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Subject Guides
Subject Guides are key resources organized and updated by your friendly librarians at Cowles.
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Biology
Black's Veterinary Dictionary

Available online. "This encyclopaedic dictionary offers a unique guide to animal health, disease, welfare and husbandry. It is an invaluable first reference source for all involved with, or interested in, animals."
Collins Dictionary of Biology

Available online. "The 'Collins Dictionary of Biology', an established reference work, has now been revised, updated and expanded to reflect developments in this rapidly advancing science, especially in the area of genetics. The Dictionary is designed for advanced school students and for undergraduates. It is also a valuable resource for all who have an interest in the life sciences."
Consists of 6500 entries and many clear diagrams
Covers all the major fields within the science, including anatomy, biochemistry, ecology, evolutionary theory, genetics, molecular biology, physiology and taxonomy
Describes techniques and tests commonly used in biology, explains statistical terms and includes biographical details of important biologists
Dictionary of Animal Behavior
Available online "This dictionary covers every aspect of animal behaviour and includes terms from the related fields of ecology, physiology and psychology. Clear, concise entries are backed up by specific examples where appropriate, covering all aspects of behaviour from aggression to courtship."
Dictionary of Biology
Available online "The perfect guide for those studying biology, either at school or university. Including biographies of key scientists, it provides comprehensive coverage of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, as well as key terms from medicine and palaeontology. There are also feature articles on important topics, such as genetically modified organisms."
Dictionary of Developmental Biology and Embryology, Wiley
Available online. "Developmental biology is the study of the mechanisms of development, differentiation, and growth in animals and plants at the molecular, cellular, and genetic levels. The discipline has gained prominence in part due to new interdisciplinary approaches and advances in technology, which have led to the rapid emergence of new concepts and words. The Dictionary of Developmental Biology and Embryology is the first comprehensive reference focused on the terms, research, history, and people of this field."
"This authoritative A-to-Z resource covers classical morphological and cytological terms along with those from modern genetics and molecular biology. Extensively cross-referenced, the Dictionary includes definitions of terms, explanations of concepts, and biographies of historical figures. Comparative aspects are described in order to provide a sense of the evolution of structures. All features of embryology and developmental biology are covered, including: Vertebrates, Invertebrates, Developmental genetics and Medical embryology."
Dictionary of Ecology

Available online "This is the third edition of the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of ecology available. Written in a clear, accessible style, it contains over 6,250 entries on all aspects of ecology and related environmental scientific disciplines such as biogeography, genetics, soil science, geomorphology, atmospheric science, and oceanography. Coverage is wide-ranging and includes plant and animal physiology, animal behaviour, pollution, conservation, habitat management, evolution, environmental pollution, climatology and meteorology."
Dictionary of Environment and Conservation

Available online "A wide ranging, inter-disciplinary resource covering a broad spectrum of environmental concerns, embracing science, politics, economics, philosophy, and history, and containing entries on current hot topics such as Antartica, Gaia hypothosis, genetic engineering, Kyoto Protocol, and the United Nations Conference on Environmental Development."
Dictionary of Scientists

Available online "From Archimedes and Copernicus to Stephen Hawking and Stephen Jay Gould, this is the most authoritative and up-to-date biographical dictionary of scientists currently available. Spanning over 2,500 years, it covers all areas of science, from physics and astronomy to medicine and ecology, including key figures in the fields of mathematics and technology. Offering clear explanations of the science itself as well as its historical significance, the dictionary includes coverage of all Nobel Laureates in physics, chemistry, physiology, and medicine."
Dictionary of Weights, Measures, and Units

Available online "This comprehensive dictionary provides clear definitions of all the units, prefixes, and styling of the Système International (SI), as well as industry-specific and traditional terms currently in use."
Encyclopedia of 20th Century Technology

Available online. "Comprised of essays arranged alphabetically from Absorbent Materials to X-Rays in Diagnostic Medicine, most on individual objects, artifacts, techniques, and products, this is an up-to-date reference work for all those involved in teaching or researching the history of twentieth-century technology, as well as the serious general reader. The core of each of the main entries is a technical description, within a historical narrative, of about 1,000 words plus illustrations and further reading. There are also about 30 longer survey entries that that address broad questions of technological systems, such as the context in which the various technologies were developed, discussions of any controversies and schools of thought, comparisons between different political and economics systems, and the various ways in which different nations have attempted to make and apply science and technology policies."
Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs

