Research Guides: Earth Science: Reference Resources

Hints for Use

--Start with the INDEX at the back
--Look for bibliography at the end of each section or table for additional sources
--Think of a general term for your topic
--Try a book that lists reference books such as, Geologic reference sources: a subject and regional bibliography of publications and maps in the geological sciences (4th floor QE 26.2W35 1981)

Reference Resources

Use reference books to learn about a new topic, find background information, tables, data, illustrations, images, identification or the definition of a term.

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology (Ref Q 121.M3 2007 vol. 1-20)	Oxford companion to the Earth (ORCA QE 5.O94 2000 or e-book)
Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks (ebook)	A Dictionary of Geology And Earth Sciences (ebook)
A Field guide to Rocks and Minerals (QE 367.2.P68 1996)	Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes (Ref QE 521.R58 2001)
Cambridge Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Fossils (4th floor QE 363.8.B56 1999)	Environmental Encyclopedia (2nd floor GE 10.E58 1998 or e-book)
Encyclopedia of Earth System Science (4th floor QE 5.E514 1992 vol. 1-4)	Encyclopedia of Geochemistry and Environmental Science (4th floor QE 515.F24)
Encyclopedia of Structural Geology and Plate Tectonics (4th floor QE 601.E53 1987)	Dictionary of Earth Science (4th floor QE 5.F318 2000)
Geology of North America: An overview (4th floor QE 71.G48 1986)	Geology of Southern California (Ref QE 90.S65 A 5 1959)
Glossary of Geology (Ref QE 5.B38 1997)	Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (4th floor QE 522.E53 2000)
International Handbook of Earthquake and Engineering Seismology (4th floor QE 534.3 I68 2002)	McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of the Geological Sciences (4th floor QE 5. M29)

ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS

New Publications of the US Geological Society
Former print edition is now available only electronically. Search or browse the quarterly online catalogs.

Special Paper(s) (Geological Society of America)
"State of the art studies are presented in soft-cover monographs or compilations." These are not available in electronic full text. Instead search COAST for special paper(s) Geological Society of America and your keyword or browse the general list.

US Geological Survey Open File Reports (Online)
"Open-file reports include unpublished manuscript reports, maps, and other material that are made available for public consultation at depositories. They are a nonpermanent form of publication that may be cited in other publications as sources of information." If not available online, search COAST or visit a local depository library.