Research Guide to Computer Aided Design (CAD)

This research guide provides information particularly relevant to students in computer aided drafting fundamentals (CAD101), residential design (CAD155 and 205) and interior design/drafting (CAD158), although many of the resources listed should also be useful to those in more specialized CAD classes.. You may also find the Research Guide to Building and Construction Technology helpful.

• Introduction/How to Search
• Reference Resources (Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, eBooks, Etc.)
• Online Databases
• Web Sites

 Indicates title is an ebook

Introduction/How to Search

Librarians do not simply buy materials and randomly put them onto the shelves. Each new item is classified-meaning it is examined carefully and assigned a number to make sure that materials on the same subject are shelved together. Pima College's Library uses the Library of Congress classification system, as does the University of Arizona. This system assigns each subject a combination of letters and numbers, then uses these letters and numbers to arrange materials on the shelves. (For more information see How to Read a Call Number.)

The following table shows how some basic subject headings in CAD are classified. Clicking on any of these subject headings will start a search for the subject in the Library catalog.

Reference Resources

This section lists a few CAD reference tools, as well as information on associated topics such as architecture and interior design. Not all the print resources listed are available at all campus libraries. Check the Library catalog to verify the availability of titles.

• AIA CAD Layer Guidelines : U.S. National CAD Standard Version 2. Washington, DC : American Institute of Architects, 2002. Call no.: T385.A541 2002. This spiral bound booklet provides an introduction to CAD layers, basic organizing concepts, guidelines for naming files, layer name formats, master layer list, and guidelines for use.
• Banham, Joanna, and Leanda Shrimpton. Encyclopedia of Interior Design. 2 vols. London: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1997. Call no.: NK1165 .E48 1997. The aim of this encyclopedia is to provide "description and analysis of a range of subjects and individuals related to the history of interiors."
  
• Barsamian, Michael Allen, and Richard Gizelbach. Machine Trades Print Reading. Tinley Park, Ill.: Goodheart-Willcox, 2001. Call no.: T379 .B355 2000. This textbook/reference provides information on the basic of print reading and industrial prints. It includes quiz questions.
  
  
• Browning, Hugh C. The Principles of Architectural Drafting : A Sourcebook of Techniques and Graphic Standards. New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1996. Call no.: NA2708 .B76 1996. This title "focuses extensively on the fundamentals and refinements of architectural drawing," also providing information on geometry, architectural plans, sections and elevations, paralines, shades and shadows, and presentation graphics and reproduction.
  
• Ching, Frank, and Cassandra Adams. Building Construction Illustrated. 3rd ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 2001. Call no.: TH146 .C52 2001. Available in several different editions, this highly illustrated handbook serves as a reference for building and house construction.
  
• Deitch, Robert. The Modern Architectural Dictionary & Quick Reference Guide: For Architects, Interior Designers, and the Construction Trades. Sherman Oaks, Calif.: Rhinoceros/West Press, 1999. Call no.: NA680 .M535 1999. This illustrated dictionary provides definitions to just over 4,500 terms associated with the field of architecture, interior design, and construction.
  
• Duffield, Mary Rose, and Warren D. Jones. Plants for Dry Climates : How to Select, Grow, and Enjoy. Rev. ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Pub, 2001. Call no.: SB427.5 .D8 2001. This book provides color photos and ample information on plant species that are suitable for landscape design in Arizona and throughout the desert southwest.
  
• Eck, Jeremiah. The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design. Newtown, Conn.: Taunton Press : Distributed by Publishers Group West, 2003. Call no.: NA2750 .E33 2003. This title focuses on four design elements considered key to designing a beautiful home: good siting, well-designed floor plans, elegant exterior forms, and details.
  
• Giesecke, Frederick Ernest. Technical Drawing. 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000. Call no.: T353 .T28 2000. This standard textbook to the field serves as an excellent reference for general drawing problems in industrial practice, and includes an overview of the industrial design and development process.
  
• Harris, Cyril M. Dictionary of Architecture & Construction. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Call no.: NA31 .H32 2006. This standard reference provides concise definitions of terms in architecture and building construction.
  
• Jones, Frederic H. A Concise Dictionary of Interior Design. Los Altos, Calif.: Crisp Publications, 1990. Call no.: NK1704 .J6 1991. This brief illustrated dictionary defines terms used by students of design and architecture.
  
• Morrow, Baker H. A Dictionary of Landscape Architecture. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1987. Call no.: SB469.25 .M67 1987. This dictionary contains information on types of structures, techniques, regions, countries, and people; it is illustrated with line drawings and some photographs.
  
• Pouler, Wilfred B. Print Reading for the Machine Trades. 2nd ed. Albany, N.Y.: Delmar, 1995. Call no.: T379 .P68 1995. This text "develops a thorough explanation of the basic principles of pictorial communication including orthographic projection, pictorial sketching, arrangement of views, the alphabet of lines, and dimensioning."
  
