Starting Research: Geography

Basic resources for starting research in Geography.

Databases and Indexes

Academic Search Premier: The world's largest academic multi-disciplinary database, Academic Search Premier provides full text for more than 4,650 publications, including full text for more than 3,600 peer-reviewed journals. Indexing and abstracts for all the journals in the collection. Coverage spans virtually every area of academic study.

 

Antarctic Bibliography - Print Index: Provides indexing and abstracts of government publications, reports, journal articles, and monographs from around the world covering topics related to the Antarctic. Subjects covered include biology, cartography, expeditions, geology, oceanography, and meteorology.

 

GEOBASE: Covers over 2,060 sources including journals, books, monographs, conference proceedings, and reports with information about geography, geology, ecology, and more.

 

GeoRef - Online, by appointment only: CONTACT Kevin Engel FOR ACCESS TO GeoRef. The database of the American Geological Institute (AGI). It covers worldwide technical literature on geology and geophysics.

 

National Geographic Magazine - Print Index: National Geographic Magazine includes indexes to its own content. Earlier years have indexes to several volumes at a time; new years (National Geographic) are indexed annually.

 

Reference Universe: Reference Universe helps you begin your research. Restrict your search to Grinnell College or search more broadly.

 

Social Sciences Abstacts: Abstracts of articles from over 550 sources in the social sciences. Includes articles, interviews, obituaries, biographies, and book reviews on anthropology, political science, economics, psychology, geography, and sociology.

 

SRef: A scientific reference linking system developed for members of the scientific community. SRef can assist scientists engaged in bibliographical research and authors creating reference lists.

Library Catalogs

Most of Grinnell College's geography resources will be found in Burling Library. There are some geography (mostly physical geography) resources located at Kistle Library.

Grinnell College Libraries: Burling Library and Kistle Science Library.

If you're looking for a map, you can narrow your search. In the catalog, select "printed map" as the material type when you search.

WorldCat: A huge catalog of books, web resources, and other materials held in libraries around the world. Most items in WorldCat are available through interlibrary loan.

 

Center for Research Libraries: Journals, foreign dissertations, newspapers, and microform collections available through interlibrary loan and electronic delivery.

Reference Sources

Geography reference can be found in the Maps/Atlases section, the government documents, and the regular reference collection of Burling Library.
Library of Congress classification for geography falls into:

• G for geography (general), atlases, and maps.
• GA for mapmaking.
• GB for physical geography.

In the Maps/Atlases Collection:

The Times Atlas of World History: G1030 .T54 1993

 

The Times Atlas of the World: G1021 .T5644 1999

 

Historical Atlas of the United States: G1201 .S1 H5 2003

 

Oxford Atlas of the World: G1021 .A7545 2003

In the Reference Collection:

The Columbia Gazetteer of the World: G103.5 .C65x 1998

 

The Dictionary of Human Geography: GF4 .D52 2000

 

Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia: G103.5 .G36 2003

 

Counties of the World and Their Leaders Yearbook: G1 .C88 2008

 

Dictionary of Geography: G63 .D538 1999

Selected Web Sites

The Encyclopedia of the Earth: This is a "free, fully searchable collection of articles written by scholars, professionals, educators, and experts." - from the site.

 

The National Atlas of the United States of America: Maps of the US from 20 federal organizations. Includes maps involving agriculture, biology, boundaries, climate, environment, geology, government, history, mapping, people, transportation, and water.

 

The Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: large collection of national and international maps. One strength of this collection is its inclusion of maps of Current Interest topics.

 

Library of Congress Map Collection: The Library of Congress offers maps from its collection in the categories of: Places in the News, Cities and Towns, Cultural Landscapes, Conservation and Environment, Military Battles and Campaigns, Discovery and Exploration, Transportation and Communication, and General.

 

National Geographic's Map Machine: Interactive road, satellite, and physical maps.

 

TerraServer: search by street or longitude and latitude for an aerial photo or topographical map. You can also browse a collection of famous places.

 

University of Georgia: Hargrett Rare Map Collection: Over 800 historic maps spanning 500 years.

 

CIA World FactBook: Geographic information and maps from the US Central Intelligence Agency. Also includes people, government, economy, communications, transportation, and military information.

 

Google Maps: Road maps, and more.

 

MapQuest: Road maps, and more.

Style and Citation Guides

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association : Perm. Reserve (Burling & Kistle) BF76.7 .P83 2001. A brief online guide is available from The University of California, Berkeley Library.

 

MLA style manual and guide to scholarly publishing / Joseph Gibaldi : Perm Reserve PN147 .G444 1998 (this style guide is used frequently in the humanities.) A brief online guide is available from The University of California, Berkeley Library

 

Chicago Manual of Style : Perm Reserve Z253.U69 2003. A brief online guide is available from The University of California, Berkeley Library

 

Assembling a List of Works Cited in Your Paper: Duke University Libraries

RefWorks: A web-based service that allows you to import citations, create bibliographies, and more.

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