Agriculture

Finding Books Using DELCAT

Use DELCAT, the library's online catalog, to search for books, journal titles, media, and other materials in the Library's collections. DELCAT may be searched by author, title, Library of Congress subject heading, keyword(s) and call number. An online Quick Guide to DELCAT is available. Please note that certain types of material are NOT in DELCAT. These include individual articles in magazines, journals, and newspapers; use library databases and electronic journals to identify articles on a topic.

In your choice of subjects to search, consider specific topics within Agriculture, such as Agronomy or Crops, or topics related to the field found as subdivisions under the main heading Agriculture, such as Agriculture--Economic Aspects, or with "agricultural" as a modifier, such as Agricultural Biotechnology.

Finding Articles Using Indexes/Databases

Use one or more of the following indexes to find journal articles, dissertations, USDA documents, etc. The electronic databases are available from the Library's home page on the Web (http://www.lib.udel.edu) under Databases.

Biological and Agricultural Index Plus LOCATION: Library Databases: Start with this easy-to-use small database of articles from 240 well-known journals, all in English, including popular publications. Covers 1983- .

AGRICOLA LOCATION: Library Databases: A large but easy to use database of resources in all agricultural sciences, especially the applied sciences in agriculture, engineering, and resource economics. Includes books, book chapters, microforms, media, as well as journal articles. It provides coverage of mostly English language materials, with particular strength in federal and state publications. It covers a longer time period than many other databases, 1970-

Biological Abstracts (BIOSIS) LOCATION: Library Databases: Citations, with abstracts, to articles in over 7500 scholarly journals. 1985- .

Biological Sciences Set LOCATION: Library Databases: Citations, with abstracts, to articles, books, conference proceedings, monographs, and reports relating to the biological, medical, and agricultural sciences. 1982- .

CAB Abstracts LOCATION: Library Databases: Citations, with abstracts, to journal articles relating to animal production, veterinary science, crop science, forestry, and agricultural engineering. Also a very good source for food and resource economics information and for European agricultural sources. 1990- .

Expanded Academic ASAP Plus LOCATION: Library Databases: Electronic index which lists articles published in more than 1500 general interest and scholarly journals in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Some references include the full text of articles; abstracts are available for others. Coverage is 1980 to the present. Updated daily.

Lexis-Nexis Academic LOCATION: Library Databases: A full-text database which provides complete articles from newspapers, magazines, and other sources. Updated daily.

Web of Science LOCATION: Library Databases: A huge, multidisciplinary database corresponding to Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Arts and Humanities Citation Index, published by the Institute for Scientific Information. Provides access to a wealth of scholarly journal literature from more than 8000 scholarly journals. Cited references may also be searched. Abstracts are included. Coverage is 1945 to present. Updated weekly.

Locating Articles in the Library

For articles that are not available in full text, use DELCAT to find call numbers and locations for the journals which contain these articles . You may search for an exact journal title (Agricultural Research) or for keywords in the title (Crops and Soils). But you cannot look up individual articles by author or title in DELCAT. Please note: if you cannot find a journal title in DELCAT, the Library may not subscribe to it. Ask at the Reference Desk for assistance.

DELCAT records for magazines and journals are identified by the format designation SERIAL, to distinguish them from books with the same title. Once you have located the DELCAT record for your journal, click on the appropriate link to find out what volumes and years the Library has (called holdings). If more than one location is listed, check each one to determine where the issue you need can be found. You may also look for electronic versions of journals using the Library's list of Electronic Journals. These can be searched by title words or can be selected from a subject oriented list.

Citation Style Guides

These provide the proper formats, with examples, for creating literature references and bibliographies of works cited. They also include a wealth of information about writing style and document formats.

Knisely, Karin. A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology. Sunderland, Mass.: Sinauer Associates, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QH304 .K65x 2002)

Scientific Style and Format: the CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. Style Manual Committee, Council of Biology Editors, editors. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. LOCATION: Agriculture Library (Agr. T11 .S386 1994)

Guides to the Literature

These provide in-depth information about how research is reported and reviewed in a particular field of study, as well as the various types of materials and electronic information available. Extensive lists of reference books, journals, and web sites are included, although some lists may be out of date in some of the older titles.

