IS 1811: Writing for Non-Native Speakers of English

S. Nikitina

Research Strategies

Off campus?

Access resources with proxy.

Unsure where to even start? Check out our Research Circuit: Library Skills Tutorial => Developing A Topic

Background Information

Beyond Polycola and web searching...

Encyclopedia Americana/Grolier Multimedia Online or Encyclopedia Britannica: Full-text online.
AccessScience - Search McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology online

QuickFIND - Multi-database Search for Articles & Books

Start with QuickFIND multi-database search to retrieve results from 11 databases (including the library catalog & Worldcat for books) on your topic with one search. There are 3 ways to search:

Finding Books

Books and Library Materials at WPI: Library Catalog
Books and Library Materials at other libraries: WorldCat

Suggested sources for background information on environmental issues:

Environmental Sustainability Index . See country profiles.
International encyclopedia of environmental politics [electronic resource]
Global Environmental Outlook. United Nations Environment Programme.
World Resources 2003-2004 | World Resources 2005: reports by the World Resources Institute and the International Institute for Environment and Development. See also their Country Profiles. Print Version Reference Collection HC10 W827 2002/2004
State of the World's Forests
BOOKS in Reference area:
Encyclopedia of World Environmental History. Reference GE10 E63 2004
Beacham's Guide to Environmental Issues & Sources. Reference GE115 B43 1993
Dictionary of Ecology and the Environment. Reference GE10 D52 2001
Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Environmental Change. Reference GE10 E534 2001
Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental change and human Society. Reference GE149 E445 2002
Environmental Encyclopedia. Reference GE10 E58 2003

Finding Articles

Sample Search

(zebra mussel* or dreissena polymorpha) and (lakes or freshwater or rivers or lake michigan or green bay) and (north america or united states or new york or midwest)

Gale PowerSearch (InfoTrac): Database of abstracts and full text articles in newspapers, magazines, and journals
LEXIS-NEXIS Academic: News articles and magazines. Includes foreign language news, choose Guided News tab, Non-English Language News.
PAIS International: Indexes and abstracts periodicals in public affairs and government issues from journals, books, government documents and statistical directories.
ScienceDirect - Full text of science journals.
More Databases & Electronic Resources...

Only Finding a Citation? Getting the Full Text

Is the journal online or here in the library? Use FullTextFinder to link to full articles or retrieval options within database results or search our Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers list
Visit another library: Search WorldCat to find one
Request delivery from another library: Interlibrary Loan.

Give Credit! Cite Your Sources

Try RefWorks, if you wish to create a database of your personal references, which can be output into MLA format for your bibliography.

MLA: Write It, Cite It (PPT) | Citing in the Disciplines | Sample Research Paper with MLA format | More citation resources

Searching for video or multimedia clips? Images? Try AOL's Video Search or Google's Image Search.

Westbrook, Randy. Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha).
U.S. Geological Survey Archives. U.S. Geological Survey. 2005.
7 Sept 2005 < http://www.forestryimages.org>

International Government Information & Environmental Web Sites

Sometimes governmental agencies will provide information on environmental issues or regulations or even statistics. Use Governments on the WWW to track down agencies for your country.

Bibliography of Supplemental Reading

Abbey, Edward. Desert Solitaire. General Collection PS3551 B2 Z463 1990
Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. General Collection SB959 C3
Carson, Rachel. Sea Around Us. General Collection GC21 C3 1961
Carson, Rachel. Under the Sea Wind: A Naturalist’s Picture of Ocean Life. General Collection QH92 C3 1952
Dillard, Annie. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. General Collection QH81 D56 1985
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Nature and other writings. General Collection PS1603 T86 2003
Erdrich, Louise. Tracks. General Collection PS3555 R42 T73 1988
Faulkner, William. Go Down Moses (Bear), p. 183-315. General Collection PS3511 A86 G6 1942
Gore, Al. Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit. General Collection GF41 G67 1992
Hamilton-Patterson, James. The Great Deep. General Collection GC26 H36 1992
Hemingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. General Collection PS3515 E37 O4
Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. General Collection CT9971 M38 K73 1997
London, Jack. Call of the Wild. General Collection PS3523 O46 A6 1982b
London, Jack. The Sea Wolf. General Collection PS3523 O46 S4 1961
London, Jack. White Fang. General Collection PS3523 O46 W4 1906
Lopez, Barry. Arctic Dreams: Imagination and Desire in a Northern Landscape. General Collection QH84.1 L67 1986
Marx, Wesley. The Frail Ocean. General Collection GC1018 M3
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. Electronic BookPS2384 .M6 1998eb
McKibben, Bill. The End of Nature. General Collection GF75 M38 1989
Muir, John. The Yosemite. General Collection F868 Y6 M8
Muir, John. My First Summer in the Sierra. online
Nelson, Richard. The Island Within. General Collection GN21 N45 A3 1991
Thoreau, Henry. Walden or Life in the Woods. General Collection PS3048 A1 1948
Thoreau, Henry. Walking. and "Where I lived and what I lived for. Electronic Book PS3053 .A2 2001eb
Wilson, E.O. Biophilia. General Collection GF21 B56 1993
Wilson, E.O. Future of Life. General Collection QH75 W535 2002

Check WorldCat for other libraries:

Elroy, Michael. Global Warming: Global Threat.
Lopez, Barry. Crossing the Open Ground.
Matthiessen, Peter. Snow Leopard.

Topics of Environmental Concern

Overpopulation
Deforestation
Desertification
Drought
Threatened Reefs
Pesticides
Animal and Plant Extinction Endangered life forms on Earth
Acid Rain
Solid Waste
Ozone Layer thinning
Rainforest depletion
Sandstorms

Brownfields
Battery & Computer & Technological Waste Recycling
Hazardous Chemicals Disposal and Chemical Spills
Oil Spills
Water Pollution Microbial Contamination
Nuclear Waste
Industrial Waste
Air pollution
Lead poisoning
Asbestos Poisoning
Elevated mercury levels
Global Warming
Arctic drilling

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Last modified: Feb 15, 2008, 10:36 EST