1) Start here. Use these resources to look for topic ideas, find some of the latest relevant news in earth science, and find out (among other things) which governmental and nongovernmental groups are involved in research on your topic. We've also provided call number ranges in which you might find books on your subject at Uni, in other campus libraries, or in local public libraries.
Today's Earth Science News | General Earth Science | Astronomy | Environment | Geology | Oceanography and Marine Geology | Meteorology | Paleontology
2) Then, try this! Once you've chosen a tentative topic and have found (and read!) some introductory material in books and on the web, you may want to look in some of our relevant subscription databases. These contain magazine and journal articles and will be important for getting as deep into your subject as the Cutting Edge assignment requires you to go. Be aware that some of the articles in these databases will be too technical to understand. Please talk to library staff or Ms. Morris if you can't find anything or don't understand what you find.
3) Make sure to keep track of all of your sources. Ms. Morris would like you to use the APA (American Psychological Association) format to keep track of your paper and electronic sources. She will tell you what is required in terms of turning in sources on notecards, but if you need help formatting a card or deciding exactly what kind of resource you're citing, use Noodlebib. It's a lot easier to do this as you collect information than to go back late in the game and try to figure out where you found something!
Optional 4) Add resources you've found that may be helpful to others as well. You can edit this wiki! Just follow the instructions here.
Today's Earth Science News
Science News Feeds
Don't feel like browsing all of these pages for the latest news? Check out this page of science news feeds, with updated headlines from various sources.
Environmental Defense
Current environmental issues and news with links to additional information sources.
Environmental News from the New York Times
Some of the latest headlines for topics in geology and environmental science. You need to log in to get the full text of the articles, but you don't have to pay for them.
Space and Cosmos News from the New York Times
Some of the latest headlines for topics in astronomy, space exploration, and related topics. You need to log in to get the full text of the articles, but you don't have to pay for them.
Earthweek
Composed by journalist Steve Newman and published in newspapers all over the world, this page contains a concise summary of earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires, and other earth science-related bad news (and sometimes good news) from the past week.
General Earth Science call numbers: 500s, 550s
Geoscience Information Sources from the UIUC Geology Library
This page collects links to Web sites on a very wide range of earth science topics. A good place to browse for topic ideas.
NASA's Visible Earth
NASA's Visible Earth Site is a strong collection of searchable images and information about weather, oceans, volcanos, plate tectonics, environment, population, etc. Can be searched by keyword, advanced search, or browsed by categories.
NASA's Science Mission Directorate
Studies of the Earth from space with the goal of determining human influence on the global system. Cutting-edge news and research into changes in geology, oceans, ice, ecosystems, and other areas.
Librarian's Internet Index
High-quality web sites chosen by public librarians and organized into categories.
How Stuff Works
This site include easy-to-follow explanations and excellent pictures and diagrams describing everything from computers and general science topics to finance and entertainment topics. Many entries include links to Web sites or related articles for further reading.
Science Daily
ScienceDaily is a Web magazine that aims to provide up-to-the-minute news about the latest discoveries and research developments relating to science, technology, and medicine. The magazine's articles are selected from news releases submitted by universities and other research organizations around the world. Each news release is posted in its original form with a contact name and links.
Environmental Defense
This site includes sections on biodiversity, climate change, health, and oceans. Links to expert guides, hot topics, and press releases are given for each category.
New Scientist
The online version of this magazine offers "breaking science and technology news" as well as a searchable archive.
EPA
The website of this non-profit organization offers information and advocacy on a range of environmental issues.
Astronomy call numbers: 520s
Windows to the Universe
The University of Michigan publishes this page on our solar system.
Planetary Science Research Discoveries
This site gives info on the planets and recent discoveries pertaining to them. Sponsored by NASA and Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, this site is searchable and contains relevant feature articles. With the archive you can search by planetary subject.
Science@NASA
Contains current stories and news as well as general information on aspects of the universe. Also has a neat satellite tracking feature.
NASA: Human Spaceflight
Everything that NASA is doing in the field of human spaceflight.
NASA: Science Missions
Links to all of NASA's missions, including current missions, past missions, missions in development, and missions under study (the really cutting edge stuff!)
