior to filing a patent application can bar most foreign patent protection (e.g. European Patent Convention Article 54) and disclosure. 

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