Agriculture & Food Science: Journals & Databases

essential books, journals and other key academic resources

Search by Title for eJournals or Databases

Follow these links and pick a subject to see a longer listing for your subject:

Pick your subject for a full list of eJournals

Pick your subject for a full list of databases

Key eJournals

Complementary Databases

Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
An extensive multidisciplinary collection of online resources covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities. It includes academic journals, magazines, trade journals and indexing and abstracts of publications including ebooks, reports and conference proceedings.
Cambridge University Press Journals (CUP) This link opens in a new window
An extensive multidisciplinary collection of online journals covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities.
Oxford Academic Journals (OUP) This link opens in a new window
This resource consists of online journals from arts, social science, scientific, technical, medical, professional and humanities disciplines.
SAGE Journals Online This link opens in a new window
This resource consists of online journals from arts, social science, scientific, technical, medical, professional and humanities disciplines.
SpringerLINK This link opens in a new window
SpringerLink provides access to journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reference works and protocols from a wide range of academic disciplines. Includes Open Access content.

Research Methods Print Reference Works

Designing Qualitative Research by Uwe Flick Providing a comprehensive guide to devising an effective research design, Uwe Flick discusses each stage of the process of designing qualitative research in detail, including formulating a research design, selecting an appropriate strategy, conceptual framework and data source, and collecting and analyzing data.
Call Number: James Joyce, Reference 300.723 SAG
ISBN: 9780761949763
Publication Date: 2008-04-01
Doing Interviews by Steinar Kvale Interviewing is an invaluable tool for the qualitative researcher. Steinar Kvale provides coverage of both the theoretical background and the practical aspects of the interview process, incorporating discussion of the wide variety of methods in interview based research and the different approaches to reading the data. Consideration is also given to the crucial issue of how to ensure scientific rigour.
Call Number: James Joyce, Reference 300.723 SAG
ISBN: 9780761949770
Publication Date: 2008-04-01
Managing Quality in Qualitative Research by Uwe Flick 'Flick's argumentation in this book is convincing. It provides a good overview of the problems of quality assessment in qualitative research and makes constructive suggestions about how to deal with them' - Thomas S. Eberle, University of St Gallen, Switzerland. The issue of quality in qualitative research is one that is often neglected. In Managing Quality in Qualitative Research attention is given to the fundamental question of how to define and assess the quality of research. Uwe Flick examines how to distinguish good research from bad research when it comes to teaching, planning, evaluating and publishing qualitative research.
Call Number: James Joyce, Reference 300.723 SAG/F
ISBN: 9780761949824
Publication Date: 2008-04-01
Analysing Qualitative Data by Graham R. Gibbs Outlining how to select the most appropriate tool for analyzing data, Analysing Qualitative Data also provides the reader with an awareness of the various challenges that are unique to interpreting the conceptual and subjective data generated in qualitative research.
Call Number: James Joyce, Reference 300.723 SAG
ISBN: 9780761949800
Publication Date: 2008-04-01

Research Methods Print Reference Works

The Essential Guide to Doing Research by Zina O'Leary Companion Web Site: http://www.sagepub.co.uk/resources/oleary/oleary.htm The Essential Guide to Doing Research is a comprehensive, practical, and engaging guide to understanding and embarking upon social science research. By adopting a clear and accessible approach, Zina O'Leary encourages students to think about, and engage with, every aspect of the research process. The book stresses that all good research should be seen as a process of constantly assessing one's work and making decisions about the best possible means for obtaining credible data and results. The Essential Guide to Doing Research is therefore designed to encourage lateral, strategic and creative thinking, while providing essential knowledge and skills to students and researchers. Key features of the text include: - coverage of all aspects of doing research, from research design to implementation and dissemination - an emphasis on the creative and strategic thinking skills needed to negotiate the research process - extensive use of figures and diagrams to illustrate key points and to create clarity - chapter previews and summaries; and encouragement for the reader to think for themselves about the best research methods that are suited to their research project This is a clear and inspiring book. It is a must for both undergraduates and postgraduate researchers embarking on, or already involved in, a research project across the social sciences.
Call Number: James Joyce, Reference 300.72 OLE
ISBN: 0761941983
Publication Date: 2004-06-09
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods by Michael S. Lewis-Beck; Alan E. Bryman; Tim Futing Liao (Editor) "This defining work will be valuable to readers and researchers in social sciences and humanities at all academic levels. As a teaching resource it will be useful to instructors and students alike and will become a standard reference source. Essential for general and academic collections." --CHOICE This Encyclopedia provides readers with authoritative essays on virtually all social science methods topics, quantitative and qualitative, by an international collection of experts. Organized alphabetically, the Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods covers research terms ranging from different methodological approaches to epistemological issues and specific statistical techniques. Written to be accessible to general readers, the Encyclopedia entries do not require advanced knowledge of mathematics or statistics to understand the purposes or basic principles of any of the methods. To accomplish this goal, there are two major types of entries: definitions consisting of a paragraph or two to provide a quick explanation of a methodological term; and topical treatments or essays that discuss the nature, history, applications, and implications of using a certain method, including suggested readings and references. Readers are directed to related topics via cross-referenced terms that appear in small capital letters. By assembling entries of varied origins and serving different research purposes, readers will be able to benefit from this immense source of methodological expertise in advancing their understanding of research. With three volumes and more than 900 signed entries, the Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods will be a critical addition to any social science library.
Call Number: James Joyce, Reference 300.72 SAG
ISBN: 0761923632
Publication Date: 2003-12-15

