Geography Research Guide
This page lists only subject-specific resources for Geography. General information about academic research, searching for books and journals, finding specialized sources, and help with evaluating and citing sources, is available on the Guides page and in the menu options at the right (or at the bottom) of this page.
On this page:
Image by Engelbert Niehaus on Wikiversity
Getting Started
Many of the library’s resources require you to use the library’s links to get full access. It is important to start your academic research from the library’s website: going directly into a database (www.jstor.org) won't give you the same level of access that the library pays for. To use the library’s links to these resources, you must be registered with the library - this is different than being registered for class(es).
Please try to get into the library’s databases early in the semester - if you can’t, it will take a few days to process your account, so don’t wait until you need to begin finding sources.
Getting More Help - Don’t be afraid to Ask-the-Librarian! I won’t do your research for you, but I will help you figure out how to find what you need. My contact information is available at the top of the menu at the right (or at the bottom) of this page.
Related Guide
Books
See the Find Books page for general information about finding books, including how to:
- search LibCat
- understand call numbers
- locate books on the shelves
- request books that are not immediately accessible
Ebooks
Academic and public library ebook collections, including some textbooks: UH Hilo | HawaiʻiCC
Free UCL Press Ebooks
Open Access UCL Press Geography Ebooks
Scientific Writing
The Craft of Scientific Writing
General Collection: T 11 .A37 2018
How to Write Technical Reports: Understandable Structure, Good Design, Convincing Presentation, 2nd ed.
General Collection: T 11.H4713 2019
Learning to Communicate in Science and Engineering
General Collection: Q 223 .P64 2010
Scientific Writing and Communication: Papers, Proposals, and Presentations
General Collection: Q 223 .H63 2014
Journal Articles
See the Find Articles page for general information about finding magazine, journal, and newspaper articles, including how to:
- search specialized databases
- understand the difference between a scholarly journal and a magazine
- request articles that are not immediately accessible
Journal Article Databases
You must select the link(s) for your campus! Why this is important...
UH Hilo
Also be sure to search some of the General Databases and related Subject Area Databases:
UH Hilo General | UH Hilo Subject Area
- American Geophysical Union Journals (Free access for all users)
From Wiley Online Library: 6 open access journals and 16 journals with open access options. 90,000+ articles available 24 months after publication. - Environment Complete (EBSCO) (UH Hilo access)
Comprehensive index of periodicals in all environmental studies subjects. Many journals and some reference books are full text. - GreenFILE (EBSCO) (UH Hilo access)
Indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records, with open access full text for more than 4,700 records. Content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. - GeoScienceWorld (Free access for all users)
Indexing of a wide variety of geoscience publications. No subscription to full-text, but searches can be limited to open-access and free publications. - Natural Science Collection (ProQuest) (Licensed for UH Hilo users only)
Full-text access to approximately 7000 journals in biology, earth science, agriculture, and marine science, including the journal Nature. Most recent 1 year(s) not available for some titles. - Science Reference Center (EBSCO) (UH Hilo access)
Browseable by topic, includes: full-text science periodicals; reference books; encyclopedias; science essays; full-length biographies of scientists; science animations; 10,000+ science images; over 500 videos. - Sustainability Reference Center (EBSCO) (UH Hilo access)
Full-text content from journals and some reference books covering all aspects of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. - Wiley Digital Archives (Licensed for UH Hilo users only)
"Wiley Digital Archives is a continuous program of new databases comprised of unique or rare historical primary sources, digitized from leading societies, libraries, and archives around the world, and made accessible in ways that tie directly to research outcomes and educational goals. All Archives are cross-searchable, and contain tools for searching, browsing, analyzing and visualizing primary source content."
Subscribed Archives include:- British Association for the Advancement of Science (Collections on the History of Science: 1830-1970)
- Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
- Royal College of Physicians
- Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers)
- New York Academy of Sciences.
More information about each archive is available.
HawaiʻiCC
Also be sure to search some of the General Databases and related Subject Area Databases:
HawaiʻiCC General | HawaiʻiCC Subject Area
- American Geophysical Union Journals (Free access for all users)
From Wiley Online Library: 6 open access journals and 16 journals with open access options. 90,000+ articles available 24 months after publication. - Environment Complete (EBSCO) (Hawaiʻi CC access)
Comprehensive index of periodicals in all environmental studies subjects. Many journals and some reference books are full text. - GreenFILE (EBSCO) (Hawaiʻi CC access)
Indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records, with Open Access full text for more than 4,700 records. Content includes global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. - GeoScienceWorld (Free access for all users)
Indexing of a wide variety of geoscience publications. No subscription to full-text, but searches can be limited to open-access and free publications. - Science Reference Center (EBSCO) (Hawaiʻi CC access)
Browseable by topic, includes: full-text science periodicals; reference books; encyclopedias; science essays; full-length biographies of scientists; science animations; 10,000+ science images; over 500 videos. - Sustainability Reference Center (EBSCO) (Hawaiʻi CC access)
Full-text content from journals and some reference books covering all aspects of sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Dissertations and Theses
The library has access to the full-text of many theses and dissertations, most of which have extensive lists of references. Some examples of material available in full-text:
Brockway, Catherine Elizabeth Lee. Building High-frequency Word Lists for the Semantic Domain of ʻĀINA (‘land’) Using a Raw Corpus of Spoken ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. 2021.
Collier, Eszter Adany. Mapping Biological Soil Crust Cover in the Kawaihae Watershed. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. 2019.
Hart, Rose Sierra. Quantifying Shoreline Change at Three Diverse Coastal Geomorphologies on Hawai'i Island. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. 2018.
Hastings, Zoe. Understanding the Potential for Restoration through Agroforestry in Hawaiʻi. University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. 2021.
Kapali, Tammy Keli‘i. Indigenizing Urban Spaces: Towards a Critical Consciousness for Indigenous Design in Hawai‘i. University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. 2021.
McGuire, Gina M. Applying Makawalu to Midway Atoll's Visitor Program Kuaihelani, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. 2019.
Dissertations and Theses from ProQuest (Licensed for UH Hilo users only)
Online access to full text of doctoral dissertations and graduate theses from universities around the world, including all campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi.
Atlases
Atlas of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiian Reference Collection: G 1534.20 .U5
Atlas of the World National Geographic Society
Atlas Stands: G 1021 .N38
The New International Atlas = Der Neue Internationale Atlas
Atlas Stands: G 1021 .R23
Rand McNally Premier World Atlas
Atlas Stands: G 1021 .R45
[State] Atlas & Gazetteer Delorme Mapping Company
Reference Collection: G 1534.2 .D45
The State of Women in the World Atlas
Reference Collection: G 1046 .E1 S4
The State of the World Atlas
Reference Collection: G 1021 .K46
The Times Atlas of the World
Atlas Stands: G 1021 .T55
Maps
The library has a limited number of maps listed in LibCat. You may do better by browsing the Map Collection located on the 3rd floor (Upper Level), which includes:
World Maps - Produced by the National Geographic Society (NGS), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and others, these maps are of various sizes. These may be checked out.
Hawaiʻi Maps - United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) charts, Census maps, etc. Many of these may be checked out. Other Hawaiʻi maps may be found in the Hawaiian Collection