In engineering and science, the main way that researchers communicate their work is through journal articles. What distinguishes a journal article from other information you might find?
Here is an example of a journal article by a uOttawa graduate student in engineering.
Researchers also use conference papers to share their research more quickly. These are not really peer-reviewed, though there is some screening.
The two best places to start your search are general STEM databases - Scopus and Web of Science. (Scopus is easier to use for most people). They will find journals and conference papers from many publishers, including ASME, so it's generally best to start there unless you are looking for something very specific.
If you only want peer-reviewed journal articles, you'll need to filter your results after you search (on the left hand side of the screen).
How to search
When you use a research database, you will get much better results if you prepare a structured search rather than just entering a few words. See this help guide for an explanation of how to do this.
Pro tip: If you want an overview of recent research on a topic, instead of an original research report, you can look for 'review articles' on your topic. In Scopus and Web of Science, the easiest way to find these is to filter by 'document type' on the left-hand side of the page after you do a search
Having trouble finding good articles? Email me, your engineering librarian, for help! You can also see my toolbox of advanced search strategies.