Dinosaurs and Paleontology

The URL for this page is http://www.gwu.edu/gelman/guides/sciences/dinosaurs.html

Dinosaurs: Background, Definitions, and Basic Facts

The Dinosaur Heresies: new theories unlocking the mystery of the dinosaurs and their extinction, Robert T. Bakker, 1996.

Location: QE 862 .D5 B35 1996

The Encyclopedia of Prehistoric Life, Rodney Steel and Anthony P. Harvey (Eds.), 1979.

Location: REF QE 711.2 .E5 1979

Includes a bibliography, glossary and index.

Dinosaurs: A Guide to Research, Bruce Edward Fleury, 1992.

Location: REF QE 862 .D5 F54 1992

Provides an annotated bibliography of the literature (books, articles and conference papers) on, or related to, dinosaurs including an overview and review of each area, eg. dinosaur ecology, evolution, extinction, etc. Also included are a glossary, classification of dinosaurs, and index.

Dinosaurs, the Encyclopedia, Donald F. Glut, 1997.

Location: REF QE 862 .D5 G652 1997

This encyclopedia is more of a "book" with chapters on the Mesozoic Era, dinosaur origins and relationships, birds and dinosaurs, dinosaur success, "warm-blooded" vs. "cold-blooded", dinosaur extinctions, dinosaurian systematics, genera. Also included are a list of abbreviations, a glossary, a bibliography and an index.

Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs, Philip J. Currie, Kevin Padia (Eds.), 1997.

Location: REF QE 862 .D5 C862 1997

Alphabetically arranged, this encyclopedia provides articles by various authors, with reference lists, on various topics related to dinosaurs. Also included is a list of dinosaur genera (with the discover and date of discovery), a bibliography for further reading, a chronology of dinosaur discoveries, a glossary and an index.

The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book, Thomas E. Svarney, Patricia Barnes-Svarney, 2000.

Location: QE 862 .D5 S75 2000

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: An Original and Compelling Insight Into Life in the Dinosaur Kingdom, David Norman; colour restorations by John Sibbick, 1985.

Location: QE 862 .D5 N67 1985

A detailed examination of the world of dinosaurs, their appearance, behavior, and families, describing current theories about their extinction and explaining how paleontologists study their fossilized remains.

The New Dinosaur Dictionary, Donald F. Glut, 1982.

Location: REF QE 862 .D5 G65 1982

An illustrated dictionary of dinosaurs and dinosaur-related terms.

Paleontology and Fossils

Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP), 1509-1972, 1993 (paper), 1509-1958, 1981-1993 (online).

Location: Z 6033 .P2 (1509-1972) REF QE 841 .B45 (1993); http://www.bfvol.org/

Currently, the online database has approximately 131,000 references.

Encyclopedia of Paleontology, Ronald Singer (Ed.), 1999.

Location: REF QE 703 .E523 1999

A two-volume encyclopedia to all areas of paleontology, including dinosaurs. Articles are written by authoritative scholars and include "works cited" and "further reading" lists. Included is an alphabetical list of entries, a thematic outline of entries, an appendix of paleontological journals, a taxonomic index, a general index, and a list of contributors/advisers and their addresses.

Fossils in Colour, 4th and rev. ed., J. F. Kirkaldy, 1975.

Location: REF QE 714.3 .K48 1975

A companion to Minerals and Rocks in Colour. Contents include chapters on the scientific value of fossils, the occurence of fossils, the chief groups of fossil organisms (including colour plates), the collection and extraction of fossils, and the identification of fossils. Also included are a "Further Reading" list, an index of genera and a general index.

A Guide to Fossils, Helmut Mayr, 1992.

Location: REF QE 711.2 .M9913 1992

A guidebook with colour photos of fossils and a brief background of the fossil including characteristics and distribution.

PaleoNet.

Location: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/Paleonet/

PaleoNet is a system of listservers, www pages, and ftp sites designed to enhance electronic communication among paleontologists. While primarily designed as a resource for paleontological professionals and graduate students, PaleoNet welcomes input and participation from all persons interested in the study of ancient life.

Paleontological Society.

Location: http://www.paleosoc.org/

An international organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of the science of paleontology through the dissemination of research by publication and meetings.

UC Museum of Paleontology.

Location: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/

The mission of the University of California Museum of Paleontology is to investigate and promote the understanding of the history of life and the diversity of the Earth's biota through research and education.

Vertebrate Paleontology Collections, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle.

Location: http://depts.washington.edu/vertp/Vertebrates.html

Searchable online catalogs of 43,000+ specimens in the vertebrate paleontology collections of the Burke Museum.

Finding Articles

To access databases with a location of "ALADIN", click on the title of the database. To see a list of databases available through ALADIN, go to the ALADIN Home Page. Under "Databases by Title" on the right side of the screen, choose from the three alphabetical groupings.

ALADIN databases are available for use only by current GW students, staff, and faculty. If you are using this page from off-campus, you will be prompted to enter the barcode number from the back of your GWorld ID card before you can access the database.

General Science Fulltext, 1982.

Location: ALADIN

General Science Fulltext indexes many science subjects (including the earth sciences) at the undergraduate level. Indexing begins in 1982, abstracts in 1984, and full-text coverage in 1994.

GEOBASE, 1980.

Location: ALADIN

GEOBASE indexes worldwide literature on geography, geology, and ecology from 1980 to the present.

GeoRef, 1785-.

Location: ALADIN

GeoRef indexes materials in geology and the earth sciences from 1785 to present for N. America and 1933 to the present for international.

For more information, call the Reference Desk at 202-994-6048 or use the E-mail Reference Form. This page is maintained by Cynthia Holt.