Find news

Earth News
EurekAlert--Agriculture/Plant Sciences

BCGI--Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Botany in the News
World Wildlife Fund - Agricultural Sustainability

For more news sources, including LexisNexis Academic, see Research Guide: News

Find background

Quick lookups
AccessScience - online scientific dictionary
BioTech Life Science Dictionary - botany, cell biology, genetics, etc.
Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, Science Reference qQK10 .H53 2000
Oxford Reference Online - More than 100 dictionaries - Adjust pulldown menu of search field to 'Entry Heading'

Longer explanations
General
AccessScience - scientific encyclopedia - check out Plant Ecology , etc. under 'Environmental Science' section
Encyclopedia of Earth

Botanical
Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Science Reference q RS164 .C4437 1996
New York Botanical Garden Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horticulture - Science Reference f SB317.58 .E94
Dictionary of Gardening, Science Reference q SB450.95 .D53 1992 - Royal Horticultural Society

Herbal
American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. Science Reference RM666 .H33 P45 1999
An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica, Science Reference RS180 .C5 W785 2005
Nutraceuticals: the Complete Encyclopedia of Supplements, Science Reference RM258.5 .N88 2001
PDR for Herbal Medicines, Science Reference q RS164 .P375 2004

Medical
Duke Encyclopedia of New Medicine: Conventional and Alternative Medicine for All Ages, Science Reference q R733 .D85 2006
Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition Online
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine - 3rd ed - 2006

Plant Guides:
Plants Database - Search - About - US Dept of Agriculture
PLANTfacts - Ohio State University
PlantFinder Search - Browse List - About- Missouri Botanical Garden

Find books

Wellesley College Library Catalog

• tip: in the library catalog, start with keyword > choose a useful book > Full Record tab - follow the subject links to find more on that topic
• tip: to see the subscription details for a print journal or serial ['Lib has'] > Full Record tab.

Find journal articles

The following databases provide either full-text articles or citations (information about when and where the peer-reviewed article was published).

• Use the Find It! @ Wellesleylink from each citation to search one or more electronic journal sources or to search our Library Catalog.
• If Wellesley College cannot access the article, use the 'Find It' link to Interlibrary Loan, which automatically links the requestor to a form to submit for either
  • NExpress (several nearby libraries, often arrives in 2-3 days) or
  • ILL (thousands of libraries worldwide, arrives in 2days - 2weeks).

Popular & scientific articles - great places to start your search:
Academic Search Complete - dates vary, from mid-1970s to within 6-12 months of present date - Off-campus Link
Expanded Academic ASAP - 1980s to present - Off-campus Link
Google Scholar - multidisciplinary - covers journal articles, theses, books, preprints - complements library subscription databases - Advanced Scholar Search Tips

Scientific American Archive - 1993-present - interdisciplinary science magazine - overview - Off-campus Link

More databases
Biological Sciences databases
- Dates vary, from 1970 to current
- Links to some online articles and to the 'Find It' link for Interlibrary Loan

JSTOR
- Online articles reach from vol. 1 to 3 to 5 years ago
- Advanced Search = focus on Articles from Botany & Plant Sciences or Ecology Subject Clusters

Science Direct
- Online articles available for titles with green icons from 1995- present
- Help pages

For individual help with your topic, please consult Science Librarian Neil Nero

Key web sites

Comprehensive Websites
AP Environmental Science - Encyclopedia of Earth
Environmental themes - European Environment Agency (EEA)
Gardening Resources - Cornell University
KnowPlants.org - Plant biologists from St. Louis MO
WebGarden - Ohio State University

Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture - themes, practices, and broader context - UC AREP [Program]
Sustainability in Agriculture - National Agricultural Library, USDA
Cooperative Extension System - browse online pubs by state or subject

Cosmetics
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database - Environmental Working Group
Personal Care Products - Household Products Database - US National Library of Medicine

Herbal Medicine
Herbal Medicine - pathfinder links to short articles or fact sheets from reputable sources
About Herbs, Botanicals, and Other Products - Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center evidence-based database
Herbal Medicine - Internet Resources - Univ of Pittsburgh medical librarian
Wellness Guide to Dietary Supplements - UC Berkeley wellnessletter.com

Invasive Species--local, regional, and international
Invasive Plants - New England Wild Flower Society
Invasive Species - US National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
Global Invasive Species Database - international database of the US NBII and the IUCN (World Conservation Union)

Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management (UC-IPM Online) - UC Davis
Pesticide Action Network North America
Global IPM Facility - FAO
IITA - Research to Nourish Africa

How to Evaluate and Cite Sources

**Remember, you must evaluate web resources that you find with a search engine the same way you would evaluate print sources**

General criteria
Accuracy: How factual is the web page? Are the facts well-documented?
Authority: What are the professional credentials of the authors? Can you recognize the difference between a webpage author and a webmaster?
Objectivity: Pros and cons? Are there conflicting interests? Is the page advocating a cause? Who is the intended audience?
Currency: Is the page being updated regularly? How current is it now?
Coverage: Does the page require special software to view it? Is there a fee to view it, or is it free? Is the information presented cited correctly?
Ease of Use: Is the page easy to navigate? Are directions straightforward? Is advertising clearly labeled?

More on Evaluation/Critical Thinking for Web Surfing

Citing sources
Sciences: Documenting Sources with CSE Style [Council of Science Editors]
tip: scroll down to the CSE reference list, use the pulldown menu to view examples of CSE-formatted citations

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Return to Research Guides by Subject: Biological Sciences