Available online. "This book is the most authoritative encyclopedia ever prepared on dinosaurs and dinosaur science. In addition to entries on specific animals such as Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor, the Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs covers reproduction, behavior, physiology, and extinction. The book is generously illustrated with many detailed drawings and photographs, and includes color pictures and illustrations that feature interpretations of the best known and most important animals. All alphabetical entries are cross-referenced internally, as well as at the end of each entry. The Encyclopedia includes up-to-date references that encourage the reader to investigate personal interests."
Encyclopedia of Paleontology

Available online. "The Encyclopedia of Paleontology is designed to address the shortage of general reference works on both vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology and to serve the needs of students and lay persons interested in the field. As the encyclopedia aims to provide basic information, the majority of the 350 entries are devoted to explanations of paleontological concepts and techniques, examinations of the evolutionary development of particular organisms and biological features, profiles of major discoveries, and biographies of leading scientists. Each entry includes an essay and a further reading list. An international team of 200 leading experts in the field has prepared the illustrations and the essays, which range from concise descriptions to comprehensive discussions."
Encyclopedia of Underwater Life

Available online "A breathtaking insight into underwater life, this Encyclopedia offers unrivalled coverage of the fish and aquatic invertebrates that inhabit our rivers, lakes, and oceans. It describes in detail the anatomy, behaviour, habitat, breeding, and conservation status of species: from microscopic, single-celled organisms swept along by water currents to gigantic powerhouses of the deep. Fascinating feature articles examine some of the strangest and most interesting aspects of these species in more depth, such as the origins of coral reefs; the cycle of the salmon; and how fish produce and use artificial illumination."
Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Fossils

Available online. "An authoritative and practical identification guide to minerals, rocks and fossils of the world. Published in association with The Natural History Museum, this is an invaluable handbook for amateur collectors and specialists alike."
Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology
"Comprehensive yet accessible, this key Handbook provides an up-to-date overview of the fast growing and increasingly important area of ‘public communication of science and technology’, from both research and practical perspectives. As well as introducing the main issues, arenas and professional perspectives involved, it presents the findings of earlier research and the conclusions previously drawn. Unlike most existing books on this topic, this unique volume couples an overview of the practical problems faced by practitioners with a thorough review of relevant literature and research.
The practical Handbook format ensures it is a student-friendly resource, but its breadth of scope and impressive contributors means that it is also ideal for practitioners and professionals working in the field. Combining the contributions of different disciplines (media and journalism studies, sociology and history of science), the perspectives of different geographical and cultural contexts, and by selecting key contributions from appropriate and well-respected authors, this original text provides an interdisciplinary as well as a global approach to public communication of science and technology."
Handbook of Vegetable Pests

Available online. "The Handbook of Vegetable Pests is intended to assist anyone in need of an easy-to-use, comprehensive survey of all pests likely to be encountered in North America. This Handbook provides thorough identification guides, descriptions of pest life history, and pest management recommendations. The text is well illustrated with hundreds of easy-to-use line drawings, is cross-referenced to the professional and scientific literature, and includes color plates for ease of insect pest identification."
Natural Experiments: Ecosystem-Based Management and the Environment
"Scholars, scientists, and policymakers have hailed ecosystem-based management (EBM) as a remedy for the perceived shortcomings of the centralized, top-down, expert-driven environmental regulatory framework established in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. EBM entails collaborative, landscape-scale planning and flexible, adaptive implementation. But although scholars have analyzed aspects of EBM for more than a decade, until now there has been no systematic empirical study of the overall approach. In "Natural Experiments," Judith Layzer provides a detailed assessment of whether EBM delivers in practice the environmental benefits it promises in theory. She does this by examining four nationally known EBM initiatives (the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Program in Austin, Texas, the San Diego Multiple Species Program, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, and the California Bay-Delta Program) and three comparison cases that used more conventional regulatory approaches (Arizona's Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and efforts to restore Florida's Kissimmee River and California's Mono Basin). Layzer concludes that projects that set goals based on stakeholder collaboration, rather than through conventional politics, are less likely to result in environmental improvement, largely because the pursuit of consensus drives planners to avoid controversy and minimize short-term costs. Layzer's resolutely practical focus cuts through the ideological and theoretical arguments for and against EBM to identify strategies that hold genuine promise for restoring the ecological resilience of our landscapes."
Science in the Contemporary World: An Encyclopedia

Available online. "This work is a unique introductory A-Z resource, from Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome to Yalow, Rosalyn, detailing the scientific achievements of the contemporary world and analyzing the key scientific trends, discoveries, and personalities of the modern age."
Science, Technology and Society
Available online "Science, Technology, and Society contains over 130 A to Z signed articles written by major scholars and experts from academic and scientific institutions and institutes worldwide. It emphasizes an interdisciplinary and international coverage of the functions and effects of science and technology in society and culture. Each article is accompanied by a selected bibliography."





