If you are just beginning to research water quality of the Fox River, you may want to go through this guide section by section. Please be aware that library research is not always a linear process. You may want to start with information from the sources listed as general guides or from the encyclopedias and dictionaries and then progress on to books or journal articles. Further on in your research you may need to return to the general resources to fill in gaps in your knowledge of the field; for example, you may need to return to the dictionaries to define unfamiliar terms that crop up in your reading. You may need to consult more general resources like the Encyclopaedia Britannica or consult works in related disciplines like environmental sciences or ecology

All sources you consult must be fully documented in any written work you produce. It may help to look at the sources on style before you start your research, so that you will have all the required documentation at hand when you need it. Then as you write, go back to the resources on style for details on the exact format of your citations.

The sources listed below were chosen for the broad coverage they provide. By following the links for book titles, you will see the full LUCIA record. Each record gives further links to related materials in the library's collections which may or may not be listed in this guide. This gives you a way to explore more of the library's holdings on a subject which interests you.

As always, if you have any questions be sure to ask a Reference Librarian.

Guide to the Literature of the Life Sciences.

Provides a listing and brief discussion of selected resources available in the life sciences. Includes an introduction to the literature of the field, information on library organization and classification, and lists of bibliographies in the biological sciences, abstracting journals, primary research journals, and taxonomic literature. Concludes with a chapter on how to prepare a scientific paper. Slightly dated--it includes information on using punched card systems--but still very useful.
Ref. Z5320 .S57 1972

Sourcebook on the Environment : A Guide to the Literature.

A broad guide to selected aspects of literature on the environment. Divided in four parts: Part 1 introduces environmental problems, philosophies, and perspectives, for example, ecosystem models and resource scarcity; Part 2 provides selected case studies on issues like mining and urbanization; Part 3 presents crucial elements of the environment like water and water quality. Each part consists of evaluative bibliographic essays followed by detailed bibliographies. Part 4 presents aids to research: a list of selected periodicals, federal environmental legislation, and selected environmental organizations.
Ref. Z5861 .S66

Sources of Information in Water Resources: An Annotated Guide to Printed Materials

Provides brief annotations on over 1100 titles. Some information on individual states, but the focus is on the United States as a whole. Primarily cites books from 1960 - 1975.
Ref. Z7935 .G548

Water Pollution : A Guide to Information Sources.

A guide to literature from various sources, including general reference works, water pollution reference sources and miscellaneous guides to legislation, grant sources, water agencies, and more. An appendix contains selected readings recommended for researchers new to the field. Citations include brief annotations.
Ref. TD423 .K54

Water Quality and Availability : A Reference Handbook.

Begins with an introductory background essay on water supplies. Subsequent chapters cover a chronology of water management, laws and regulations, organizations, and a selective annotated bibliography of books. Articles, government documents, selected journal titles and audio-visual resources are listed briefly.
Ref. TD223 .M53 1992

Wisconsin Water Resources Catalog.

A listing of water resources publications available from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other agencies. Arranged by subject, with annotations. A title list is also provided. Publication contacts are listed. Many of the important titles noted here can be found in the Lawrence Library; search LUCIA to verify holdings.
Ref. TD365 q.W5

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ecology.

Presents definitions, with cross-references, of terms from the wide range of disciplines related to ecology. Very good for quick, brief questions on the vocabulary of ecology.
Ref. QH540.4 .C66 1994

Encyclopedia of Environmental Biology. 3 vols.

Contains detailed articles that provide a comprehensive overview of the selected topics. Each entry contains an outline, glossary, cross-references, and a bibliography. Arranged alphabetically, with a subject index and a very useful Index of Related Titles in volume 3.
Ref. QH540.4 q.E52 1995

The Encyclopedia of Environmental Studies.

Provides a mix of encyclopedic and dictionary entries on environmental language from many disciplines, including environmental law. Has cross-references, a list of further readings, and an index.
Ref. TD9 q.A84 1991

Environment and the Law : A Dictionary.

