Natural Resources and Environment

GEOG 5014: Geographic theory and research

Note this guide is to be used as a starting point to find materials for
your topic, and should not be mistaken as an all inclusive list of resources

Getting started

• Concept Table
• Understanding Boolean searches
• Evaluating Information

Resources for writing scientific papers/publishing

• Communicating in Science: Writing a Scientific Paper and Speaking at Scientific Meetings
• Elements of the Scientific Paper
• How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (1998 has an online version)

Resources for developing good research skills

• Information Skills Modules
• Integrating Research: A Guide to Literature Reviews
• The Literature Review: 6 Steps to Success

Finding background and other reference sources

• Types of background resources

Dictionaries

• A Modern Dictionary of Geography ~ print resource located in the 2nd floor reference collection
• Dictionary of Environment and Ecology ~ print resource located in the 4th floor reference collection
• Dictionary of Physical Geography ~ print resource available for checkout
• Dictionary of Human Geography ~ print resource located in the 2nd floor reference collection

Encyclopedias

• Encyclopedia of World Geography ~ print resource available for checkout
• Encyclopedia of Human Geography ~ print resource available for checkout
• Addison catalog searching

Keywords: broad/general terms found anywhere in the record; use as starting point to find information, then move to subject searches based on items returned of interest in your search. For example:

physical geography Africa
medical geography
invasive plants virginia

NOTE: Type terms in order of importance for better relevancy (e.g. west nile virus instead of virus west nile)

Subject headings

(specific classifications given to materials about their subject area):

Focused

• West Nile Virus
• Medicinal plants
• Appalachian mountains

General

• Virus disease
• Botany
• Mountains

Recommended databases to search

(these are proprietary; when off campus, sign in using the Off Campus Sign In from the library's website)

General

• Academic Search Complete
• LexisNexis Academic (news resources)
• GeoRef

Life and physical sciences

• CABDirect
• Biological Abstracts
• CSA Natural Sciences
• Environment Complete
• Web of Science

Social sciences

• Sociological Abstracts
• CSA Social Sciences
• PAIS International (and their archive, which searches 1915-1971)
• PsycInfo

Government resources and databases

(available free to the public)

• Geodata.gov: U.S. maps & data
• www.usa.gov
• PubMed
• Agricola

Other data sets

Our GIS pages are a good place to find information and provides contact info for our GIS specialist, Ed Brooks.

Google searches for "data set" and your area of interest can also yield useful resources. A few items for the search [data sets wildlife] brought back these items:

• WWF Data Science Downloads
• USFWS National GIS Datasets
• Wildlife Disease Information Node

Additional information about specific journals

Ulrichs (use to help determine the type of publication, scholarly, peer-reviewed, trade, etc)

Need more help?

• List of all subject guides
• contact Kiri