Wikipedia:The Wikipedia Library/Research desk

The Wikipedia Library

Research Desk
Finding the right sources to improve an article

Ask a Research Question

How this works: If you want to improve an article, but you don't know what sources to use or how to find them, ask a question here. Try to be specific about the article or subject you're working on and link to it if possible. Mention what kind of access to libraries you have, as what source you use might depend on what source you can actually get. Please sign your posts with ~~~~

Women on the battlefield in the U.S. Civil War

I'm working on an article on the role of women on the battlefield in the U.S. Civil War. I'm not really sure where to start? What are some good general references, and maybe a few specific ones about iconic examples. Thanks! Ocaasi ^{t | c} 01:00, 29 August 2013 (UTC)

Hey, Ocaasi. Generally before the 21st century women worked in armies as nurses. I would suggest taking a look at this article for Civil War women nurses: [1]. Cheers, Uhlan ^talk 01:44, 18 November 2014 (UTC)

Scientific American book review "For a New Liberty"

Scientific American did a book review in 1973. Scientific American archive http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/archive/index_1992.html book review section in each issue leads to a PDF that you need to have an institutional site license to read. Do you know if there's one easily available? Thanks. Carolmooredc (Talkie-Talkie) 18:36, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

Hello Carol. No such review exists. The Amazon.com profile you read which attributes unsourced promotional material to a "Scientific American editorial" is in error. Steeletrap (talk) 23:20, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

Considering we're in Arbitration now, in part over multiple allegations you've denigrated the author of the book, I'd prefer advice from others. Thanks. Carolmooredc (Talkie-Talkie) 13:06, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

This isn't "advice" though. It's an empirical fact that anyone with access to the database can verify. The review does not exist. Steeletrap (talk) 16:51, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

Avaxhome, which provides a download, says the review was of the 3rd (1985) edition of the book. Could someone please comment on that site? Otherwise, you could try a reference library. TFD (talk) 19:33, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

Surely you can deduce that the "Scientific American" review floating around the Internet is a fake, TFD? Just look at the loaded language and movement-style lingo pervading the review. Steeletrap (talk) 22:56, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

TFD: thanks for helping track it down some more. Went to Avaxhome, but beyond doing a search, not sure how it works. So now I guess it's a matter of someone who wants to find it getting access to whatever database and tracking it down to late 1984 to early 1986. Carolmooredc (Talkie-Talkie) 01:47, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

It turns out Avaxhome returns a copy of the book rather than the review. However, since according to Google Books, it was originally published by Macmillan,[2] it is not outside the realm of possibility that SA reviewed it. I did not read the excerpt of the review published online. How a book is received is often a function of whether the reviewer likes the ideas expressed, and excerpts usually do not provide a balanced view. TFD (talk) 04:36, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

I am glad that you caught your mistake. Avaxhome turns up no review because the review does not exist; a few years ago someone looking to boost Rothbard's book fabricated it. While book reviews are biased, the tone of this one is so crass and nakedly sycophantic that it must have been written for a "movement" publication. Steeletrap (talk) 06:18, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

Assuming it does not exist, why assume fans of Rothbard wrote it? Maybe it was his enemies so they could claim his fans did? Or maybe some idiot at Amazon who got his lists of reviews and sources and authors mixed up. Carolmooredc (Talkie-Talkie) 19:07, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

Also note there was a 1978 Collier MacMillan version that might have ended up being reviewed. It's really a matter of someone who has access and isn't opposed to finding such a review checking a whole bunch of years. Another job for another time... Carolmooredc (Talkie-Talkie) 19:45, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

I have access, Carol. It does not exist. Steeletrap (talk) 21:05, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

Air Quality and Heat related hazardous weather conditions

I'm looking for any new stories, articles, research papers, scholarly journals etc., related to multiple harzardous weather conditions occuring at the same. Preferably and most commonly occuring would be air quality issues such as a smog, and heat (high temperatures/humidity). I'm also looking for instances with cold weather and thunderstorms happening in conjunction with poor air quality. Ideally the paper would go into detail about a warning system that is in place or could be put in place to alert and inform the public of the current conditions. Any information concerning this topic would be greatly appreciated.

What ecological organization(s) did former Norweigen Prime Minister Gro Harlem Bruntland either chair or founded herself

What ecosystem summits or organizations were Gro Bruntlaand directly a part of? Did she chair any meetings while (Or before) being Prime Minister Of Norway?