Examines all aspects of antipollution law. Entries range from a few paragraphs to several pages in length. Includes an introductory essay, a bibliography, tables of cases, statutes, and regulations, and an index.
Ref. KF3775.A68 P38 1995

Environmental Encyclopedia.

Contains primarily longer, detailed entries; few terms are defined in shorter entries. Cross-references are given for all entries, an each of the longer entries include a list of further readings. Includes biographical information on major environmentalists. Appendices give a chronology of environmental events and a summary of environmental legislation. Indexed. A good starting place for environmental information.
Ref. GE10 q.E58 1994

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Environmental Science.

Alphabetically arranged articles; most open with a definition of the subject or terms and close with a bibliography, and provide detailed information directed at nonspecialists. Provides cross-references and an index. Another good starting place.
Ref. QH540.4 .M3

The Water Encyclopedia.

Tables for the specialist as well as the general public on many areas related to water and water management. The focus is on data rather than on interpretive text. Indexed.
Ref. TD351 q.V36 1990

Be sure to verify with your professor the citation format required. Some of the resources below might prove useful.

Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers.

The Council of Biology Editors guide. This style is used by many publications in the biological sciences.
Ref. T11 .S386 1994

The Chicago Manual of Style. 14th ed.

A standard source for citation formatting.
Ref. Z253 .U69 1993

Citing Electronic Documents

This page provides guidance on citing electronic documents and links to other guides, some on specific styles of documentation.
http://www.lawrence.edu/dept/library/guides/cite.html

Electronic Styles.

"A Handbook for Citing Electronic Information." Focuses on American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA) styles.
Ref. PN171 .F56 L5 1996

Try a LUCIA search for SUBJECT, e.g., WATER or FOX RIVER. LUCIA will suggest related terms which can also be searched. Be as specific as you can; there's lots of stuff out there on "water."

To combine terms for a more specific search, try a KEYWORD search like WATER AND WISCONSIN. You can also do more complicated keyword searches like POLLUT? AND (RIVER OR RIVERS). The question mark acts as a truncation symbol and tells LUCIA to search for all words starting with POLLUT: pollution, polluted, polluting etc. The parentheses tell LUCIA to combine either the term RIVER or the term RIVERS with the previous term. Without the parentheses, only the first term, RIVER, would be combined with the results of the search for POLLUT?.

Books are arranged on the library's shelves by Library of Congress Classification. This is a system which organizes materials by general subjects. Once you have a call number from searching LUCIA, see this guide to call number locations at Mudd to find out where a book might be on the shelves.

Search LUCIA for materials in our library; try WISCAT or WorldCat to find materials beyond the Mudd. See a reference librarian if you need help.

Only a few possible sources for articles are listed here. You may also want to consult sources on health, law, or public policy, depending on the focus of your research.

Biological Abstracts.

Provides references to journal literature in the life sciences.
Bibliography Area. From 1995 on, access is through BasicBIOSIS on FirstSearch.

Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management.

"An index of comprehensive, multidisciplinary coverage of relevant fields across the environmental sciences from all the primary sources for abstracts journals." Produced by Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.
Available to researchers on the Lawrence campus through FirstSearch.

Expanded Academic Index. (JOURNALS) 1987-

Very broad coverage of academic periodicals. Use searches similar to those used for FINDING BOOKS.
Available at a LUCIA terminal near you and on the Web.

You may also want to browse some of the library's journals. The titles of these can be found by searching for subjects like ECOLOGY--PERIODICALS or by a keyword search for WATER AND SU PERIODICALS.

Federal

Environmental Protection Agency

The Web site for the EPA is incredibly rich in information. You do have to do some digging, but it's well worth the time. You may want to start by following the link for Offices, Labs & Regions, and going to regional information, or by following one of the more specific links listed below under Internet Resources.
http://www.epa.gov/

Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications.

