The purpose of this publication is to provide you with a starting point to finding resources in Quantity Surveying.
- Reference sources
- Books
- Journals
- Subject Headings
- Databases
- Internet resources
- Web search tools
- Related guides and information
Reference sources
Reference sources are a good starting point for any assignment topic, as they can help to clarify concepts and keywords, as well as provide an overview of a topic. They include dictionaries, encyclopaedias, directories, handbooks, manuals, etc. Books labelled GP REF are not available for loan, but can instead be used in the library.
| Call Number | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
GP REF 692 26 |
Australian cost management manual |
A three volume reference. |
GP REF 690.03 18 /2 |
Construction glossary : an encyclopedic reference and manual |
This glossary provides definitions of construction industry jargon, reflects multiple meanings of terms, includes specification language, code interpretations, reference standards, manufacturers' recommended descriptions, and scientific and engineering analysis. |
| Rawlinson's Australian construction handbook | A comprehensive and detailed building cost reference embracing all sections of the building industry. |
|
| Rawlinsons construction cost guide for housing, small commercial & industrial buildings | This 250 page reference book covers projects in the $100,000 to $750,000 range, and its easy-to-use format is complemented by separate prices for all capital cities. | |
GP REF 692.5 127 /2 |
Spon's budget estimating handbook |
Contains a broad range of information to help the developer, quantity surveyor, engineer, architect and landscape architect to produce approximate costing's to enable early decisions to be taken on the viability of proposed schemes. |
Books
To find books on a topic, a good starting point is to perform a keyword search on the library catalogue. Once you have found an item that looks relevant, you can then use the subject headings (see section below) assigned to that record to find other items.
It is also possible to browse the shelves using some of the Dewey Decimal call numbers listed below. Browsing can be useful but it is not a substitute for a precise search.
| Call number | Major subject headings |
|---|---|
| 690 | building |
692.5 |
building estimates |
| 657.869 | construction accounting |
| 691 | building materials construction |
Journals
(Also referred to as magazines, serials or periodicals.)
The library subscribes to a large number of print and electronic journals. Journals cover articles about current developments and research in a subject area. Browsing relevant journals is a good way of keeping up to date in your area, and often your lecturer will recommend certain journals.
For a list of print and electronic Quantity Surveying journals, perform a Subject search for “quantity surveying” on the Library Catalogue (using the Periodicals option). Journals are not available for loan.
Subject headings
Using subject headings allows you to perform a precise search in the library catalogue. The QUT library catalogue uses Library of Congress Subject Headings LCSH. You can consult LCSH (the big red books) in the library. Here are a few examples of subject headings that you may find useful:
| Quantity Surveying | Building Estimates | Life Cycle Costing |
| Construction Industry Australia | Building | Project Management |
| Building Materials | Construction Contracts | House Construction |
Databases
Locating journal articles is different from locating books. The Library Catalogue will tell you if QUT Library holds a particular journal but it will not provide information about individual journal articles. However, the journal databases will help you to locate references to journal articles, and sometimes the abstract and full-text of the articles.
The journal databases vary in the amount of information which they provide. If you find a reference to a journal article, but not the full text, then you will need to perform a Title search, using the Title of the journal (NOT the article) on the library catalogue. The library catalogue will provide the print and/or electronic holding details if the journal is available to QUT staff and students.
Effective use of the databases requires an understanding of search techniques and the Pilot Information Literacy tutorial provides help on developing search strategies.
In addition, library staff offer training sessions on how to use databases throughout each semester. The Tours & workshops page provides further information.
QUT staff and students can access the databases from within QUT libraries or remotely from your School, home or office via the Internet. Most databases require your QUT username and password. Access to the databases is available from the Databases page.
A selection of Quantity Surveying related databases are listed below.
| Database title | Coverage | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Science & Technology Plus |
1971 - (Fulltext 1987 -) |
Wilson Applied Science & Technology Plus is based on the H. W. Wilson Company's Applied Science & Technology Index, which indexes over 550 titles covering the areas of technology, IT, energy, environmental sciences, physics and engineering. It also include the fulltext of about 170 of those titles. Available via the ProQuest interface. |
| Building Code of Australia plus related Australian Standards online |
Current, updated bi-annually |
Published by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). Provides the complete Building Code of Australia, the Guide, and approximately 150 fulltext standards referred to in the Code. |
| ENGINE : Australian Engineering Database |
|
Contains more than 18,500 on Australian engineering. Produced by the Information Resource Centre of the Institution of Engineers, Australia. |
| EngNetBase |  |
A collection of over 160 reference ebooks in engineering, including handbooks, manuals, standards etc. |
| Informit Online |
Varies with database title. |
A large collection of abstracting and fulltext databases providing Australian content. Published by RMIT Publishing. All databases can be cross-searched. |
For more recommended databases, see the Databases Subject Guide (Built Environment and Engineering):
/find/databases/subjectguide_index.jsp#002000000
Internet resources
The Internet provides access to a large range of resources in the Quantity Surveying area. However, the quality of the resources varies, and as part of your research process, you will need to evaluate each web site. There are guidelines for evaluating information which can help you with the evaluation process.
A selection of authoritative Quantity Surveying related web sites are listed below.
| Website | Type of resource | Description |
|---|---|---|
| aecportico http://www.aecportico.co.uk |
Professional association |
ASCE's mission is to provide essential value to our members, their careers, our partners and the public by developing leadership, advancing technology, advocating lifelong learning and promoting the profession. |
The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors |
Professional association |
The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) is the regulatory body of the profession. Through its leadership, standards and code of ethics, it ensures that practicing Quantity Surveyors are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of professional excellence. |
Subject directory |
The Blue Book provides easy access to constantly update building and construction information. American based. |
Web search tools
| Search Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Google http://www.google.com |
An international search engine, with an excellent image searching facility. |
A branch of Google that provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles. |
|
| Scirus is one of the most comprehensive science-specific search engine on the Internet. It is a means by which to find scientific, scholarly, technical and medical data on the Web, reports, peer-reviewed articles, patents, pre prints and journals and has various unique functionalities designed for scientists and researchers. |
Related guides and information
For further information about using libraries and the principles of searching the Library Databases and the Internet, try Pilot. It is a series of short interactive tutorials on finding information in the library and on the Internet.
There are also guides to citing information (in both APA and Harvard format), and how to find standards in your research area.