About Doing Research

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AskUs Librarians can help you with questions such as choosing a research topic or question, finding background information, searching within Library catalogs and subscription resources, selecting appropriate materials, finding books and articles at Macalester, requesting materials from other libraries, finding statistics, evaluating research resources, citing resources, etc. RefWorks | More info

Academic Research Databases

Disciplinary

AGRICOLA Catalog of the National Agricultural Library, providing citations to agricultural research literature. RefWorks | Coverage: Continuously Updated | More info

BioOne Collection of full-text subscription e-journals covering the fields of biology, ecology, paleontology, and environmental science. RefWorks | Coverage: 1998 - Present | More info

BioOne Abstracts and Indexes Indexes the BioOne collection of e-journals covering the fields of biology, ecology, and environmental science. RefWorks | Coverage: 1998 - Present | More info

CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online) CIAO is one of the most comprehensive sources for theory and research in international affairs. RefWorks | Coverage: 1991 - Present | More info

Environment Abstracts Annual A continuation of the Environment Index. Location: MAC Reference QH540 .E583 (1988- missing 1995, 1997) RefWorks | More info

Environment Index Index to journal articles about the environment. Location: MAC Reference QH540 .E58 (v.1-v.3,1971-73; v. 8-v.17, 1978-1987) RefWorks | More info

GEOBASE International index to the literature of geology, geography and ecology. RefWorks | Coverage: 1980 - Present | More info

GeoRef Indexes journals, book, maps, reports, theses in the fields of geology and earth sciences. RefWorks | Coverage: 1785 - Present | More info

GreenFILE A freely accessible research database focusing on the relationship between human beings and the environment, with well-researched information on topics ranging from global warming to recycling to alternate fuel sources and beyond. RefWorks | More info

GREENR An authoritative resource focused on environmental issues that combines news, unique commentary, audio, video, primary source documents, images, conference reports, and statistics. RefWorks | Coverage: Current | More info

Public Library of Science (PLOS) Non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. RefWorks | Coverage: Dates Vary | More info

Science Citation Index Expanded Part of the Web of Science, this index covers information for more than 5,900 journals across 150 science disciplines. RefWorks | Coverage: 1900 - Present | More info

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts Covers over 1000 journals that cover political science related fields including law, public administration/policy, and international relations. RefWorks | Coverage: 1975 - Present | More info

Interdisciplinary

Academic Search Premier Interdisciplinary resource with both popular, scholarly, and peer-reviewed articles and citations. RefWorks | Coverage: 1975 - Present | More info

Access World News: Research Collection International, national, regional, state, and local newspaper articles and video clips. RefWorks | Coverage: Dates Vary | More info

JSTOR Although it does not provide access to the most recently published articles, JSTOR is a large archival collection of core scholarly journals in the major academic areas. RefWorks | Coverage: Date Varies | More info

LexisNexis Academic Extensive online archive of news from newspapers, magazines, legal resources, medical resources, and more - updated daily. RefWorks | Coverage: Date Varies | More info

Macalester WorldCat Online catalog of materials owned by the library at Macalester College and libraries worldwide. RefWorks | Coverage: Dates vary | More info

Social Sciences Citation Index Part of the Web of Science, this index covers information for more than 1,700 journals across 50 social sciences disciplines. Location: Online and Print: MAC Index Coll.-Lower Level H1 .S63 (1982-1996) RefWorks | Coverage: 1956 - Present | More info

Web of Science Indexes information for more than 8,600 journals and other research materials covering disciplines in the sciences, arts and humanities, and social sciences. RefWorks | Coverage: 1900 - Present | More info

Data and Statistics

Data Resources

Antarctic Master Directory One of the Global Change Master Directory data portals managed by NASA. RefWorks | More info

CEOP Portal Includes data and data sets on topics related to the fields of agriculture, atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, land surface, oceans, and spectral/engineering. RefWorks | More info

CEOS International Directory Network "A comprehensive directory of earth science and global change data." Compiled by the NASA Committee on Earth Observation Satellites. RefWorks | More info

Environmental Data Report Although the data is not current, this source provides reports and statistics on the environment world-wide, with comparison data covering a number of years. Location: MAC Reference TD174 E576 1991 RefWorks | More info

Statistical Abstract of the United States Produced by the United States Bureau of the Census, this covers social, political and economic statistics, abstracted from original sources. Location: Online & MAC Reference HA202 RefWorks | More info

Statistical Insight Comprehensive index to statistical information from Congressional Information Service, Inc. RefWorks | Coverage: Current | More info

Statistical Record of the Environment A compendium of statistics from governmental and private sources about many aspects of the environment: air and water, land use, energy, wastes, expenditures, etc. Location: MAC Reference GE150 .D67 1995 RefWorks | More info

World Development Indicators (WDI Online) Data source on the global economy containing statistical data for over 550 development indicators and time series data for over 200 countries and 18 country groups. RefWorks | Coverage: 1960 - Present | More info

Other Resources

Web Sites

Bridges: Minnesota's Gateway to Environmental Information "Bridges is developed with the collaboration of Minnesota state government environmental agencies to facilitate access to the rich and diverse environmental information in electronic format in Minnesota.". RefWorks | More info

Ecological Internet Ecological Internet's mission is to empower the global movement for environmental sustainability by providing information retrieval tools, portal services, expert analysis and action opportunities that aid in the protection of climate, forest, ocean and water ecosystems... Location: online RefWorks | More info

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources State DNR websites can be a great place to find information about a state's natural resources and resource management, conservation initiatives, state parks, hunting and fishing regulations, etc. RefWorks | More info