Key Databases

Databases are large collections of scholarly sources; search across a broad range of journal titles, books and other publications for articles on a particular topic or subject.

Explore the core databases for your discipline via the links below or via our Library Catalogue or OneSearch

AGRIS (FAO UN)
A collaborative network of more than 150 institutions from 65 countries, maintained by FAO of the UN, promoting free access to agricultural information. AGRIS covers the wide range of subjects related to agriculture, including forestry, animal husbandry, aquatic sciences and fisheries, human nutrition, and extension. Content includes unique grey literature such as unpublished scientific and technical reports, theses, conference papers, government publications, and more.

CAB Direct (CABI) This link opens in a new window
Extensive reference resource for the applied life sciences, incorporating the leading bibliographic databases CAB Abstracts and Global Health. UCD subscribes to CAB Abstracts, Global Health and VetMed Resource.
EnviroNetBase ebooks (CRC Press) This link opens in a new window
Complete with the latest research on pollution reduction, emissions, and environmental contamination, this e-book collection provides complete access to references on methods for site assessment, remediation, and soil and water quality monitoring. The Environmental Science Collection describes new tools and technologies for remote sensing, GIS, and photogrammetric environmental monitoring. UCD has access to several hundred titles.
Food Science and Technology Abstracts (OVID) This link opens in a new window
Provides access to abstracts of the world's food science, food technology, and food-related human nutrition literature. Coverage is 1969 to date and includes journals, patents, books, conference proceedings, reports, theses, standards and legislation.
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (Proquest) This link opens in a new window
The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) is an essential online resource for social science and interdisciplinary research. IBSS includes over two million bibliographic references to journal articles and to books, reviews and selected chapters dating back to 1951. It is unique in its broad coverage of international material and incorporates over 100 languages and countries. Over 2,800 journals are regularly indexed and some 7,000 books are included each year. Abstracts are provided for half of all current journal articles and full text availability is continually increasing.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Digital library of important scholarly archived journals spanning many subject disciplines. IReL provides access to the following collections: Arts & Sciences I-VII, XI-XII; Ireland Collection; Life Sciences Collection.

Proquest Entrepreneurship

Proquest Science & Technology Database This link opens in a new window
Proquest databases in the Science & Technology subject areas.
PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed comprises citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full text content from PubMed Central and publisher websites.
SAGE Research Methods Core Collection This link opens in a new window
SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students from all disciplines with their research projects.
ScienceDirect Journals (Elsevier) This link opens in a new window
ScienceDirect contains over 25% of the world's science, technology and medicine full text and bibliographic information. Includes online eBooks, reference works, handbooks, book series, journal titles and backfiles.
Taylor & Francis Journals This link opens in a new window
Taylor & Francis is a leading publisher in all areas of the Humanities, Social Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Science, Technology and Medicine sectors. IReL provides access to the SSH collection, while UCD Library funds the STM collection. Open Access titles are also available on the platform.