Gilbert, Pamela and Chris J. Hamilton. Entomology: a Guide to Information Sources. London; New York: Mansell, 1990. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QL463 .G54x 1990)

Pritchard, Eileen and Paula R. Scott. Literature Searching in Science, Technology, and Agriculture. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. Z699.5 .S3 P74 1996)

Schmidt, Diane, Elisabeth B. Davis, and Pamela F. Jacobs. Using the Biological Literature: a Practical Guide. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QH303.6 .D38 2002)

Schmidt, Diane. A Guide to Reference and Information Sources in the Zoological Sciences. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2003. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. Z7991 .S36 2003)

Using the Agricultural, Environmental, and Food Literature. Barbara S. Hutchinson, and Antoinette Paris Greider, editors. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S494.5.A39 U75 2002)

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

A representative sample of the many short-answer resources that are available in the Library. They range from small glossaries to large multi-volume encyclopedias. Most subfields in agriculture have works in this format.

Belknap, Maria. Horsewords: the Equine Dictionary. North Pomfret, Vt.: Trafalgar Square, 1997. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF 278 .B45x 1997)

Black's Veterinary Dictionary. Edward Boden, editor. Lanham, MD: Barnes & Noble Books, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF609 .B53 2001)

Dictionary of Environmental Economics. Anil Markandya, et al., editors. Sterling, VA: Earthscan Publications, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. HC 79 .E5 D53 2001)

Encyclopedia of Agricultural, Food, and Biological Engineering. Dennis R. Heldman, editor. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2003. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. TP368.2 .E57 2003)

Encyclopedia of Agricultural Science. Charles J. Arntzen and Ellen M. Ritter, editors. San Diego: Academic Press, 1994. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S411 .E713 1994)

Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences. Hubert Roginski, John W. Fuquay, Patrick F. Fox, editors. Boston: Academic Press, 2003. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF229 .E53x 2003)

The Encyclopedia of Ecology & Environmental Management. Peter Calow, editor in chief. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science, 1998. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. GE 300 .E53 1998)

Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology. Richard K. Robinson, Carl A. Batt, and Pradip D. Patel, editors. San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press, 2000. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QR 115 .E53x 2000)

Encyclopedia of Gardens: History and Design. Candice A. Shoemaker, editor. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB465 .E53x 2001)

Enyclopedia of Insects. Vincent H. Resh and Ring T. Cardé, editors. San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press, 2003. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QL462.3 .E53x 2003)

Encyclopedia of Pest Management. David Pimentel, editor. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB950.95 .E53x 2002)

Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology. Otis C. Maloy and Timothy D. Murray, editors. New York: J. Wiley, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB 728 .E53 2001)

Encyclopedia of Soil Science. Rattan Lal, editor. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S592 .E53x 2002)

Flora: a Gardener's Encyclopedia. Sean Hogan, editor in chief. Portland, Or: Timber Press, 2003. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB403.2.F66 2003)

Hickey, Michael, and Clive King. The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QK 10 .H53x 2000)

Lewis, Robert A. CRC Dictionary of Agricultural Sciences. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S411 .L39 2002)

Mason's World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types, and Varieties. Valerie Porter, editor. New York: CABI Pub., 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF105 .M34 2002)

Miglani, Gurbachan S. Dictionary of Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology. New York: Food Products Press, 1998. Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QK 981 .M54 1998)

Soil and Environmental Science Dictionary. E.G. Gregorich, et al., editors. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S 592 .S59 2002)

Troeh, Frederick R. and Roy L. Donahue. Dictionary of Agricultural and Environmental Science. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State Press, 2003. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S411 .T76 2003)

Wiley Encyclopedia of Food Science and Technology. Second edition. Frederick J. Francis, editor. New York: Wiley, 2000. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. TP 368.2 .E62 2000)

Handbooks and Fact Books

Handbooks and Fact Books are useful for statistics and quick information on specific topics. They often include extensive tables and numerous illustrations. They often provide experimental techniques, methods of observation, or standard practices.