Sloan Digital Sky Survey
"The Sloan Digital Sky Survey is the most ambitious astronomical survey project ever undertaken. The survey will map in detail one-quarter of the entire sky, determining the positions and absolute brightnesses of more than 100 million celestial objects."
Views of the Solar System
"Views of the Solar System presents a vivid multimedia adventure unfolding the splendor of the Sun, planets, moons, comets, asteroids..." This site includes excellent photos and video, as well as textual information on all aspects of the solar system.
California & Carnegie Planet Search
A very technical but useful site for any one doing exoplanets. It has external links galore and quite a bit of information. However, this is only really good for later in the research process, as it requires a considerable amount of technical knowledge to decode.
Environment call numbers: 333s, 363s, 551s, 570s, 580s
Wired Science News
Articles, editorials, and press releases on the latest science topics. Frequently updated, usually multiple times a day.
Yahoo's Full Coverage: Environment and Nature
Yahoo's Full Coverage resource is a rich source for current information on research and activities in the field of Environmentalism. Be sure to check out the current stories, the related links and, on the left, the sources which provide this information. All three will be useful in researching your topic.
Invasive and Exotic Species of North America
A database of images.
The Nature Conservancy
An ecological conservation organization that protects over one hundred million acres around the world. Look here for in-depth articles with graphs and statistics on such subjects as climate change, fire, freshwater, and invasive species.
Environmental News Network
The latest environment-related news.
Climate Hot Map
This map illustrates the local consequences of global warming. There are links to related organizations and related articles for further investigation.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This site has a convenient key topics list on the home page that leads to numerous subtopics and links to recommended resources.
Center for Food Safety
Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a public interest and environmental advocacy organization that works to address the impacts of our food production system on human health, animal welfare and the environment. The site includes fact sheets, current issues, and news on a variety of environmental issues.
Popular Science
Articles on science and technology, with some information on the environment.
Geology call numbers: 551s
Planet Diary
Use the Current Phenomena link to view current events on the planet, including archaeological discoveries, water resources, volcanoes, floods, and La nina. Click on the current events on the map to get the text story, The Archives option allows you to search previous current stories. The backgrounders section lets you search by topic area. This site sponsored by Prentice Hall.
Cascades Volcano Observatory
This site reveals the hidden truth about volcanoes: research, data, and history. It is sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey.
National Earthquake Information Center
Put out by the United States Geological Survey, this site provides information on earthquake prevalence including maps and statistics. The site provides warnings, seismographic research studies, and other sources of data.
National Atlas
An interactive site where you can build your own maps based on a wide range of data. Some of the Geological maps you can create include: the locations of volcanoes, earthquakes from 1568-2004, the glacial limit, seismic hazards, location of mines, and intensity of the magnetic field.
U.S. Department of Energy
Features the Energy Information Portal, a gateway to hundreds of Web sites and thousands of online documents on energy efficiency and renewable energy, including geothermal energy.
Marine Geology call numbers: 551s--also look under Environment call numbers
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Home of the oldest and most important centers for marine research in the world. The main page contains news headlines regarding the physical, chemical, biological, geological, and geophysical studies of the oceans. You can also click on the "News" tab at the top of the page to check out both recent and also archived stories.
Marine Geology Survey
US Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Survey presents geological issues under the following themes: Environmental Quality and Preservation, Natural Hazards and Public Safety, Natural Resources and Earth-Sciences Information and Technology. Check out the research section to get an idea of what's going on in the field.
Ocean Link
Ocean Link provides information on marine science topics, including Marine Biology, and Oceanography, as well as a link to its "Ocean News" publication.
Ocean Research Institute
The Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo sponsors this site containing information on oceanographic research, oceanic tectonics, underwater earthquakes and an oceanographic bibliography.
Ocean Explorer
From NOAA, profiles of new technology and innovative techniques being used to explore and map the ocean floor.
Wind and Sea
This site deals with oceanic and atmospheric issues and includes over 800 links to science and policy sites. The sites are organized by topic and cover a wide range of organizations, agencies and businesses which provide relevant information about oceanic, atmospheric, and marine biological sciences. This site is sponsored by the Central Library of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Meteorology call numbers: 551s
Earth and Climate News
Current news about advances, innovations, and discoveries.
