Section 3

The Literature Research Process
 

Dr. Miholits provides search services in the engineering and science areas because he has the qualifications to provide a credible search. The search includes detailed research, analysis and evaluations of the applicable scientific and engineering literature. In the end, he can provide documents of value, usefulness and relevance to the Customer's specific needs and requirements.

My search steps include, but is not limited to the following elements. I expressed this in an equation form below.

Books + Publications + Reports + Dissertations + Computers + Search Engines + Keywords + Links + My Experience + My Knowledge Base + My Analytical Thinking Process = The Tools I Use

In summary, the above says. The search tools I use include, but are not limited to are: publications (books, professional journals, government reports, dissertations); computers; search engines; keywords; links; experience; my knowledge base; my analytical thinking process; etc. To create a credible scientific search, the documents I will tend to gravitate to are those which have a deserved reputation for being credible.

Because Dr. Miholits has this qualifications, he developed a new business line to complement his engineering consulting business. The following section describes the services he provides and how he does the work.

This kind of literature (document) research activity in the engineering and science areas is a logical addition to the literature search work which he was already doing as an "Engineering Consultant" and as a consultant in "Expert Witness Consultant" programs. For these "Engineering Consulting" activities, he performs searches and evaluations tailored (designed) to meet the Customer's needs and requirements (i.e., engineering, scientific and legal areas). This consulting service also includes selected medical topics which are an outgrowth of the engineering consulting work described above.

Section 4

Example of a Typical Science & Engineering Research Project
 

An example of a typical search and research activity follows. This example is presented at this point in the presentation because Dr. Miholits desires to eliminate any confusion as to his objectives when he performs an engineering and/or science search and research activity.

Note: Dr. Miholits does not consider a search successful unless it meets the needs and requirements of the Customer. All of this is presented on this web-page. These initial words are simply to set the stage for what follows.

If the Customer is looking for a short summary scientific paper which describes the theory of uranium enrichment, this is what will be provided. You will be directed to a clear, concise and well-written paper on this subject because:

• He understands the subject material for the technical literature searches he conducts,

• He can analyze and evaluate the content and the quality of the material in engineering and scientific papers.

• Therefore, for his example, his understanding of the subject material will allow him to separate good and correct material from the other material.

• He has worked in this area and understands the security and government classification rules as they apply to papers in this field.

• It follows then that this search will result in a non-classified paper released by the publication office of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

In the final analysis, the way Dr. Miholits performs his search and evaluation work ensures that he will provide "Credible documents" of value, usefulness and relevance to the Customer's specific needs and requirements.

For these kinds of technical activities, he will tailor the search program to the Customer's needs and requirements.

Section 5
The Steps Dr. Miholits' Uses In His Science & Engineering Research

• Dr. Miholits objective is to solve your engineering and science research problems.

• Dr. Miholits does brief searches, as well as comprehensive searches. The latter uses his educational and experience skills to perform the searches and evaluations.

• This includes search, research, analysis, review and evaluation of the "Found" documents, papers, publications, et cetera.

• The aforementioned "Problem-solving, university-type paper studies" used in his consulting work has given him engineering and science document search skills. These skills evolved into his adding technical and non-technical searches to his business line.

• He believes that his searches are only successful when he finds documents of value, usefulness and relevance in accordance with the Customer's stated needs and requirements.

• His search methodology is designed to achieve success, as discussed herein.

• His technical searches include: engineering; the physical and biological sciences areas; plus selected medical topics.

• Medical literature is included herein as there are strong medical implications associated with exposure to radioisotopes and in the sanitary engineering field. Therefore, Dr. Miholits developed a significant medical knowledge base in these areas.

• Note: the preceding tasks are all search tasks. No consulting services are provided.

Section 6

Special Concerns in the Literature Research Process
 

Dr. Miholits performs comprehensive literature research, analysis and evaluations. There is a similarity between this research and the research he does to solve engineering and science problems. For the latter, he calls these university-type (problem-solving) paper studies.

Dr. Miholits also offers consulting services in: (1) environmental health and safety engineering; (2) radiological health and safety engineering; (3) selected civil engineering topics (e.g., sanitary engineering, environmental engineering, etc.); (4) selected nuclear fuel cycle engineering topics (e.g., nuclear waste, radiation protection, etc.); (5) the physical, biological and medical problems resulting from civil and nuclear fuel cycle engineering activities; and (6) the regulatory and environmental considerations, as appropriate..

This has enhanced his abilities as a "University-type Paper Study Researcher" in engineering and science.

He is a former college professor (1965-70). When he combines his work in the engineering-construction industry with his university background, an "Engineering problem solver" was born. With this background, he elected to limit his engineering problem solving work to the four areas cited above. Because of this history and because he is a sole-proprietorship (one-person) organization, he functions like a college professor in what he does and how he does it.

• This means that he confines his consulting to front-end, "Problem-solving paper studies" rather than the detailed design work which full-function architectural-engineering design firms undertake.

• As stated previously, the paper studies and investigations will be confined to the subject areas related to his education and experience base. This is supplemented with the "Knowledge base" contained in published and non-published engineering and scientific reports, books, papers and other literature found via the internet. He then uses his education, experience and analytical skills to review, analyze and evaluate this information. The outcome of this information search and research process gives him the tools to solve engineering and scientific problems.

• But to be effective, one has to have the education, knowledge and experience to understand, analyze, evaluate and interpret the information in these documents. He has this ability and can do this in the specified subject areas.

• He does the latter step by performing "Internet searches." He uses his "Internet search skills" to find the required information. He then performs a detailed analysis and evaluation on the located information so as to single out the information of greatest value, relevance, usefulness and pertinence to the Customer's needs and requirements. The relevant information is used as an input in the problem-solving endeavor.

• Through these series of steps we have:

  • The supplementary information needed to permit the consulting work to be performed from a well-informed basis.

  • The most valuable, most credible and most up-to-date information.

  • The information to permit a very competent and credible analysis and evaluation to be performed.

  • A literature base more than adequate to assist in this consulting effort, and

  • The necessary tools to solve the Customer's problem.

The reasons for building a literature search business around this concept is listed below.

• My business is a one-person engineering consulting operation which makes "Paper studies" the most logical approach.

• My education and experience is ideal for doing "Paper studies."

• My being an engineering-type "Thinker" and "Problem Solver" adds to my effectiveness with this approach.

• There is a wealth of literature available "Online." But, in my opinion, this means little if the searcher can't separate the good from the bad; the quality-level papers from those of low quality; the technically correct from the incorrect (e.g., cold fusion); the relevant from the non-relevant; the useful from the non-useful; et cetera. Rather, what is needed is someone with the talent to find the information the "Customer" needs and then have the skills to interpret and evaluate it.

• And last but not least, there is a close interrelationship between this work and my three new consulting subject areas. In all four cases I need to obtain useful, relevant and valuable information for the "Customer." These areas are:

  • Engineering consultant (existing consulting subject area).

  • Expert witness consultant activities (new consulting subject area.

  • Engineering search program (new consulting subject area).

  • Non-technical information search program (new consulting subject area).

• His qualifications to do this work is described on the qualifications web-page of Dr. Miholits. Please use the "Hyperlink" Curriculum Vitae

• Because of the special circumstances surrounding a one-person consulting operation and my particular skills and experience, I concluded that this is the best way to specialize.

• Considering all of these factors, this gave me the impetus to design my engineering consulting business around this type of engineering consulting concept.

End of Literature Research Page  — Page 5 of 6