Technical Information: Standards

Standards are an agreed way of doing something - making a product, delivering a service, managing a process or delivering materials for example. This is a brief version based on BSI's definition.

We have databases of full text Standards you can use to help with your research.

We have access to two key collections.

We hold a small number of foreign standards in print - these should be on the library catalogue. You can also request them via Inter-Library-Loans (if we don't hold them or have an older version).

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

• We have a number of 'annual books' in Print etc. (the ASTM website will tell you which volume a specific standard is in).

International Standards (ISOs / IECs)

• These are often in British Standards Online (if they are adopted as British Standards - which can take about a year).

Society of Automotive Engineers

• See the SAE Handbook (TL 151 SAE on level 3 of the Hartley Library).

If you have any queries about technical information, the resources mentioned or wish to make any comments about these pages, please contact us (libenqs@soton.ac.uk).

Standards are an important and often unique source of useful information. Below are some useful links to help you understand standards information.