Some call it the Monthly Catalog, some GPO, some MOCAT, but it's all the same thing--the bibliography to the resources published by the United States Government Printing Office.
Paper copy up through 1995--Bibliography Area

Also available to researchers on the Lawrence campus through FirstSearch as GPO Monthly Catalog, searchable from 1976 to the current year, updated each month, or as MarciveWeb DOCS.

Toxic Release Inventory.

A publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Toxic Substances. Indexes include categories such as: facility name index, standard industrial classification code index, chemical substance index.
Microfiche -- U. S. GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS -- EP 5.22:

Also available on the Web. The EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) provides background information on the TRI at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/tri/.
A searchable version of the TRI is available at http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/tris/tris_query_java.html.

State

The Wisconsin Document Collection is located in the northeast corner of the library on the first floor. Most Wisconsin Documents can be retrieved by a publisher keyword search in LUCIA. For example: PU MADISON WI. This can be combined with other keywords, for example WATER AND PU MADISON WI to find records containing the word "water" that are for items published in Madison.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

The DNR is concerned with many of the same issues as the EPA, but broader as well, such as parks and outdoor recreation. The sections on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Related Websites will be helpful for information on water quality.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/

CIESIN: Consortium For International Earth Science Information Network

(CIESIN, pronounced "season") was established in 1989 as a private, nonprofit corporation with members from leading universities and non-government research organizations, and is dedicated to the study of global environmental change.
http://www.ciesin.org/

EPA Sites:

Envirofacts Warehouse

"A single point of access to select US EPA environmental data."
http://www.epa.gov/enviro/index_java.html

Fox River Current

"Update from the Lower Fox River Intergovernmental Partnership," a group composed of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
http://www.epa.gov/region5/foxriver/current/index.htm

Great Lakes Programs

Includes copies of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and related reports and responses.
http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/

Lower Fox River Cleanup and Restoration

"These web pages contain information about the Lower Fox River clean-up and restoration project, which involves the remediation of sediments contaminated with PCB's, as well as the restoration of the natural resources damaged by these contaminants."
http://www.epa.gov/region5/foxriver/

Surf Your Watershed

Try the Locate Your Watershed feature to start. Provides details on many aspects of water in specific areas.
http://www.epa.gov/surf/

National Extension Water Quality Database

Provides access to educational resources created by the USDA's Extension Services.
http://hermes.ecn.purdue.edu:8001/water/

PCBs and the Fox River

An excellent guide produced by the staff of the Appleton Public Library. It includes information on community groups and services related to the Fox River, and on finding articles from local papers.
http://www.apl.org/pages/pcb.html

University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute

And you thought Wisconsin was just a land grant institution. A partnership of federal, state, university, and private concerns dedicated to research and education on marine resources.
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/

Wisconsin Water Resources Center

"The Water Resources Center coordinates research programs which are applicable to the solution of present and emerging water resource problems."
http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/Water_Resources/page.htm

Yahoo! Rivers and Streams

Selected Internet resources on water and water quality.
http://www.yahoo.com

Of course, there are many more web resources available that might be useful in your research. For brief background information on how to use some of the many available Internet search engines, see this guide.

It's important to think carefully about any information you find in any format, and to evaluate resources for their accuracy, applicability, and so forth. Evaluation of web resources is especially important. You may want to consult this guide from UCLA on thinking critically about web resources, or this bibliography of sources on evaluating web sites.

Encyclopedia of Associations.

An important source of contact information on groups interested in water quality.
Ready Ref. HS17 q.G33

Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference.

Provides brief information on approximately 5,000 materials, including basic chemicals, pesticides, dyes, detergents, lubricants, plastics, preservatives, ores, soaps, and more.
Ref. T55.3.H3 S33 1987

The Merck Index : An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals.

One of the most widely used chemical and biomedical encyclopedias. Arranged alphabetically, and includes an index by chemical formula.
Ref. RS51 .M4 1983

Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. 3 vols.

Provides up-to-date information on chemical hazards, including a hazard rating, physical properties, toxicity data, and a safety profile.
Ref. T55.3 q.H3 S3 1992