Historical Geology

Course Number:

GLY 172

Objective: To introduce you to the various methods and resources for obtaining information on the history of the Earth from the rock and fossil records. Specifically, this guide will address methods for beginning your research, finding journal articles, and other sources of information.

Starting Points

If you are not familiar with a topic when beginning your research a great place to begin is with a specialized encyclopedia. These types of materials are excellent resources for summarizing what is known by scientists, what questions or issues remain, and often include suggestions regarding directions for future research. Often, these materials are authored by highly regarded scientists who have made lasting contributions to the particular field of research. The following list provides a topical overviews, bibliographies, and other related information in the study of historical geology. The library maintains many more sources than those listed here, so it is important to search the library's catalog and/or browse the the shelves around these titles to locate other relavant materials.

Encyclopedia of Earth System Science

Includes extensive signed articles by researchers in the field cover all major aspects of earth sciences - earth, water, atmosphere, etc. Articles include glossaries and bibliographies (4 volumes).

Encyclopedia of Geology

This five-volume reference work covers all aspects of geology, including earth history, earth materials, surface processes, regional geology, economic geology, engineering geology, petroleum geology, geochemical and mineral exploration, and the history of geology. The techniques of remote sensing and other tools of investigation that have advanced rapidly over the last few decades are described in detail.

Encyclopedia of Geomorphology

Comprehensive two volume set consisting of nearly 700 entries by international experts on specific landforms and the major types of processes that created them.

Articles & eResources

As you begin researching a topic, you may not be aware of any published material on your subject. And with multiple systems for accessing information, knowing where to begin can be a difficult and overwhelming task; particularly if one is not familiar with that specific area of study. However, knowing what sources are available for finding this information, and how to search through these sources is a critical function of a well-trained scientist/researcher.

To help you begin learning about core bibliographic databases in the study of historical geology a list of these resources is provided below. These should also help you find scientific/scholarly journal articles related to your papers for this class. Please note that each database has a limited scope, so depending on your topic it may be necessary to search one or more of these databases.

Key Databases (i.e. indexes) for Finding Articles

Note: These databases are stand alone resources and primarily citation-based; i.e. they will not generally contain the full-text of the articles listed. You will need to search the library's catalog to determine if the library subscribes to the journal referencing your article. By searching the library's catalog you will be able to determine if the library has access to your article.

If you find that the library does not subscribe to the journal referencing your article or is missing the journal issue that contains your article, use the library's Interlibrary Loan service and the library will obtain it for you from another university. This is a FREE service! All you need to do is give us the citation and we'll do the rest. All you need to do is create an account so that you can submit the information to us and so we know who to send the article to when it arrives. This service also applies to books.

Don't wait until the last minute to do your research. Interlibrary Loan requests can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks to fill so make sure you give yourself enough time to obtain the best information possible for your paper!

America: History & Life

Covering the historical literature of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present, America: History and Life is a valuable tool for historical analysis and biographical information on noted geologists.

GeoRef

Established by the American Geological Institute in 1966, provides access to the geoscience literature of the world. GeoRef is the most comprehensive database in the geosciences and covers the geology of North America from 1785 to the present and the geology of the rest of the world from 1933 to the present. The database contains over 2.6 million references to geoscience journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and dissertations/theses along with references to all publications of the US Geological Survey.

Historical Abstracts

Covering the world's scholarly literature in history (1450-present), with the exception of the United States and Canada, Historical Abstracts is a valuable tool for historical analysis and biographical information on noted geologists.

WorldCat

A combined catalog of thousands of libraries, including Randall Library. Search WorldCat if you want to search the largest universe of book and other cataloged items.

Zoological Record

The premier resource comprehensively indexing literature in zoology, ZooRecord indexes every aspect of zoology including biochemistry, behavior, ecology, evolution, genetics, etc. ZooRecord indexes over 4,500 international serials, and includes approximately 1,500 non-serial publications (i.e. professional journals, magazines, newsletters, monographs, books, reviews, and conference proceedings). ZooRecord is published by BIOSIS and the Zoological Society of London. Please see the Zoological Record Fact Sheet for more information on using this database

Using the Library Catalog

When searching the library's catalog, a "Keyword" search will often yield the results that one is looking for in a search. However, when searching specifically for information on a specific topic a subject search will be beneficial as well. The library uses subject headings developed by the Library of Congress to classify its books. Below are several examples that may help you when searching for information. Simply, copy and paste each into the catalog search box, select "Subject" as the search feature, and hit "Submit." The catalog will then bring up all the entries that have that subject.

Geological Time
Geology, Stratigraphic
Geology - History
Paleontology
Paleontology Paleozoic
Paleontology -- Devonian
Paleontology Mesozoic
Paleontology Cenozoic
Paleontology, Stratigraphic

Agassiz, Louis, 1807-1873
Hutton, James, 1726-1797
Lyell, Charles, Sir, 1797-1875
Simpson, George Gaylord, 1902-
Smith , William, 1769-1839
Steno, Nicolaus, 1638-1686

Books & Library Materials

Glossary of Geology

Now in its 4th edition and published by the American Geological Institute, this extensive dictionary defines over 37,000 geological terms, including over 4,000 mineral names and provides an extensive References Cited list.

Macmillan Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences

Includes lengthy signed articles in the atmospheric sciences, hydrology, geology, oceanography, and planetary sciences with illustrations and bibliographies to additional materials at the end of each entry. Special features include geologic time scale, conversion measurements, acronyms and abbreviations, and elements arranged by atomic weight (2 volumes).

MaGill's Survey of Science

Includes discussions on the earth and solar system while emphasizing many of the sub-fields of geology, including physical geology, geomorphology, glacial geology, micropaleontology, mineralogy and petroleum geology.

Adventures in Earth History

seashell on the mountaintop : a story of science, sainthood, and the humble genius who discovered a new history of the earth

James Hutton and the History of Geology

Time's Arrow, Time's Cycle: Myth and Metaphor in the Discovery of Geological Time.

Crucible of Creation: the Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals

Map that Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology.

Websites

Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation and National Science Digital Library, DLESE is a library of educational resources and services to support Earth system science education.

Dynamic Earth

Online interactive resource from the National Museum of Natural History.

This Dynamic Earth: the Story of Plate Tectonics

Published by the U.S. Geological Survey, an online version of the Kious and Tilling (1996) print edition, includes information on the geological history of the Earth, continental plate theory, and plate motion and tectonics.

Fossils, Rocks, and Time

On-line book published by the U.S. Geological Survey discusses the use of fossils in determining the age of rocks. The publication covers how to place events in correct temporal order, a description of the geologic time scale, the use of fossils to indicate rock ages, the law of fossil succession, index fossils, and radioactive dating.