NDSU Libraries — Environmental Geology

Environmental Geology

Step 1. Choose your search terms.You will add to your list as you search and evaluate your search results.

Step 2. Define your search strategy. (This will partly depend on the search engine you use).

Search tools:
- Boolean Searching: and, or, not (and not, but not)
- Truncation: as a general rule, an astersist (*) works, but it depends upon the database.
- Nesting
Example of a complex search strategy:
(water or aqueous or hydro* ) and (chemi* or geochemi*) and (model* or computer program* or simulation or software)
Example of problems using truncation: rock* (returns rock and rocks, but also rockets, rockers, etc.)

Step 3. Choose your database

GeoRef
- Available via the Web EBSCOhost:
- Indexes geological information published from 1700’s to present; includes government documents
- Searching:
  - Boolean: and, or, not
  - Truncation: *
  - Nesting
WorldCat
- Available online.
- Truncation: + (plural and singular only), * (right hand truncation)
- Sample search: (water or groundwater) and (chemistry or geochemistry) and model+
- Use this to find books world-wide.
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
- Databases of Interest: Toxicology Abstracts; Toxline; Ecology Abstracts; Environmental Engineering Abstracts
- Searching:
  - Truncation: * (one or more characters); ? (single character)
  - Boolean: and, or
  - Nesting

Step 4. Conduct your search
Step 5. Evaluate search results, note additional terms and unwanted terms.
Step 6. Refine search and re-do.

Step 7. Find out whether NDSU has the material; otherwise, consult ILL

For books or maps: To find out whether NDSU has the item, use the online catalog. In the advanced search page you can limit to a specific collection (e.g. the Main Library Maps Collection)
For journals: Generally, the quickest way to find an article is to check the online journals page. If it isn’t available on the Web, you will can search the online catalog. You will need to use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to retreive articles from those journals that NDSU does not have or have access to.
For ILL, fill out a card at the ILL desk, or fill out the online form. You might also consider a trip to UND to use their materials. If you plan to go to the Geology Branch Library, call before going; they are not open as many hours as the main library at UND.