Alsop, Fred. J III. Birds of the Mid-Atlantic. New York: DK Pub., 2002. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. QL683.M54 A47 2002): Arranged by taxonomic groups, with full color illustrations, species descriptions, and identifying characteristics

The American Standard of Perfection. Mango, FL: The American Poultry Association, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF485 .A1 A47): The U.S. standard breed identification book for all types of poultry, heavily illustrated, listing color and physical features.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Gardener's Desk Reference. Janet Marinelli, general editor. New York: H. Holt, 1998. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB 450.96 .B76 1998): Information from the Garden's Handbook Series, covering noted persons and public gardens, botany for gardeners, plant conservation and ecology, and types of gardening, such as kitchen, ornamental, indoor and city gardening. Many tables and extensive plant lists.

Crop Protection Handbook. Annual. Willoughby, OH: Meister Pub. Co., 2003-. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S583 .F36): Covers both pesticides and fertilizers, listing manufacturer, formulations and chemical information

Delmarva's Poultry Industry: Facts, Figures, and Other Material About Delmarva's Poultry Industry. Prepared by Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. Georgetown, DE: Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., 1995. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. HD9437 .U63 D45x): Extensive compilation of information about this local industry, including history, statistics and directories. Looseleaf format.

Dines, Nicholas T, and Kyle D. Brown. Landscape Architect's Portable Handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB 472 .D46 2001): Includes illustrations of design elements, lists of materials, tables of engineering and community standards, as well as specific techniques for layout, construction, grading, planting, paving, lighting, and project management.

Handbook of Animal Science. Paul A. Putnam, editor. San Diego: Academic Press, 1991. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF65.2 .H36 1991): Contains sections on history, animal breeds, statistical tables, physiology, production systems, and dietary information.

Handbook of Soil Science. Malcolm E. Sumner, editor in chief. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 2000. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S591 .H23 2000): Extensive information in essay form, with references, on soil physics, soil biology/biochemistry, pedology, soil chemistry, soil fertility, and soil mineralogy.

Maynard, Donald N. Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers. New York: John Wiley 1997. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB 321 .M392 1997): A standard work on commercial production of these crops, with information presented in table form.

North American Horticulture: a Reference Guide. Compiled by the American Horticultural Society, Thomas M. Barrett, editor. New York: Macmillan, 1992. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB317.56 .U6 N67 1992): Useful, if dated, directory of public gardens, plant societies, garden clubs and organizations, academic programs, and periodicals.

Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International. Arlington, Va.: AOAC International, 1995- LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S587 .A1 A87): The main reference work for food science techniques and chemical analysis of agricultural products

Pedersen, Donald B., and Keith G. Meyer. Agricultural law in a nutshell. St. Paul, MN: West Pub. Co., 1995. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. KF 1682 .Z9 P42 1995): From a well-known series of books introducing specific areas of law, it covers farm programs, finance, marketing, animal sales, employment, and farmland preservation, among other topics.

Quick Reference to Veterinary Medicine. William R. Fenner, editor. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SF 771 .Q53 2000): Highly summarized information on animal clinical medicine, divided into clinical signs and complaints, laboratory abnormalities, systems disturbances, and special topics (i.e. injuries, toxicology, cancer.)

Westcott, Cynthia. Westcott's Plant Disease Handbook. Revised Edition by R. Kenneth Horst. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. SB 731 .W47 2001): Useful for amateur and professional gardeners and nurserymen, it is arranged primarily by type of disease, with a separate section on host plants and their pathogens.

Womach, Jasper, and Carol Canada. Agriculture: a Glossary of Terms, Programs, Laws and Websites. Huntington, N.Y.: Nova Science Publishers, 2000. LOCATION: Agriculture Library - Reference (Agr. Ref. S 411 .A37x 2000): Though arranged as a dictionary, many entries are directory listings of organizations and web pages

How to Connect to Electronic Library Resources

Most electronic resources are accessible to University students, faculty, and staff via the Library's Web site (http://www.lib.udel.edu). These include the databases mentioned above and a growing number of journals in electronic form. To obtain access to this information from a computer on and off campus, please refer to the page How to Connect to the University of Delaware Library, which includes information on roaming IP and University's Web Proxy Server.

Interlibrary Loan

University of Delaware students, faculty, and staff may obtain books and journal articles not owned by the Library through the Library's Interlibrary Loan Service. More information is available from Interlibrary Loan on the Library's home page. Electronic request forms are available by clicking on Forms. Articles can usually be obtained within a few days; books may take longer.

This page is maintained by Frederick Getze, Reference Department.

Version: 8/04
Last modified: 08/19/09

Agriculture:

A Research Guide