Primary research articles make up a relatively small amount of the available information on a topic. You may also want to consult books and government information, especially to learn things like

1. What conditions does a specific species prefer?
2. What plant communities are common within a state?
3. What is the established relationship between two variables?

Reference works are used for finding answers to specific informational questions and for gaining basic background knowledge of a subject. They include subject-specific encyclopedias and dictionaries, handbooks that compile basic research, directories, compilations of statistical information, and a variety of other types of sources. The UMD Library has both print and online reference sources.

Search the catalog for your search term.  If you don't find many reference titles using your organism name, try

1. using the species name (instead of "polar bears," search for "Ursus maritimus")
2. using a broader term (instead of "polar bears," search for "bears") 

The Library catalog can also be found under the "Books/Media" tab on the Library Homepage at lib.d.umn.edu