Dialogue 2 Environmental Ethics

Print Resources

Circulating books and films can be found using the online catalog. To do a subject search:

Go to the library website and click on catalog/books.
Click on the Advance Search tab.
Make sure that "all of these words" is selected in the box to the right side.
In the far right text box, select "subject words" as your entry.
Type in words that might be listed as the subject of the book. Examples include: environmental ethics, human ecology, or environmental responsibility.
Click on the Search button.

The Brandel Library is organized by the Library of Congress system. Try browsing these areas:

GE100s - GE300s: Environmental Sciences
QC9080s: Global Warming
S: Agriculture
GF: Ecology

Click here for a list of new books. Note: Some books on environmental issues have shorter circulation periods.

Reference Sources

Encyclopedia and other reference sources are a good way to get started. They will give you an overall introduction to your research topic. Reference books are on the first floor of the library.

REF TJ163.28 .E53 2004	Encyclopedia of Energy
REF TD9 .A84 2001	Encyclopedia of Environmental Studies
REF GE149 .E47 2002	Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental Change and Human Society
REF GE149 .E443 2002	Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change
REF TD9 .A84 2001	Environmental Encyclopedia
REF GE195 .P36 2007	Historical Dictionary of the Green Movement
Sage e-Reference	Many online reference books, such as Encyclopedia of Environment and Society
Credo	A searchable full-text collection of several reference books and encyclopedias.

Databases/Articles

Databases are an excellent source of current information on environmental issues. The following is a list of some useful databases accessible to North Park students. Most will include articles from scholarly journals and popular news magazines. Many articles will be available full-text on and off campus. Find a full list of databases on the Databases and Online Resources page.

Environment Complete contains articles about ecology, pollution urban planning, and related subjects.

Academic Search Premier is an interdisciplinary database of popular and scholarly articles. Many of the articles are full-text.

JSTOR is a database of entirely full-text, scholarly journals. Access goes back to the first issue of each journal, but the most recent few volumes are not included.

Project Muse is a database of full-text scholarly journals that includes current issues.

Lexis-Nexis is a database which includes full-text to local, national, and international newspapers.

Chicago Tribune contains full-text newspaper articles. Extra: After you enter the database, look under "special reports" for "World Environment."

CQ Researcher offers full-text reports of current issues. Example: enter "global warming" in the Quick Search box.

Note: If you see the "find full text" box, it does not mean that the article is full-text in that database. Click on the box to find out if the NPU or other Illinois libraries own the journal, or if it is full-text in another database. It will also allow you to click on interlibrary loan. Just fill in your information and we will contact you when your article arrives.

Popular or Scholarly?

Scholarly journals are sometimes referred to as "academic" or "peer-reviewed." As college students, your professors will expect you to become familiar with the scholarly journals in your field. These publications generally:

Are written by experts in their fields. The author's credentials such as their university affiliation should be on the article.
Include a bibliography or works cited list.
Have longer articles.
Are published less frequently. Many scholarly journals are released quarterly.
Include few if any advertisements.

Popular magazines generally:

Are written by staff writers.
Might mention sources, but do not include bibliographies.
Are written for the general public.
Include more pictures and advertisements.

Trade publications are periodicals that are written for a professional audience with expertise in the field, but they do not include in-depth articles with citations.

Web Resources

Websites can be unreliable because anyone can create them regardless of their authority on the subject matter. When writing a research paper, the use of websites should be kept to a minimum and limited to those sponsored by well-known authorities or organizations. Look for credentials and bibliographies, just as you do with scholarly articles. Always ask your professor about his/her policy regarding the use of websites.

Try state and federal government websites such as the Environmental Protection Agency. For an international perspective, check the environmental government websites of Canada, England, and other countries. The European Union and UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme) also have agencies devoted to environmental issues.

More Help

For more help go to the reference desk. The desk is located on the right side as you come into the library. The desk is staffed by librarians from 8 am - 9 pm on weekdays and most of the weekends. The librarians' offices are located to the left behind the reference desk.

Click here to open a reference help ticket!

Reference Desk: x5247