Looking for a refresher on what a primary source is, how to identify one or track one down? Check out the Purdue Owl's Where to Begin page or this video from Santiago Canyon College.
A patent is an intellectual property right granted by the government to an inventor or owner in exchange for public disclosure of the invention. Patents are free, public documents and contain detailed technical information. Use the tools below to search for patents. To locate a specific historical patent (ie the original Koosh ball) you may need to find the original patent number through a Google search before using one of these search tools to access the patent.
Below are some other tools that may help you to find your primary sources.
Note: While content in this database is unlikely itself to be a primary source, they do cite many primary sources which you can use.
The following databases are a good starting point for finding scholarly work in the STS field. Start a search for your specific topic. You may find you need to modify your search strategy if you have trouble locating relevant sources. In this case, try broadening your search, search for related or overarching topics or adjust your search keywords. If you are unable to find what you need within the databases below, a more comprehensive list of databases and journals is available on the STS research guide homepage.
