RA M 222: Arizona Plant Life
For further assistance, contact Jeanne Pfander .
This page is an introduction to information resources and services, both at the University of Arizona and on the Internet, that will help in your written and oral presentation assignments for Arizona Plant Life (RAM 222).
UA Library Home Page
The UA Library Home Page is the "gateway" to the LIbrary's online catalog, indexes to journal articles, online reference materials, library services, and the World Wide Web.
The Online Catalog will help you find books, journals, magazines, newspapers, government documents, maps, videos ... anything the Library owns or subscribes to... print or online.
If the item you've identified is in print or "hard copy", once you have the call number from the catalog record consult the Call Number Location Guide to see where the item is located.
E-books - The University of Arizona provides access to an increasing number of full-text online e-books. Catalog records and links for individual titles appear in the Library's Online Catalog. You can also search within the e-book collections and most collections provide added functionality which allow you to create a personal online bookshelf, save bookmarks within a book, annotate pages, and highlight specific passages for later reference, etc. However each e-book vendor's interface is different. Collections include:
E-journals - Most of the journals the Library subscribes to -especially in the sciences - are now received as full-text online journals. Journal titles have catalog records in the Library's Online Catalog. You can also view a listing of e-journals at the UA E-Journals page. To find articles on specific topics or by certain authors, you will need to use databases that index journal & magazine articles. See Finding Journal Articles (below).
Google Scholar
Google Scholar enables specific searches of scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, pre-prints, abstracts, and technical reports. Content includes a range of publishers and aggregators with whom Google already has standing arrangements.
For off-campus access to UA subscribed content, configure your Google Scholar preferences for the University of Arizona. To export citations to RefWorks you must either be on campus or connect via the UA Library web pages.
To configure your Google Scholar preferences for the University of Arizona:
- Select "Scholar Preferences"
- Under Institutional Access, select "University of Arizona"
Note that not all material to which the UA Library subscribes will be available directly through Google Scholar. If you find references to materials in Google Scholar without full text links, please consult the UA Library catalog or our list of online journals.
Books - Selected Titles of Interest to RAM 222 Students
Electronic Reserves - Start by selecting the department (Range Management) and the professor's name (McClaran). You will need the password handed out in class to access the the electronic full-text documents on E-Reserve for RAM 222.
Selected Titles of Interest to RAM 222 Students
- Arizona climate, 1931-1972 . by William D. Sellers and Richard H. Hill. Revised, 2nd edition. Tucson : University of Arizona Press, [1974] (QC984.A6 A82 1974 Science Reference, Science Oversize)
- Arizona Climate: The First Hundred Years . by William D. Sellers, Richard H. Hill and Margaret Sanderson-Rae. [Tucson, Ariz.? : University of Arizona?, 1985?] (QC984.A6 A84 1985 Science stacks, Science Reference, Special Collections, and Environmental Research Lab)
- Arizona Flora. by Thomas H. Kearny and Robert H. Peebles. 2nd edition. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1960. (QK147 .K38 1960 Science Reference, Science stacks and Special Collections)
- Arizona Vegetation Resource Inventory (AVRI) Accuracy Assessment: Final Report [Microform]. by John Szajgin et al. [Reston,Va.?]: U.S. Geological Survey, 1982. (I 19.76:82-814 Gov Docs Microforms - Main Library)
- Biotic Communities: Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico . edited by David Brown. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, c1994. (QH 104.5 .S6 B56 1994 Science stacks and Special Collections). Also available as a full-text online e-book .
- Cacti of Arizona . by Lyman David Benson. 3rd edition. Tucson, University of Arizona Press [1969]. (QK495.C11 B35 1969 Science stacks and Science Reference)
- Cacti of the Southwest: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. by W. Hubert Earle. [Phoenix, Ariz.] (6737 20th St., Phoenix 85016): [Rancho Arroyo], 1980. (QK495.C11 E2 1980 Special Collections. NOTE: 1969 edition by Del Weniger available at QK 495.C11 W37 in Science stacks, Science Reference and Special Collections.)
- Desert and Mountain Plants of the Southwest. by Dorothy Van Dyke Leake. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. c1993. (QK 142 .L43 1993 Science stacks and Special Collections). Also available as a full-text online "e-book" !
