Search Terms and Strategies
One of the first steps to search on a topic is think about keywords that might get you results on your topic or research question. You don't want to use just one keyword for searches, you need to have a collection of keywords you can use to try and find information. Possible keywords for sustainability include:
- sustainability
- renewable energy
- smart city
- circular economy
- recycling
What are some other keywords you can think of?
Background Information
When you want to start learning about a new topic you don't want to go straight to a very specific peer reviewed article. To get background information it can be helpful to use a reference resources like an encyclopedia or handbook. Another great resource is CQ Researcher which are in-depth reports on different issues. Here are a few examples but you can always reach out to the library if you want help finding more resources.
- Circular EconomyThis is a CQ Researcher report on the concept of a circular economy "in which goods are designed to be easily shared, reused, refurbished, harvested for parts and eventually recycled for their raw materials. The goal is to eliminate waste and reduce pollution and the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change." This report comes from 2020 and includes background, pro/con, chronology and more.
- SustainabilityThis entry on sustainability comes from an ebook of the encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy. You will find related subjects and articles on the right hand side of the page.
Books
Databases
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new windowIn addition to scholarly journals, this database also includes news magazines (such as Time, Newsweek, or US News and World Report) and some newspapers (New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal). Use the links on the left side of your search results screen to limit to magazines or newspapers.
- Agricultural & Environmental Science Database This link opens in a new windowProvides indexing of figures, charts, and tables form peer-reviewed articles.
- ProQuest Earth Science collection This link opens in a new windowThe Earth Science Collection includes access to GeoRef and Oceanic Abstracts.