UCB Libraries

Resources for ENVS 3020: Advanced Writing for ENVS

Starting Points

  • Search Strategy Worksheet
    Use this worksheet to develop your search strategy and record your keywords.
  • Chinook

    Chinook is where you find books, periodical/journal titles (print and electronic), encyclopedias, government publications, and other resources available at CU. Reference universe is searchable by article titles and index terms found in back-of-the-book indexes from a wide variety of subject encyclopedias, compendia, handbooks, and other reference works.

  • Research and Subject Guides Database
    Want to find even more guides? This database contains all the guides from Government Publications as well as all the other libraries on campus. You can find information on how to use databases, how to cite material, and how to start your research. Either click the box for a specific type of guide and then browse among lists of research guides, or do a keyword search (by topic, course, citation style, etc.).
  • Find Articles and More
    Databases are grouped by subject (e.g. Environment) and provide lists of citations. Look in different subject areas (Political Science, Biology, etc.) to get different perspectives on your topic/issue.

 

Technical Reports/Scientific Information

  • NTIS (National Technical Information Service) CU (1964-present)
    Use this database to find government-sponsored research done by experts in various scientific and technical fields. The Government Publications Library should have copies of most material indexed in the database. NTIS includes reports on a wide variety of topics, from water quality to public health to marine life. Use the National Technical Reports Library to find full-text documents from the National Technical Information Service’s collection.
  • Science.gov
    This gateway to government science resources allows searches across 36 databases covering over 200 million pages of information. Science.gov users are able to find documents that traditional search engines like Google cannot find. The "Advanced Search" option lets users limit searches to a particular area of interest or source of information.
  • WorldWideScience.org
    This is an international version of Science.gov that allows searching across the scientific and technical reports from over 50 countries.

Congressional Materials

  • CQ Press Electronic Library CU
    This database is a source of articles on and about the work of Congress.
  • LexisNexis Congressional CU
    Use this database to find hearings with expert testimony showing differing points of view on issues debated before congressional committees. Hearings can help identify when an issue became a national concern as well as the major players in the national discussion.
  • Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports CU
    The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is the research arm of Congress. CRS reports are short (usually) background briefs prepared for members of Congress on any issue that is a topic of discussion. They are well researched, non-partisan, and include bibliographies that lead to more information.

International Organizations

  • EarthTrends
    This website, from the World Resources Institute, provides users with searchable databases, data tables, maps, country profiles, and feature articles pertaining to a given topic. Topics include ecosystems, climate and atmosphere, population and health, economics and business, the environment, biodiversity, agriculture and food, land use, and governance.
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
    This site features searchable thematic portals, such as Climate Change, Freshwater, Poverty & Environment, Sports & Environment, and Urban Issues. Each theme includes links to documents, current news, and, in some cases, searchable databases. For a comprehensive data search, check out the GEO data portal.
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
    Focusing mainly on world hunger, this site includes information on a broad array of topics, including agriculture, biosecurity, nutrition, consumer protection, economics, fisheries, forestry, sustainable development, trade, biotechnology, and gender and food security. For a subject-based list of resources from the FAO, check out this portal.
  • Government Publications List of International Organizations
    This page includes an extensive list of links to international governmental organizations from the Asian Development Bank to the World Trade Organization. It also has a search engine that lets you search across these organizations.

U.S. Federal Resources on the Environment

  • Environmental Protection Agency
    The EPA is a leader in the nation's environmental science, research, education, and assessment efforts. The EPA develops and enforces environmental regulations; offers financial assistance to states, non-profits, and educational institutions; sponsors environmental research; sponsors partnerships and programs; and publishes research and reports.
    • Laws, Regulations, Guidance and Dockets Browse among major environmental laws as well as regulations and proposed rules.
    • Browse Topics Organizes topics by broad category. Links users to recommended EPA web pages for any given topic. Also includes an extensive alphabetical list of all topics.
    • NSCEP/NEPIS This site is a combination of National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) and National Environmental Publications Internet Site (NEPIS) which provide citations for the print materials and full-text access to the online publications from EPA, with over 28,000 digital documents.
  • Regulations.gov
    This site provides online public access and a comment system for regulations and federal actions. The "Advanced Search" function provides access to rulemaking dockets and various non-rulemaking dockets from the EPA and other federal agencies. Dockets contain research reports and studies as well as the comments of individuals and organizations.
Citing Your Work

  • RefWorks
    RefWorks is a database that lets you save your citations and then format them in the style of your choice. Check out this quick guide for help using this resource.
  • Citing Sources
    This guide goes over the various formats you can use to cite materials. It also provides links to quick citation sheets.
Need More Help?

We are always happy to answer questions or set up appointments to have a more in-depth discussion of your research.

Leanne Walther
Jennie Gerke
Mark Mabbett
303-735-3750
303-735-6804
303-492-8628