- The Desert Grassland . by Mitchel P. McClaran and Thomas R. Van Devender. Tucson : University of Arizona Press, c1995. (QH104.5.S6 D47 1995 Science stacks and Special Collections)
- Dictionary of Plant Sciences. by Michael Allaby. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1998. (QK9 .D52 1998 Science Reference) Also available as a full-text online "e-book" !
- Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. by Anne O. Epple and Lewis E. Epple. Mesa, Ariz. : LewAnn Pub. Co. ; Helena, Mont. : Distributed by Falcon Press Pub. Co., 1995. (QK147 .E66 1995 Science stacks, Science Reference, Info Commons Reference and Special Collections)
- Flowering Plants and Ferns of Arizona. Miscellaneous publication (United States. Dept. of Agriculture) ; no. 423. by Thomas H. Kearney and Robert H. Peebles. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1942. (QK147 .K43 Science Reference, Science stacks and Special Collections)
- Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert. by Wendy C. Hodgson. Tucson : University of Arizona Press, c2001. (E78.S7 H68 2001 Main stacks and Special Collections)
- Gathering the Desert. by Gary Paul Nabhan. Tucson, Ariz. : University of Arizona Press, c1985. (QK211 .N33 1985 Science stacks, Special Collections, and Environmental Research Lab)
- Grasses of Southwestern United States . by Frank W. Gould. Biological science bulletin (University of Arizona) ; no. 7. Tucson, University of Arizona, 1951. (QK495.G7 G69 Science Reference, Science stacks. Special Collections and Environmental Research Lab)
- Guide to Land Cover Types of Arizona . by Clifford Pearlberg and Steve Miller. [Phoenix, Ariz. : Arizona State Land Department, between 1973 and 1986] (QK147 .P42 1973z Science stacks)
- Illustrated Guide to Arizona Weeds. by Kittie F. Parker. Tucson, University of Arizona Press [1972]. (SB612.A7 P3 1972 Science Reference, Science stacks and Special Collections) Also available from the UA Press as an online text .
- Plant Associations of Arizona and New Mexico. United States. Forest Service. Southwestern Region. 3rd edition. [Albuquerque, N.M.?] : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southwestern Region, [1997]. (A 13.36/2:P 69/10/V Govt Docs - Main Library)
- Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West. by Michael Moore. Santa Fe, N.M. : Museum of New Mexico Press, c1989. (QK99.U6 M65 1989 Science stacks and Special Collections)
- Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional, and Modern Medicinal Uses. by Ivan A. Ross. Totowa, N.J. : Humana Press. c1999. (RS164 .R676 1999 Science stacks) Also available as a full-text online "e-book".
- Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. by Steven Phillips and Patricia Wentworth Comus. Tucson : Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press ; Berkeley ; London : University of California Press, c2000. (QH104.5.S58 N38 2000 Science Reference, Music Reserves, Main Reserves and Special Collections).
- Plant Associations of Arizona and New Mexico. United States. Forest Service. Southwestern Region. 3rd edition. [Albuquerque, N.M.?] : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southwestern Region, [1997]. (A 13.36/2:P 69/10/V Govt Docs - Main Library)
- Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach. by Walter S. Judd. Sunderland, Mass. : Sinauer Associates, c1999. (QK95 .P548 1999 Science stacks)
- Sonoran Desert Plants: An Ecological Atlas. by R.M. Turner and Janice E. Bowers. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. c1995. (G 1107 .S6 D2 T8 1995 Science Reference, Main stacks and Special Collections)
- Terminology for the Field Identification of Plants. by Warren Whitfield and Alan Petersen. Townsville, Qld. : W. Whitfield, c1996. (QK97.5 .T47 1996 Science stacks)
- Trees and Shrubs of the Southwestern Deserts. by Lyman D. Benson and Robert A. Darrow. 3rd edition. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. c1981. (QK 484 .S89 B46 1981 Science Reference Oversize, Special Collections Oversize and Environmental Research Lab)
- Vegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert. by Forrest Shreve and Ira L. Wiggins. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. c1964. (QK 938 .D4 S49 1964 Science Reference, Science stacks, and Special Collections)
- Vegetative Key to Some Common Arizona Range Grasses . by R.F. Copple. Fort Collins, Colo. : Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 1978. (A 13.88:RM-53 Government Documents - Main Library)
Books on Writing
- 501 Grammar and Writing Questions . by LearningExpress (Organization). New York: LearningExpress, 1999. (Full-text online e-book.)
