Sources for Researching Energy-Related Topics (WR122)

Suggestions For Searching

There are three main steps to finding library information about energy or any other topic. They are

Refine the topic/find background information
List important terms or names to use as key words for searching
Search in appropriate information sources

Step one is really two activities, but they tend to occur simultaneously. Reference books, such as specialized encyclopedias are a good place to begin. Use the index to help find and refine a topic. Once you have chosen a topic, make a note of important key words that will help you to search for further information later.

Reference Books

Here are some subject encyclopedias you might try:

R 333.703 As3	Encyclopedia of environmental studies
R 333.703 N21	Natural resources
R 333.7903 En1	Encyclopedia of energy technology and the environment
R 363.7 En1	Encyclopedia of global change: Environmental change and human society
R 363.7003 M74	Encyclopedia of environmental science
R 363.7003 H79	The Environment A to Z
R 503 M17	McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology
R 621.042 M22	Macmillan encyclopedia of energy
R 628.5 W64	Wiley Encyclopedia of environmental pollution and cleanup

Finding Books In the Library Catalog

You can use Keyword or Subject searches to find books with further background on your topic. The catalog uses Library of Congress Subject Headings, which may be found in detail in: R 025.49 L61 Library of Congress Subject Headings. The catalog is accessible off campus at http://www.ccrls.org/ccc/whompup.htm.

Some Library of Congress Subject Headings To Use

  LC TERM: Power resources
      Narrower Term: Agriculture and energy 
      Narrower Term: Electric power 
      Narrower Term: Energy conservation 
      Narrower Term: Energy consumption 
      Narrower Term: Energy development 
      Narrower Term: Energy facilities 
        See Also: Energy industries 
      Narrower Term: Fuel 
      Narrower Term: Industries Power supply 
      Narrower Term: Nuclear energy 
      Narrower Term: Ocean energy resources 
      Narrower Term: Renewable energy sources 
        See Also: Agriculture and energy 
           Narrower Term: Ocean thermal power plants 
           Narrower Term: Solar energy 
           Narrower Term: Water-power 
           Narrower Term: Wind power 
      Narrower Term: Water-power 
      Narrower Term: Wind power 
      Narrower Term: Hybrid power

The above list is only a small collection of terms. Try others, such as "fuel," as subject key words.

Searching further

The subject of energy includes lots of possible topics and approaches. You may take a political, an economic, an environmental, or a technological approach. Here are some hints on ways you might search. The sources named are explained in the following section.

Economic:: •Try EBSCOhost Business Source Premier for a mix of economic and business journals and business news. The database includes many trade publications of specific industries (e.g., New Steel, Automotive News).
•The Monthly Energy Review Online (see below), has extensive statistics on the economic aspects of energy.
Environmental:: •EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier is a good source for news, research, and comment in periodicals.
• The EPA Web site is a treasurehouse of information on environmental topics.
Political:: •Periodical databases are the best place to find this kind of material. In addition to news magazines and newspapers, you may wish to try some specialized sources. Congressional Digest covers topics of importance being discussed in Congress. Each issue is devoted completely to a particular topic (e.g. "Americans and Their Cars") and in addition to background information includes pro and con arguments from legislators. Congressional Digest is indexed in EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier.
•Congressional testimony can be found in EBSCOhost MasterFile Premier. To search for it exclusively, put key words describing your subject in the MasterFile search space, and type "FDCH Congressional" in the space marked "Magazine."
Technological:: •In addition to EBSCOhost periodicals databases there are specialized databases such as EDTEWEB and TRIS.
•There are many Web sites filled with technical reports and articles. Among others below are the Energy Science and Technology Virtual Library and the Preprint Network.

Periodical Indexes

The most up-to-date information is usually found in periodicals (magazines, newspapers, and journals). The periodical databases listed below have information on subjects relating to energy production and use. To access them, go to http://newterra.chemeketa.edu/library/information/database.htm. If you are accessing the EBSCOhost databases from off campus, you will need your My Chemeketa user name and password.

EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier: Includes magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. Includes many articles in full text. Indexes Congressional Digest
EBSCOhost Business Source Premier: Includes business magazines, newspapers, and academic journals, as well as trade journals of various industries.
EBSCOhost Masterfile Premier: Includes magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. Includes Congressional testimony, and many articles in full text from energy-related publications.
EDTEWEB (Under "Supplementary Databases"): "ETDEWEB includes information on the environmental impact of energy production and use, including climate change; energy R&D; energy policy; nuclear, coal, hydrocarbon and renewable energy technologies and ... more." Indexes and abstracts journal articles and technical reports; includes many technical reports in full text. You must register to use this resource, but registration is free.
TRIS Online under "Supplementary Databases": TRIS (Transportation Research Information Services) is a very large database of transportation-related information maintained by the Transportation Research Board at the National Academy of Sciences. Includes selected documents in full text.

Web Sites

Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Environment: http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/ - A U.K. government site that provides information on topics such as global warming, sustainability, and ozone depletion.
Energy Files Energy Science and Technology Virtual Library: http://www.osti.gov/energyfiles/index.html - This site from the Department of Energy's Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI), has a wealth of information on energy-related topics.
Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.doe.gov/ - Information, largely statistical, about energy in the U.S., regional country analyses, etc.
Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/ - The U.S. government source for information on the environment.
Glossary of Energy Terms: http://www.energy.ca.gov/glossary/ - Helpful definitions of energy-related terms.
Mechanical EngineeringBack Issues: http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/back.html - Issues of Mechanical Engineering online, devoted to electrical power, coal, wind turbines, etc.
Monthly Energy Review Online: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/contents.html - Has statistics on production and consumption of all types of energy in the United States. Also has figures on worldwide petroleum and nuclear production/consumption.
NETL Publications: http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/ - Papers and presentations from international conferences and workshops on several energy-related issues.
Preprint Network: http://www.osti.gov/eprints/ - Browsable subjects lead to preprint servers with articles on energy-related topics. (Preprints are manuscripts intended for publication in technical journals.)

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