Good research databases to use for this topic:

1. Academic Search Complete
2. Statistical Abstract of the United States (Found under "Reference and Statistics" category on research databases page)
   
3. ScienceDirect
4. CQ Researcher
5. JSTOR

A keyword search is a good way to start looking for information on your topic.

The keywords below are suggestions for you to try. Your keywords will depend on your topic.

• environmental disasters
• earthquakes
• volcanic eruptions
• landslides
• flooding
• environmental hazards
• geologic disasters
• natural disasters
• coastal erosion
  
• plate tectonics
  

Try brainstorming keywords about your topic and then look for other keywords as you start to search for resources.

Magazines

• contain current events and general interest articles
• publish brief articles written for the general public
• are written by journalists
• generally do not contain any references or notes--the reader does not know where the author got the information to write the article
• articles are reviewed by magazine employees before they are published

Journals

• contain news and research topics from a specific field of interest
• publish long, in-depth articles written for experts and scholars in the field
• are written by subject experts in the field
• include references or footnotes--reader knows where the author obtained the information to write the article
• articles are reviewed by peers (other subject experts) before they are published

To find articles in newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals use the Research Databases.

Never used a research database before?  That's okay, you're not alone.  They do take some practice.  Here is a tutorial to get you started.