- How to Write Your Term Paper. by Elinor Yaggy. 5th edition. New York : Harper & Row, c1985. (LB2369 .Y3 1985 Main Reference)
- A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. by Kate Turabian. 6th edition. Revised by John Grossman and Alice Bennett. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1996. (LB2369 .T8 1996 Main Reference and Main Reserve)
- Schaum's Quick Guide to Writing Great Research Papers. by Laurie Rozakis. New York: McGraw-Hill, c1999.
Finding Journal Articles
Databases that index journal & magazine articles are arranged by subject at Indexes to Articles & More .
Recommended databases for subjects covered in "Arizona Plant Life " include:
- AGRICOLA
- BIOSIS
- CAB
- Science Citation Index (Web of Science)
- Social Science Citation Index (Web of Science)
- Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide
Once you've found a citation or reference for a journal article, if there is not a link to the online e-journal in the database itself, take the journal name from the citation and look it up by "Journal Title" search in the UA Library Online Catalog.
If the UA Library does not own or provide online access to a journal you need, UA students, faculty or staff may request a specific article in that journal through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) .
Maps
The Map Collection is in the basement (Floor 1) of the Main Library.
- Biotic Communities of the Southwest.by David E. Brown and Charles H. Lowe. Scale 1:1,000,000 (W 118°00--W 103°00/N 37°30--N 27°00). [Salt Lake City] : University of Utah Press, 1994. (G4301.D1 1980 .B7 1994 Map Collection)
- Natural Vegetative Communities of Arizona. by David E. Brown, John N. Theobald and Vern Booth. Scale ca. 1:500,000. [Phoenix] Arizona Resources Information System, c1973. (G4331.D2 1973 B8 Map Collection)
For guidance on how to find topographic and other kinds of maps in the UA Library, visit How to Find Maps
The Arizona Electronic Atlas is a web-based interactive GIS mapping tool that provides geospatial data for a wide range of science and social science topics including the environment and natural resources in Arizona.
The USGS has a Topographic Maps web page that describes terms and concepts related to topographic maps.
For questions about maps, contact Christine Kollen, Social Science librarian & map specialist, at kollenc@u.library.arizona.edu.
Selected Resources on the World Wide Web
LINKS TO SUBJECT-RELATED WEB SITES
Arid Zone Trees Gallery - Photos and information about trees commonly used in landscaping in Arizona.
Arizona Climate Summaries - part of the Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) web site.
Arizona Native Plant Society - a statewide nonprofit organization devoted to Arizona's native plants.
Desert Botanical Garden - Web site for botanical garden located in Phoenix.
Centre for International Ethnomedicinal Education and Research
Fire Effects Information System - This website, developed at the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station's Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana, has a searchable section on plant species that gives extremely detailed plant summaries.
Gap Analysis Program - Gap Analysis is a proactive approach to protecting biodiversity. It seeks to identify gaps between land areas that are rich in biodiversity and areas that are managed for conservation.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) - Provides authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, and microbes of North America and the world. Click on the "Data Access" link to search by scientific or common names.
Plant Sciences Research Guide - A "pathfinder" created at the UA Library that lists print and electronic resources in the UA Library and on the Web for the plant sciences.
Plants Database - A USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service web resource, the Plants Database provides information on plant characteristics, cultural significance, distribution, etc.
Rangeland Vegetation - This section of the Arizona Rangelands [14]web site has information on noxious weeds in Arizona and other rangeland plants.
Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
Tree of Life - A multi-authored, distributed Internet project, based at the University of Arizona, containing information about phylogeny and biodiversity of all living organisms.
Tucson Botanical GardensUniversity of Arizona Herbarium - This site has links to local plant lists & floras, photos of local flora, etc.
EVALUATING INTERNET RESOURCES
RIO's "Evaluating Information Found on the Web"
Ten C's for Evaluating Internet Resources- from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Library.
FOR ASSISTANCE WITH PREPARING AN ORAL PRESENTATION, WRITING - AND CITING!
Oral Presentations and Technical Writing - A chapter in an online technical writing textbook by David A. McMurrey at Austin Community College, this site also has information on preparing a 7 minute oral presentation and links to other relevant sites.
The University of Arizona has a Writing Center web site. Check it out to find out about their services, to see links to Internet writing sites, etc.
Visit Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) . This site has links to other good writing resources on the Web.
What is Plagiarism? - and how to avoid it! (This is a web page from Indiana University Bloomington.)
The UA Library has a Citation Guide web page. It provides basic guidelines and examples to frequently asked citation questions from three major style guides: The Modern Languages Association Style Manual; the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association; and the Chicago Manual of Style. There are also links to subject specific citation links. The Council of Biology Editors Style Guide is listed in the Science section.
Visit the Citing Internet Resources web page, from Classroom Connect, to see examples of how to cite online images, sounds, video clips, etc.
IDENTIFYING PRIMARY SOURCES
Peer Reviewed, Primary & Secondary Sources - a brief list of examples created by Jeanne Pfander, University of Arizona Library.
Primary vs Secondary Sources - from Bowling Green State University Library.
JUST FOR FUN! (Totally Irrelevant!)
Bibliographic Management Software
EndNote Web - University of Arizona ISI Web of Science (aka Web of Knowledge) customers are eligible for free EndNote Web access. In order to create and access your EndNote Web Library, you must sign in or register via the UA Library Web of Science access. With EndNote Web, you can: Search and import records from ISI Web of Knowledge, PubMed and hundreds of library OPACs directly; Store up to 10,000 records per user account; Edit reference detail; add notes and keywords, modify any field; Use thousands of publishing styles to format in-text citations and bibliographies; etc.
RefWorks - RefWorks is a UA Library-subscribed web-based bibliography and database manager that allows users to create personal databases by importing references from text files or online databases. Users can employ these references in writing papers and automatically format papers and bibliographies in seconds. For more information, visit the RefWorks FAQs.
Zotero - a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources.
Citing Your Sources
When you write your paper it is important to give references to your source material. You should include enough detail to allow a reader to find the information sources you've used.
When you find a primary reference for your paper, check the style of the citations listed at the end of the paper. Think of how easy or difficult the citations are to track down. If you could add more information to the references that would make them easier to find, what would it be?
There is no one "right" way to cite an article. In fact, there are as many different guidelines and formats (also known as "style manuals") for citations as there are academic disciplines. Again, the key is to provide enough detail to allow others to track down your sources if they wanted to read the articles. Key information includes:
- Author or authors
- Title of the article, book chapter or web site
- Name of the journal, magazine, newspaper, book, etc.
- Volume number (for journal articles)
- Issue number (for journal articles)
- Page numbers (beginning and ending)
- Year of publication
- Name of organization that is sponsoring the web page (if there is one)
- The complete URL
- The day, month, and year that you accessed the web page
The UA Library has a Citation Guide web page. It provides basic guidelines and examples to frequently asked citation questions from three major style guides: The Modern Languages Association Style Manual; the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association; and the Chicago Manual of Style. There are also links to subject specific citation links. The Council of Biology Editors Style Guide is listed in the Science section.
Visit the Citing Internet Resources web page, from Classroom Connect, to see examples of how to cite online images, sounds, video clips, etc.
See also the Bibliographic Management Software (RefWorks, EndNoteand Zotero) listed above which can automatically format your references.
Library Services
A few highlighted services and resources:
- Express Document Services - Provides desk-top delivery (to your computer) or delivery by mail of information resources owned by the UA Library.
- Express Retrieval - The UA Library will retrieve items off the library shelves and place them directly on the hold shelf for UA students, faculty and staff to come and pick up.
- Inter Library Loan (ILL) - Interlibrary Loan is a free service for UA students, faculty and staff that provides access to materials not owned by the UA Library.
- Lockers - The UA Library has sixteen short-term lockers available on the eastern side of the entrance lobby at the Main Library which are available for anyone to use ($0.25 / key).
- Presentation Practice Rooms - Rooms are available with the tools and space for UA students to practice presentations, record them, and play them back for self-evaluation. Each room contains 2 video cameras, a microphone and 3 software packages to record the act of a presentation in front of the wall-mounted LCD monitor.
- Projector and Laptop Loans - Current UA students can borrow laptops and portable projectors from the Library for a 4-hour loan period.
- ResumeBuilder - Resume Builder helps you produce high quality resumes with examples and templates tuned to specific fields. You can build, manage and control multiple resumes secured with passwords and IDs. The resumes are offered as Microsoft Word documents or as web pages and you can create up to 7 unique resumes for different purposes.
Librarians Available to Help
If you need further assistance finding information for your studies in RAM 222 (or other courses), please contact either:For questions specifically about maps, contact Christine Kollen (Social Science librarian & map specialist).