Start: Reference Works
Encyclopedia of Food and CultureStart your food product research here for an intro to the history and culture surrounding a food.
Top 100 Exotic Food Plants by Call Number: REF QK98.5.A1 S62 2012
Gather Detailed Information
Need to follow up on a citation from one of the reference books, or just generally find more information? Try starting with the catalog, which contains the print and online books the library owns. You can search by keyword or by book title.
- Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new windowoffers a wide overview of articles you can use. Try searching with the scientific name AND culture (or AND economics).
- AnthroSourceAnthroSource is a full-text collection of Anthropology journals available online. Some of your foods will be represented here.
- JSTOR
JSTOR provides electronic access to major journal titles, eBooks, and images. Subjects covered by this database include art, biology, business, ecology, botany, general science, language, literature, mathematics, sustainability, security, music, and more. JSTOR is a great resource for general research. A personal account can be created to store and organize resources.
Evaluate Websites
While you're doing Google searches to either narrow your topic or in order to dig up more information on certain subject, you want to be careful to decide if the information you find is trustworthy.
When it comes to science, nearly everyone has opinions: should we be labeling genetically modified food for consumer's awareness? What will fracking do for our economy or to our groundwater supply? Your job is to evaluate the information you can find through search engines such as Google to find the good websites--those written by authors with clear expertise, with up-to-date information.
Authorship: Who created this website? What is their background on the topic? Are they trustworthy?
Bias/Mission: Why was the website created? What point of view does the author or website have? Does that limit the facts they present or how the facts are presented?
Date: How old is the information that is presented? Is it still accurate?
Questions? Check out the COD Library's guide to evaluating information.
Cite Your Work: APA Style
Of course, as you get ideas and data from your sources, you want to be able to cite them. Keep in mind that you want to cite not only quotations, but also ideas that you get from your research.
Not sure if you are paraphrasing, plagiarizing, or patchwriting? Check out Academic Integrity by Ulrike Kestler, which has a section on all three.
Need some help putting together citations? Check out the helpful links below:
Want software to create citations for you? Check out the database below:
- NoodleTools
NoodleTools allows you to find, organize and store your research citations all in one place. Create complete Works Cited and Bibliographies with the click of a mouse, and keep notes and ideas related to your work all in one place. Available in browser and mobile app.
Create an account with your COD email to access this resource.
