GPHY 365: Geographical Planning Research Guide

Journal Articles: A great place to get started with articles is to use the Journals by Title search.

Research Tips!

• You don't have to know the whole title, simply type in your subject, Geography, and you will get the list of journals the Library has. Try adding specific subjects such as "cultural geography" or "political geography" in this search.

Videos: The Library subscribes to many video databases that can be used as sources for your research.  ProQuest One and AVON are your best bets for this field.

Database: Environment Complete is a great starting place.  Environment Complete offers deep coverage in applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more.

Tips: 

• Use the limiters on the left side of the screen to narrow your topic.  Geography will narrow by location.  Subject and subject thesaurus will help narrow your search with full terms for GIS, slope mapping, and more. Check the box for “peer-reviewed” when searching to limit to peer-review articles!

Database: GreenFILE is a free research database covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. 

• Landscape and Urban Planning
  • Landscape and Urban Planning is an international journal aimed at advancing conceptual, scientific, and applied understandings of landscape in order to promote sustainable solutions for landscape change.
• Journal of the American Planning Association 
  • Since 1935, the quarterly Journal of the American Planning Association ( JAPA ) has published research, commentaries, and book reviews useful to practicing planners, policymakers, scholars, students, and citizens of urban, suburban, and rural areas.
• Journal of Planning Education and Research
  • JPER is a forum for planning educators and scholars (from both academia and practice) to present results from teaching and research that advance the profession and improve planning practice.
• Sustainable Development
• Urban Design
  • URBAN DESIGN is the quarterly journal published by the UDG delivered direct to our membership. It was first published in 1980 (editor John Billingham) and is now the leading journal in its field.  Sebastian Loew co-edited the journal for 25 years, standing down in January 2024. It is currently co-edited by Louise Thomas (since 2004) and Jane Manning (since 2024).
• Local Environment 
  • Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability is a refereed journal written by and for researchers, activists, non-governmental organizations, students, teachers, policy makers and practitioners. Our focus is specifically on sustainability planning, policy and politics in relation to theoretical, conceptual and empirical studies at the nexus of equity, justice and the local environment.
• Cities

  • Cities publishes articles on many aspects of urban planning and policy. It distinguishes itself by providing an international and interdisciplinary platform for the exchange of ideas and information among urban planners, policy makers and analysts, and urbanists from all disciplines.

• Land Use Policy
  • Land Use Policy is an international and interdisciplinary journal concerned with the social, economic, political, legal, physical and planning aspects of urban and rural land use. It provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information from the diverse range of disciplines and interest groups which must be combined to formulate effective land use policies. 
• Environment, Development and Sustainability
  • Environment, Development and Sustainability is an international, multidisciplinary journal covering all aspects of the environmental impacts of socio-economic development. 

Note: Books are placed On Course Reserve for Spring 2025- See MSU Library Circulation Desk for access

The books included on this list are not held by MSU, to access them, request them through the Interlibrary Loan page page on the MSU Library Website.

The Bozeman City Development Plans, 1904-1992, are accessible through the Archives and Special Collections in the Renne Library.

There are various toolkits and advice available from the following links: