Here is a collection of online, external resources that past students have found particularly helpful throughout the duration of their Earth Science degrees.
Found a website or resource you have found particularly useful? Please submit it to us so we can share it with the rest of OUGS on this page!
Found a website or resource you have found particularly useful? Please submit it to us so we can share it with the rest of OUGS on this page!
Earth Science Course Online Reading ListsMany of the Earth Science faculty have handily compiled the reading lists for their specific modules, courses and field trips. These reading lists allow you to very quickly and easily access virtually all of the relevant books and articles you might need for each of your modules all in one place, with most of these resources being available to view online or even download for a limited period of time!
Just go to Oxford Reading Lists Online, log in using your Oxford Single Sign on username and password and search "EARTH_MEarthSci_(your year group)", for example if you're currently in second year you would search "EARTH_MEarthSci_2nd year" to find all the relevant lists for your year group. Visible GeologyA site that allows you to construct geological features in 3D and therefore visualise how different structural elements appear from different angles and in different planes. This tool is particularly useful in helping you to understand what actually happens to different layers of rocks when faulting and folding occur, and can also help you to practise interpreting how the 2D structures and topography that you can see on maps might represent various structures below the surface that you can't see.
Virtual MicroscopeA collection of high-resolution thin section photographs allowing you to use a 'virtual microscope' to practise identifying and describing different rocks and minerals. Collections include thins sections from rocks collected around the UK, as well as from various meteorites, the Moon and even Mars!
Basic step-by-step guide to digitising geological maps (Geology Adobe Illustrator)This playlist of easy to follow tutorial videos created by Jessica Pugsley helps you to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to digitise your Final Map as part of your Independent Mapping Project, as well as tips and tricks on how to make it look more professional. These tutorials are relatively short and quite specific, and are ideal for use by anyone regardless of your previous amount of Adobe experience.
RefWorksA useful site for storing and formatting references on the go as you undertake research for your essays - this site is especially useful whilst writing your 3rd and 4th year coursework. Many online articles will allow you to download citations directly to this site, so it allows you to create bibliographies quickly and helps you to make sure you don't accidentally forget or lose any references.
Make sure to log in using your Single Sign On details by selecting ‘using login from my institution’ in order to access this referencing resource for free! |
Oxford Earth Sciences Image StoreA site created by Professor Dave Waters, which hosts large collections of photographs of different minerals and rocks to help you practise identifying rocks. Collections include different minerals under the microscope, various hand specimens and rocks at outcrop. This site is very helpful for preparing and practising for your first and second year practical exams.
MATLAB and Simulink TrainingWant to improve your coding skills? There are many parts of the course where having a solid understanding of the basics of coding in MATLAB comes in handy, particularly if you want to do a computer-based fourth year project. On this site there are easy to follow, free tutorials to help improve your MATLAB and Simulink skills, starting from complete beginner all the way to more advanced coding:
MicrockscopicContains a useful online atlas of both minerals and rocks in thin section, allowing you to compare samples in both PPL and XPL. This site also provides useful summaries of each rock and mineral type, with descriptions that can help you with identifying and differentiating between different minerals and rocks. This site is useful for preparing and practising for your first and second year practical examinations.
Stereonet 11A free and really useful downloadable program that allows you to plot various structural data and to create stereoplots. This program also allows you to visualise your stereoplots in 3D, which can help to improve your understanding of making and interpreting structural measurements. This program is particularly useful to use during your Independent Mapping Project.
Mendeley Reference ManagerA free web (and desktop) reference management application that has been highly recommended by many OUGS members as perhaps the simplest and most effective free reference manager available. This application allows you to quickly and easily search for, store and organise all your references together in one place, as well as to seamlessly insert them into your reports and presentations using the Mendeley Cite feature!
Khan AcademyThis website helpfully organises together various collections of educational videos, practice exercises and other tools into lessons, which you can use to study a variety of courses for free. Whilst this site is primarily aimed at sixth form/high school level students, it can prove very useful for helping you to revise or get up to speed with the maths, physics, chemistry and biology topics that you’ll need to know for your 1st year exams.
InkscapeA free vector graphics editor that allows you to create artistic and technical illustrations (kind of similar to Adobe Illustrator, but you don't have to pay for this one!). This software has been recommended by several OUGS members as being particularly helpful for creating graphics and annotating diagrams, for use in reports and presentations. It's therefore an especially useful and easy way to make your Independent Mapping Project look more exciting and professional!
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