Sustainable Agriculture

Encyclopedias and handbooks

Use one of the Library's reference books to get an overview of a topic. This will introduce you to specific terminology, contexts, or controversial aspects that will help you to narrow your topic to a searchable question.

The following titles are available online. Use the Electronic Access link near the bottom of the page to access the contents.

You will need to log in with your KPU ID to access off campus.

Summon Search

Summon searches most of the Library's resources all at once.

Fast start tips:

• Search using keywords rather than sentences or questions
• Use the filters in the left column to narrow your search results

Search example:

Keyword: tillage soil degradation

Content type: journal articles and books/ebooks

Not finding what you need?

• Watch the video search demo below
• If the you are still confused after watching the video, scroll down to find further help

Mainstream press

The following list of magazines and websites is by no means exhaustive but provides a starting point for your research. Each of these publications covers environmental issues.

KPU Library subscribes to various newspapers both national and local/regional. Although most newspapers have some amount of content for free,  you will need to access the full content via one of the library's databases.

Browse our print magazines

The library also subscribes to a few print magazines focussing on small-scale growers and producers. Most are located in the print journal shelving near the front the the Richmond library. Just ask library staff for help. All magazines are available to borrow.

Scholarly journals in sustainable agriculture

KPU Library subscribes to some key agriculture journals. The links below will take you to our holdings page. From there, click the database link to search, or browse, the contents.

Log in with your KPU ID if you are off campus.

Want to broaden your search? Try an article database

To search across many journals all at once, use a subject-specific database.

Reliable websites

The following list of websites will have accurate, evidence-based information on topics in sustainable agriculture.

Source credibility

Here is a set of questions to be asked of any source to determine its appropriateness for your assignment. Click the arrows.

Verify your sources

If you have used generative AI to help find sources for your assignment, you will need to go the extra step and verify that they actually exist. You've probably heard about "hallucinations" and fake sources that might appear in the search results of some generative AI tools. In some cases, the journals themselves may be legitimate, but the articles or authors don't exist.

Be critical! It is up to you to ensure that the sources you include in your assignment exist and are credible!

If you cite sources that don't exist, you will be in violation of KPU's policy on Academic Integrity.

Here's how you can check:

1. If the article citation includes a DOI, check to make sure it leads to an article on a journal or publisher's platform. 

• You can do this using the Crossref search tool. Copy the DOI (without the https://doi.org/) into the search box. You should be directed to the article on the publisher's site. 
• Double check the author and title to make sure it's the same article.

2. Put the entire title of a book or article into the Library's Summon search.

• Refine the results to "scholarly and peer review articles" or "books/ebooks". Your item should be at the top of the list. 
• Double check using the authors' names: are the authors of your article or book the same as the ones listed?
  Still not sure?

3. Copy the entire title into Google Scholar.

• Again, verify this is the same article cited by the generative AI tool by comparing authors, journal, and so on.

Your instructor will offer guidelines as to the acceptable use of Artificial Intelligence for your course assignments. Refer to Academic Integrity's infographic on ChatGPT and Other AI Tools at KPU. Or review KPU Library's guidelines on our Artificial Intelligence guide.