Reference Databases

Use the following online reference databases to find articles on social issues and the environment:

Practice:

1. Skim the linked article entitled "Plastics" from the subject encyclopedia Achieving Sustainability: Visions, Principles, and Practices (2014). 
2. Consider how this article would help you get a basic understanding of the Who, What, Why, When, Where, How questions on your topic, and identify key terminology. 

Why Reference?

A reference collection is a set of academic encyclopedias and other quick reference sources that provide background information on a topic. Reference sources are an excellent starting place for researching a topic. Use reference for:

• background knowledge - the who, what, when, where, why, how's of a topic
• terminology common to that field
• an overview of the history of a subject or issues
• leads to more information
• reliable information. Unlike Wikipedia, you can see the academic authority of the author of the articles and the material is not openly edited.