Aurora Page
This page is an informative source on the phenomenon of Northern Lights.
WW2010
Developed by graduate students and faculty in the Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis), which was funded by the by the National Science Foundation, WW2010 offers Web-based instructional resources that explore meteorology, climate, and global change. The project offers on-line guides, reviewed by University of Illinois faculty and scientists and the Illinois State Water Survey. Check out the animations, simulations, audio, video and more.
Climate Analysis Branch (CAB)
A collaborative project of the U.S. Department of Commerce and NOAA (the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration). A lot of the information here is technical and highly specialized, however there is an excellent link on El Nino and La Nina that is quite good.
Environmental Literacy Council: Weather
Top scientists, scholars, economists, and educators have collaborated to provide authoritative information on clouds, drought, El Nino, floods, hurricanes, snow, The Santa Ana, and more.
National Center for Atmospheric Research
This site has links to different research projects and centers. You can also look at their programs and divisions in order to understand the 'hot topics' in this field.
National Hurricane Prevention
Check out this source of hurricane forecasts, data and prediction using the latest methods of detection. This site is sponsored by NOAA.
National Weather Service
This site provides warnings and forecasts for different weather phenomena. Discover Weather and Climate data as well as hot topics in the field.
Operational Significant Event Imagery Server
This site makes available imagery of significant natural or anthropogenic environmental events from satellite. Site categories include current conditions, natural disasters, weather emergencies, volcanoes and oceans.
Weather and Climate Sites
At this site you will find numerous links to websites on the topic of weather and climate.
Climate Hot Map
This map illustrates the local consequences of global warming. There are links to related organizations and related articles for further investigation.
Paleontology
Paleontology call numbers: 550s, 560s
ScienceDaily: Paleontology News
The latest news all related to paleontology from Science Daily. Includes articles about the new "dinosaur-cow" (nigersaurus taqueti) that was found recently.
Note that accessing these databases from outside Uni High will require you to login with your netID and password.
MAS Ultra-School Edition (Ebsco)
This is a student-friendly database that indexes a wide variety of magazines and some journals. Note that you can restrict your search to full-text articles, to specific publications, and by date.
Academic Search Premier (Ebsco)
Academic Search Premier doesn't have a lot of depth on any one issue, but it includes at least a few articles on many, many topics. In the search screen that comes up, you can start fishing for articles. Note that you can restrict your search to articles for which the full text is available online. You can also restrict your search by date.
Expanded Academic ASAP (Infotrac)
Infotrac is very much like EBSCO, but covers some different sources. Click the link above, then choose "Expanded Academic ASAP." The default option in Infotrac is to search for a subject rather than articles. Once you have found a subject (and perhaps a subdivision of that subject) that seems to match yours, you will have the option to click through to articles on that subject. You can also do a Google-like keyword search from the entry screen as well.
Academic OneFile (Infotrac)
Nearly identical to Expanded Academic ASAP, even in appearance, but with a slight difference in the amount of journals indexed. Use the Subject Guide or click on Advanced Search at the top of the page.
LexisNexis
Use this database once you have narrowed your topic and need current information from news sources.
Science Direct
Enter and click on the "Journals" tab to search Science Direct's set of mostly full-text scholarly journals. You can do a Google-like keyword search on all of their journals, or you can first restrict yourself to "Earth and Planetary Sciences" using the scroll-down "subject" menu. You can limit your search to particular years as well. SD has lots of links within itself, so a look through the text and bibliography of a particular article may lead you to other articles of interest.
GeoBase
This database contains scholarly journal articles in geology and related fields like agriculture and environmental science.
1. Click on the Edit button at the top of the page.
2. Log in with the wiki password (the same for most databases we subscribe to; ask Ms. Harris if you're unsure). Type in your first name only and your Uni e-mail address.
3. Add content in the appropriate sections or add sections. Don't worry about formatting--we can change that later. You can include links by clicking on the Link icon in the format bar above the text box; change the link type to URL.
4. Click Save when you're done!
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