Surf Your Watershed A resource of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Surf Your Watershed integrates information gathered in associated databases (e.g., environmental websites, Adopt Your Watershed, River Corridor and Restoration)and enables searching by geographical unit such as state, watershed, county, metro area, and tribe. RefWorks | More info

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The web site for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. RefWorks | More info

U.S. EPA Office of Water The Office of Water ensures drinking water is safe, and restores and maintains oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife. Location: online RefWorks | More info

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) The U.N. RefWorks | More info

Reference Resources

Dictionaries

Dictionary of Ecology An online current dictionary to ecology and environmental sciences. Location: online RefWorks | More info

Encyclopedias

AccessScience Authoritative encyclopedic articles in all major areas of science and technology. RefWorks | Coverage: Continuously Updated | More info

Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability Focusing on solutions, experts around the world provide authoritative, peer-reviewed coverage of the growing body of knowledge about ways to restore the planet. Location: MAC Reference GE140 .B47 2010 RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Credo Reference Use to access over 600 online reference books including encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and books of quotations and proverbs from a variety of publishers. RefWorks | Coverage: Present | More info

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Fulltext of the Encyclopaedia with links to Internet resources. RefWorks | Coverage: Continuously updated | More info

Encyclopedia of Biodiversity This is a "comprehensive study of the topic of diversity in the natural world." The 313 full length articles written by experts in the topic area contain an outline, glossary, defining statement, cross references and a bibliography. Location: MAC Reference QH541.15.B56 E53 2001 (5 vols.) RefWorks | More info

Encyclopedia of Energy This covers all aspects of energy--from the scientific to the social. Location: Online RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2004 | More info

Encyclopedia of Environment and Society This encyclopedia brings "multiplying issues, concepts, theories, examples, problems, and policies together in one place, with the goal of clearly explicating an emerging way of thinking about people and nature.To that end, the encyclopedia was designed to include a vast range of different types of entries, including key individuals, polices, problems, processes, and theoretical concepts that sit astride what has traditionally been known as 'society' and the 'environment'.” . Location: Online in Credo Reference RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2007 | More info

Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy Examines the philosophical and ethical issues underlying contemporary and historical environmental issues, policies, and debates. Location: Online RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2007 | More info

Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues Contains 450 entries "relevant to the study of environmental issues such as biology, geology, anthropology, demographics, genetics and engineering." Articles are arranged alphabetically, are signed, list suggested readings and cross reference relatedentries. Location: MAC Reference GE10 .E52 2000 (3 vols.) RefWorks | More info

Encyclopedia of Global Change Investigates all types of phenomena that change life on Earth including altered ecosystems, climate change, food and water supply, population, politics and global change, institutions and policies, biographies, and case studies. Location: Online in Oxford Digital Reference Shelf RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2005 | More info

Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change Explores major topics related to global warming and climate change-ranging geographically from the North Pole to the South Pole, and thematically from social effects to scientific causes. Location: Online RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2008 | More info

Environmental Encyclopedia This encyclopedia has an alphabetical rather than thematic arrangement. Location: Online RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2003 | More info

Green Business: An A-to-Z Guide "Provides an overview of the key principles, approaches, strategies, and tools that businesses have used to reduce their environmental impacts and contribute to sustainability, as well as describing some of the firms that have taken steps to green their operations and products.". Location: Online in Credo Reference RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Green Cities: An A-to-Z Guide "Provides an overview of the social and environmental dimensions of our energy system, and the key organizations, policy tools, and technologies that can help shape a green energy economy.". Location: Online in Credo Reference RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Green Consumerism: An A-to-Z Guide "Highlights the complexity of consumption, and in doing so provides insights into the social and spatial constitution of green consumerism.". RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Green Energy: An A-to-Z Guide "Provides an overview of the social and environmental dimensions of our energy system, and the key organizations, policy tools, and technologies that can help shape a green energy economy.". Location: Online in Credo Reference RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Green Food: An A-to-Z Guide "Provides people interested in food and agricultural systems with the basic analytical and conceptual ideas that help explain why our food system looks the way it does, and what can be done to change it.". Location: Online in Credo Reference RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Green Politics: An A-to-Z Guide "Comprises some of the essential concepts, actors, institutions, and processes in green politics today.". Location: Online in Credo Reference RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2010 | More info

Handbook of Global Environmental Politics "Captured here are the dynamic and energetic debates over concerns for the health of the planet and how they might best be addressed. Location: online through CREDO Reference RefWorks | More info

International Encyclopedia of Environmental Politics "Includes country and regional entries, with country entries giving a concise overview of the history, main actors, issues and policies related to its environmental politics; normative and ethical dimensions of environmental politics, from animal rights, social and global justice to deep ecology; environmental movements, organizations, struggles and actors from local to international levels; issues in international environmental politics such as global warming, biodiversity, trade and the environment; prominent individuals (historical and current) who have inspired or been actively involved in international environmental politics; and central topics and issues in environmental politics - such as global warming, globalization, wildlife preservation, eco-taxes, energy production and consumption, sustainable development and the World Trade Organisation." (from the publisher) . Location: online through CREDO Reference RefWorks | More info

Oxford Reference Online Resource of reference materials including about 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press. RefWorks | Coverage: Current | More info

Pollution A to Z Provides information on a variety of pollution issues, including sources of pollution; disposal; remediation; and the ethical, social and legal environment, as well as topics such as acid rain, cancer, noise pollution and zero growth population. Location: Online RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2004 | More info

Water: Science and Issues Integrates key concepts, current issues, traditional and emerging research, and major legislation in three subject areas: fresh water, marine waters, and policy and management. Location: Online RefWorks | Coverage: Published 2003 | More info