Gaining an OverviewTo develop and refine your search, it often helps to consult a specialized dictionary, encyclopedia, handbook, textbook, guide, or bibliography. These tools are designed to offer an overview of your topic or research problem written by an expert. They may provide an historical perspective, a chronology of events, definitions of terms or concepts, or bibliographic references leading to the literature in a particular field of study. Many useful reference works are now available online. These handy e-reference collections are accessible via Find Resources By... Subject, Title, or Type on the library's homepage.
Selected Reference Works for this CourseEncyclopedia of the Earth (EoE) Free content produced by the Environmental Information Coalition of the National Council for Science and the Environment, EoE strives for objectivity and assures accuracy of information by depending on authors who are experts in their fields, content partners who follow strict guidelines for inclusion of appropriate topics (e.g., International Arctic Science Committee), and a thorough editorial process.
Encyclopedia of Global Change -    |
Brief Description: Encompassing tsunamis, elephant conservation, ocean pollution, mining regulation, and permafrost melt, the scholarly articles in this unique and wide-ranging encyclopedia investigate all types of phenomena that change life on Earth. The entries cover a range of general research categories: altered ecosystems, climate change, food and water supply, population, politics and global change, institutions and policies, biographies, and case studies. |
Tools Available: Online Help is available |
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Environmental Encyclopedia - |
Brief Description: Provides in-depth, worldwide coverage of environmental issues. Each article is written in a nontechnical style and provides current status, analysis, and suggested solutions whenever possible. |
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Environmental Issues: Essential Primary Sources Spanning the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, this online reference book contains approximately 175 full or excerpted documents---speeches, legislation, magazine and newspaper articles, essays, memoirs, letters, interviews, novels, songs, and works of art---as well as overview information that places each document in context.
Searching for Periodical ArticlesThe most efficient way of finding a high-quality periodical article , is to search a periodical database or index that provides descriptive abstracts, subject indexing, and often, the full-text content of articles. Check out the interactive Finding Articles Tutorial to learn the basics of choosing and searching the Academic Search Premier database. Below is a selection of databases useful for your course. For a complete list, see the library's Find Resources By... page. Select a resource by Subject, Title, or Type (choose Abstracts, Databases, & Indexes).
Databases for this Course
Academic Search Premier -    |
Coverage: Indexing coverage varies, with full-text content for some titles beginning 1975 or earlier, and most titles indexed from the 1990s. |
Brief Description: Provides abstracts and indexing of articles in more than 8,000 popular magazines, scholarly journals, and major newspapers in all fields of study, with nearly 4,000 titles available full text. |
Tools Available: A complete list of titles covered is available. |
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Biological Sciences - |
Coverage: 1982 to present |
Brief Description: This database from Cambridge Scientific Abstracts offers over 3 million abstracts and bibliographic references to a wide range of research in biomedicine, biotechnology, zoology and ecology, and some aspects of agriculture and veterinary science from over 6,000 sources including serials, conference proceedings, technical reports, monographs and selected books and patents. |
Tools Available: An online list of journals indexed is available. An online thesaurus and thesaurus guide are available. An online guide is also available. |
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Biology Digest - |
Coverage: 1989 to present |
Brief Description: Providing abstracts and indexing of domestic and international literature in the life sciences, Biology Digest from CSA informs an undergraduate audience of the latest developments in biological research. |
Tools Available: An online list of journals indexed is available. |
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GeoRef - |
Coverage: North America since 1669, and other world areas since 1933 |
Brief Description: Produced by the American Geological Institute, GeoRef provides more than 3 million bibliographic references with abstracts, in 40 languages. |
Tools Available: GeoRef Serials List |
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Plant Science (CSA) - |
Coverage: 1994 to present |
Brief Description: Plant Science provides bibliographic references and abstracts to articles in more than 250 journals on plant science, pathology, symbiosis, biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology, techniques, and environmental biology. |
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ToxLine (CSA) - |
Coverage: 'Rolling' five year database: records from the last five years plus the current years’ records |
Brief Description: Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, ToxLine provides access to information in all areas of toxicology, including chemicals and pharmaceuticals, pesticides, environmental pollutants, and mutagens and teratogens. |
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Using Government InformationThe U.S. government is an excellent source for primary research materials. Helmke Library has been a selective federal depository for U.S. government publications since 1965, receiving items in the categories of business, the census, commerce, defense history, education, health, justice, foreign affairs, presidential and congressional materials. Many federal government publications are freely available in digital format, and these resources can be accessed using IUCAT Catalog. The library's Public Information Reference Service (PIRS) provides research assistance as well as access to the wealth of local, state, federal, and international government information on the Web. The Allen County Public Library is also a federal depository library.
Style Guides and Useful Tools for WritingA variety of style guides are on reserve at the Service Desk on the first floor. These tools help you organize and write your paper, and format in-text references and bibliography lists. For more information, also see our Style, Publishing, & Writing Guides.
IPFW Writing Center "Every writer needs a reader" is the motto of the Writing Center. Your paper will be better if you take advantage of the help available from the Writing Center. Schedule appointments with Tutor Trac or refer to the extensive handouts the Writing Center has posted on their Web pages.
And Finally, Ask a LibrarianLibrarians and skilled information assistants are always available to assist you. Visit the Service Desk to meet an information assistant who will help you get started. You are welcome to make an appointment with Your Subject Librarian if you need more in-depth assistance.
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garrisoj@ipfw.edu
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499
260-481-6499
Fax: 260-481-6509
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Judith Garrison M.L.S.
Reference & Information Services Librarian; Liaison to School of Business & Management Sciences, Labor Studies, Division of Public & Environmental Affairs; Assessment Coordinator
Helmke Library, LB 160 |
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