Research Guides: Physical Geography: Reference Materials

Getting Started

The reference collection is a great place to begin your research. These short relevant articles will give the basic understanding you need to formulate a good research question.

Climate Data

Climate Data Online (Canada)
... from the National Climate Data and Information Archive.
U.S. Historical Climatology Network
"... a high quality data set of daily and monthly records of basic meteorological variables from 1218 observing stations across the 48 contiguous United States."
Climate Data Online (International)
Access to international climate data provided by the National Climatic Data Center.

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, & Atlases

The Dictionary of Physical Geography
"... this comprehensive encyclopedic dictionary covers the whole field of physical geography and provides an essential reference for all students and lecturers in this field." (publisher's description)
Encyclopedia of Geomorphology
"... a comprehensive guide to both specific landforms and the major types of processes that create them." (publisher's description)
Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change Online
"These three volumes include more than 750 articles that explore major topics related to global warming and climate change-ranging geographically from the North Pole to the South Pole, and thematically from social effects to scientific causes." (publisher's description)
Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science
"An essential reference for scientists, students, and others studying the Earth's history from the "Ice Age" until today." (publisher's description)
Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences
"... comprising approximately 200 substantial articles, the Encyclopedia provides detailed, expert coverage of the subject." (library description)
Encyclopedia of Lakes and Reservoirs
"... a comprehensive and authoritative review of physical, chemical and ecological characteristics of lakes and reservoirs, as well as describing their uses and environmental conditions and trends in all parts of the world." (publisher's description)
The Atlas of Climate Change
"... this atlas examines the causes of climate change and considers its possible impact on subsistence, water resources, ecosystems, biodiversity, health, coastal megacities, and cultural treasures." (publisher's description)