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University of Southern Maine
Libraries & Learning

* Food Studies: Home

Key Resources in Food Studies

These resources contain basic overview information and definitions that can be useful when you're just beginning your research.

Once you have a good understanding of your topic and have selected a few keywords, LibrarySearch is a great place to start your research! It is a convenient way to search most of the library’s resources - regardless of format - using a single search box. 

LibrarySearch

Advanced Search

Below are a few Food Studies journals available at the USM Libraries. To see more journal titles, see our Journals by Title page and select "Title contains all words" from the Title drop-down menu.  And remember that you can get articles from non-subscribed journals via ILLiad.

Below are just a few of our databases useful for food studies research. For a complete list of databases available at USM, check out our Databases A-Z page.

You can search for books in our library and other libraries using the links below.  If you're not sure how to find what you're looking for, ask us!

Searching Tips and Tricks

  • Most databases allow for searching with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT).
    • Use AND to focus your search and combine different aspects of your topic
    • Use OR to broaden your search and find sources that use different words for the same concept.
    • Use NOT to omit certain terms from your results.
  • Use an asterisk (*) to truncate words if you want to search for all words with that root. For example, “pollut*” retrieves pollution, polluted, pollutants, etc.
  • Put quotes around a phrase that you want the database to search as a phrase, rather than as individual words.

Example:

LibrarySearch  is the combined library catalog for the entire University of Maine system. You can search the entire system, or select University of Southern Maine Libraries in the drop-down.

Other helpful tips:

  • If you find a book that is relevant to your needs, look at the "Subject" area of the book's record. Click on a few of the subjects to find other similar books.
  • In many of the book records, you can look at the table of contents - click the link under the "Inside This Book" heading. This can help you determine if a book is right for your research.
  • If USM doesn't have a book you want, click the "Request" button at the top of the page and we can get it for you through interlibrary loan.

Most databases, as well as LibrarySearch and MaineCat, assign subject headings to books and articles. A subject heading is a designated word or phrase that describes an idea or concept and is used to group all articles or books about that concept together.

  • Subjects are also variously called descriptors, controlled vocabulary, headings, or index terms.
  • To search by subject you have to know the exact subject term. Most databases that use subjects have a Thesaurus that you can use to look up subject terms. You can also do a keyword search, find a book or article that is relevant to your research, and look at the subject terms assigned to it.
  • LibrarySearch and MaineCat use Library of Congress Subject Headings and each database has their own list of subject headings, so you have to look up subjects in each database independently.

There are many ways you can get research materials from other libraries. In the vast majority of cases, there is no charge to you for this service!

  • From LibrarySearch, use the GET IT  button on the left side of the page.
  • From MaineCat, use the  button in the middle of an item's page.
  • From a database:
    • Select the item you want and find and click the 
    • If the library does not have access to the item, find and click the "Submit an Interlibrary Loan Request"

Documenting your Sources

Flowchart used with permission of Cardiff University Library.

The resources listed here provide assistance in following correct citation methods and in avoiding plagiarism.

Food for Thought