• Ramsey, Charles George, and Harold Reeve Sleeper. Architectural Graphic Standards for Architects, Engineers, Decorators, Builders, and Draftsmen. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1998. Call no.: TH2031 .R35 1998. This is a facsimile reproduction of a classic standard in architecture, originally published in 1932.
  
• Reilly, Edwin D., Anthony Ralston, and David Hemmendinger. Encyclopedia of Computer Science. 4th ed. London: Nature Pub. Group, 2000. Call no.: QA76.15 .E48 2000. This encyclopedia contains over 600 articles on topics within the field of computing and information technology, including CAD.
  
  
• Schoenauer, Norbert. 6,000 Years of Housing. Rev. and expanded ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. Call no.: NA7125 .S383 2000. This title is a "brief history of the evolution of dwellings from the dawn of urban civilizations to the end of the twentieth century."
  
• Szalapaj, Peter. CAD Principles for Architectural Design : Analytical Approaches to Computational Representation of Architectural Form. Oxford: Architectural Press, 2001. Call no.: NA2728 .S97 2001. This illustrated title is "aimed at design students and practitioners interested in understanding how CAD is used in architectural practice."
  
• Wolff, Doug. Drafting Symbol Sourcebook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999. Call no.: T353 .W837 1999. This handbook provides the signs and symbols used in mechanical drawing. Included are architectural symbols; geological and terrestrial symbols; electrical symbols; fire fighting symbols; manufacturing and machinery symbols; plumbing and heating symbols; linetypes; and abbreviations.

Online Databases

Unless otherwise indicated, the databases below are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a student ID or a faculty/staff Library card.

• A very useful online database is  Access Science, which contains the full text of all articles in the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Access Science provides articles on CAD in the engineering and materials section.
  
• Providing articles from a variety of sources (mostly magainzes and newspapers), SIRS Knowledge Source comprises several databases, including one entitled "SIRS Renaissance." This database provides "current perspectives on the arts," and includes a glossary of the arts and a section on architecture and design.
  
• Safari Tech Books Online is a database of over 1,700 full-text books in the field of computer science and information technology. A number of titles in this database relate to graphics. Users can search for terms and concepts across the entire library of available titles.
• The two principal online databases for articles related to CAD are ProQuest’s Career and Technical Education and EBSCO’s Vocational & Career Collection. Both databases contain the full text of CAD-related publications such as CADalyst and CAD/CAM Update, as well as periodicals in which CAD-related articles are sometimes published such as American Machinist, and Computer Graphics World.
  

Web Sites

There are numerous of web sites devoted to CAD. We've listed a small number of high-quality sites that contain links to additional sites.

• AutoCAD Links. 1998. Web site. Available at: http://cheap_pc.tripod.com/cadlinks/index.html. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This site provides access to over 600 AutoCAD web sites, a CAD store, job, and forums.
  
• Autodesk. 2004. Web site. Available at: http://usa.autodesk.com/. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. The Autodesk website is an excellent source of information about various software products sold by Autodesk. To access the "Knowledge Base," simply click on the "search" button on the main page, and type in your inquiry, and product.
  
• CADalog.com. 2004. Web site. Available at: http://cadalog.com. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This commercial web site, subtitled "your CAD superstore," provides access to a variety of freeware, shareware, add-ons, plugins, and commercial software for CAD users.
  
• CADD Primer: An on-line CAD Tutorial. 2004. Web site. Available at:  http://www.caddprimer.com/architecture_cad_chapter_tutorial.html. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This online tutorial describes what CADD is, what it can do for you and how it is best used, introduces many common terms used in CADD, illustrates concepts with exercises, and introduces advanced techniques and shortcut methods used by professionals. The site also features a listing of leading CADD programs and important resources on the web
  
• Digital CAD: The Daily Voice of the CAD Community. 2004. Web site. Available at: http://cad.digitalmedianet.com. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This site has links to news, features, tools and techniques, LISP routines, and field reports.
  
• MCAD Café. 1994. Web site. Available at: http://www.mcadcafe.com. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This site provides links to news, featured downloads, and jobs.
  
• Open Directory Project: Computers--CAD and CAM. 1998. Web site. Available at: http://dmoz.org/Computers/CAD_and_CAM/. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This web directory lists over 1,000 websites, including links to companies, magazines, electronic design automation, drafting, AutoCAD, and many related topics.
  
• Ultimate CAD Directory. 1999. Web site. Available at: http://www.tenlinks.com/CAD/. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. Provides access to CAD communities (e.g., AutoCAD, VectorWorks, Visual CADD, etc.), collaboration, MCAD, products and companies, reference, services and consultants, and recently published articles.
  
• The World Wide Web Virtual Library: CAD. 1994. Web site. Available at: http://www.caddprimer.com/library/. Accessed on: Sept. 24, 2007. This web directory provides links to organizations, other CAD directories and gateways, CAD resources, and CAD magazines and journals. Also included is a link to an online CAD tutorial for beginners and a free book on CAD.