Hi, have a look at the Brundtland Commission. Uhlan ^talk 01:35, 18 November 2014 (UTC)

Bees: the various species, and their impact on the ecosystems of America, and the world? Why have they seemed to all but disappear?

There has been a noticeable disappearence of bee populations in the State of Minnesota. Have there been any similar disappearences around aaany other parts o the U.S.. and in the rest or the world for that matter?

Hi, I am wondering if anyone can have find good reliable sources for the debate on Creationism vs Evolution? I am going to start an article on this very topic.Aidar24 (talk) 07:26, 13 November 2014 (UTC)

Hey, Aidar24, according to Daily Examiner (Grafton, Australia) , October 12, 2009, "In the United States around one-third of colonies, about 1.8 million, disappeared in 2007 and 2008." Also, In Great Britain, a third of the country's hives were lost in 2008. Uhlan ^talk 01:40, 18 November 2014 (UTC)

The Land Institute

Hi, I was wondering if anybody can find information on The Land Institute; they do plant breeding and work with perennial crops. Thank you, Bananasoldier (talk) 01:03, 3 January 2015 (UTC)

@Bananasoldier: What kinds of information are you looking for? There is a fair bit linked to in the Land Institutes own library of resources reported in their and similarly, there is a fair bit covered in articles found through Google Scholar. Do you need specific types of information? Do you need help accessing any of these? Sadads (talk) 20:02, 26 January 2015 (UTC)

Jawaharlal Nehru

Hi, I am working on this Jawaharlal Nehru article. Can you help to get some sources in Nehru's involvement in Home rule movement, non cooperation and his role as an architect of India. Thanks! RRD13 (talk) 17:34, 8 January 2015 (UTC)

Looking for mid 20thC USA newspaper references

I'm writing an article about the earliest competitions held by the Sweet Adelines International - a women's barbershop singing organisation, each year in a different city in the USA. I'm looking for newspaper references for the earlier years to help prove with Reliable Sources the longevity of these events. If you look here you can see the locations (and years) for the earliest quartet competitions, and if you look here you can see the locations (and years) for the chorus competitions. Any footnotes that refer to the number of attendees, or some kind of claim-to-fame would be great! Wittylama 15:37, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

Ronald Disston Clark - Cricketer - Does a photo exist?

Hello

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Im hoping somewhere out there are some lovely Cricket fans who may be able to help me. Im trying to locate any picture of the Cricketer Ronald Disston Clark. It could be a team photo Im not fussy I would just love to see a pic of my Great Grandad if one exists.. Im guessing there could be one in a wisden from his time period of playing but Ive checked libraries etc to no avail. The info I have on him is : Ronald Disston Clark (22 February 1895 – 20 February 1983) was an English cricketer active from 1912 to 1919 who played for Essex. He was born in Romford and died in East Wittering. He appeared in seven first-class matches as a righthanded batsman and wicketkeeper. He scored 61 runs with a highest score of 14 and completed ten catches with one stumping.

Anyway this was a long shot but before I close the book on his chapter of my research I thought Id give this a try. Thanks for reading

)

Access to Education Today or British Book News

Does anyone have access to the full book reviews beyond the google snippet so that a more informed summary of the books can be included in Barry Dufour? Thanks! -- TRPoD aka The Red Pen of Doom 05:46, 1 December 2015 (UTC)

• Review of The New Social Studies in British Book News -. British Council. 1974. p. 380. 
• Review of The New Social Curriculum: A Guide to Cross-Curricular Issues in Education today. College of Preceptors. 1991. p. 50. 

@TheRedPenOfDoom, I'd take this to WP:RX czar 03:41, 2 December 2015 (UTC)

Mandelkubb, no good references.

I noticed the Mandelkubb article lacks references. Aside from a few eBooks it only seems to be mentioned in some fiction books. The only other references are websites, like this one, while this somewhat addresses the "trendiness" worry about using cookbooks as sources (most sources refer to them as classics, one even references a 12 year old leaflet) the guidelines in Portal:Food state not to use cookbooks. --Captain Sweden 14:54, 8 February 2016 (UTC)

Switching Google to Swedish produces a large number of results but it probably needs someone who knows Swedish to judge the reliability. Shyamal (talk) 17:03, 8 February 2016 (UTC)

@Shyamal The first 2 pages are all either recipes or the Swedish wikipedia article which also lacks references. (I know Swedish). --Captain Sweden 15:06, 9 February 2016 (UTC)