Joezat's BIT Blog

I find the library can be an intimidating place when you are trying to find information. Especially, because you almost always need to ask for help when finding something you want. This is why I usually turn to the libraries online catalogs first. Plus, who wants to spend the time finding a book buried in the Graduate Libraries Stacks when you can find great research from online articles.

I typed my query [Health Benefits Organic Food] in to the search bar and checked the general interest category. This returned 62 articles about the topic—which is unbelievably focuses when you compare with the 1,910,000 documents returned by Google search. I skimmed through the results and most of the documents seemed very relevant. I clicked on a few and tried to follow them to the online text, but I ran in to some problems. I couldn’t find the online documents. Every time I followed their links it would take me to the database where the article was saved. I would search for the specific article, but would be unsuccessful—looks like I need a librarian after all.

So basically, the university has great resources and tons of relevant information. However, it can be difficult to find if you don’t know how to use their system. If all else fails ask a librarian (after all it is their job).

While looking around in the University’s databases I found the following articles:

·          Does It Pay To Buy Organic? For pregnant women and children, the benefits are worth the higher price. Carol Marie Cropper. Business Week, Sept 6, 2004.

·          Rethinking Organics. Sanjay Gupta. Time, Aug. 20, 2007.

I also played with Lexis Nexis and the following articles caught my eye:

·          Confirmed: Organic food better for health; Study finds it contains 40% more antioxidants, which may end debate on benefits of such food The Straits Times (Singapore), October 29, 2007 Monday, 710 words

·          Organic is healthier; Veg have 40pc more nutrients Milk has 80pc more antioxidants Daily Mail (London), October 29, 2007 Monday, 2ND; Pg. 24, 582 words, David Derbyshire

·          Food for Thought: The Organic Truth Blogcritics.org Culture, February 22, 2006 Wednesday 3:33 PM EST, 1977 words, Natalie Davis

·          Scientists back health claims of organic milk The Grocer, September 02, 2006, FRESH PRODUCE; Pg. 77, 290 words, Chris Walkland