Wageningen e-book collection: food science
Titles: Agriculture (6)
Animal Sciences (179)
Dutch language titles (13)
Environmental Sciences (83)
Food and Health Sciences (111)
Plant Sciences (52)
Social Sciences (123)

Web of Science (all databases) This link opens in a new window
Web of Science is a website that provides subscription-based access to multiple databases that provide comprehensive citation data for many different academic disciplines.
Wiley Online Library This link opens in a new window
An extensive multidisciplinary collection of online resources covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities.

Books on Writing & Communication Skills

How to Read a Paper by Trisha Greenhalgh How to Read a Paper describes the different types of clinical research reporting, and explains how to critically appraise the publications. The book provides the tools to find and evaluate the literature, and implement the findings in an evidence-based, patient-centered way. Written for anyone in the health care professions who has little or no knowledge of evidence-based medicine, it provides a clear understanding of the concepts and how to put them into practice at the basic, clinical level. Changes for the 4th edition The fourth edition will include two new chapters on important developments in health care research and delivery, but otherwise retains its original style, size, and scope. New chapter on quality improvement - describing papers on quality improvement projects using ebm methods;  this will extend the readership to non clinical health care professionals working in hospitals and family practice, and to nurse specialists and practice nurses working in this field New chapter on complex interventions - how to set up research projects involving both qualitative and quantitative methodology (known as mixed methods) Thorough revision and updating of existing chapters and references New illustrations - diagrammatic representations of ebm concepts
ISBN: 9781444334364
Publication Date: 2010-05-24
Communication Skills for Biosciences by Maureen Dawson; Brian Dawson; Joyce Overfield This text is comprehensive, user-friendly handbook that will guide students through the full range of written and spoken communication skills that are demanded by today's biosciences courses. The book also offers a valuable refresher for postgraduate students who wish to review or expand their proficiency in these areas. This book will provide the student with practical advice on how best to communicate scientific material to different audiences including their peers, their tutors and to non-scientists. Key Features: Highly accessible, confidence-building, student-friendly guide Provides comprehensive coverage of the complete range of presentation skills needed by students Covers essay writing, practical reports, dissertations, projects and presenting in individual, group and poster presentation settings Offers advice on how to avoid common errors including plagiarism using 'what not to do' boxes throughout the text Includes practical advice on how best to communicate scientific material to different audiences e.g. undergraduates, tutors and non-scientists
ISBN: 9780470863930
Publication Date: 2010-04-26
Study and Communication Skills for the Biosciences by Stuart Johnson; Jon Scott Study and Communication Skills for the Biosciences reviews the skills a bioscience student needs to develop to fulfil their true potential during their studies, and to enhance their employability beyond university.Written in a practical, motivational style, with plenty of examples and advice to help the reader master the skills being explored, the book explains how to get the most out of lectures, tutorials, and group work; how to get the most out of the vast array of information that is available in books, in journals, and on the web; how to communicate your work and ideas effectively to others; and how to revise for and complete exams to give yourself the best chance of success.Written specifically for bioscience students by two experienced bioscience educators, Study and Communication Skills for the Biosciences is the essential guide to getting the most out of your studies - and beyond. 
ISBN: 9780199219834
Publication Date: 2009-03-01
Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words by David Lindsay Telling people about research is just as important as doing it. But many researchers, who, in all other respects, are competent scientists, are afraid of writing. They are wary of the unwritten rules, the unspoken dogma and the inexplicably complex style, all of which seem to pervade conventional thinking about scientific writing. This book has been written to expose these phantoms as largely smoke and mirrors, and replace them with principles that make communicating research easier and encourage researchers to write confidently. It presents a way of thinking about writing that emulates the way good scientists think about research. It concentrates on the structure of articles, rather than simply on grammar and syntax. So, it is an ideal reference for researchers preparing articles for scientific journals, posters, conference presentations, reviews and popular articles; for students preparing theses; and for researchers whose first language is not English. Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words expounds principles that produce scientific articles in a wide range of disciplines that are focused, concise and, best of all, easy to write and read. As one senior scientist observed, "This book not only made me a better writer; it made me a better scientist".
ISBN: 9780643100466
Publication Date: 2011-03-09
Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences by Victoria E. McMillan Written by a professional biologist who is also an experienced writing teacher, this comprehensive guide for students writing in biology, zoology, and botany provides detailed instruction on researching, drafting, revising, and documenting papers, reviews, poster presentations, and other forms of writing.
ISBN: 9780312649715
Publication Date: 2011-12-07