BISC220/S11:Guidelines for literature search & source citation

Learn about the research cycle

Scientific Research Process & Publication Cycle - primary, secondary, and access (or tertiary) literature (Humboldt State University, February 6, 2008)
Peer Review in a Nutshell - "scientific quality control" (Science Media Centre, London, September 29, 2003)
Open Access Journal Literature (PennState World Campus, Terra Incognita, September 5, 2007)

Find background

Reference works (online or print) can be used to acquire basic information on an unfamiliar concept or to gather ideas for your topic.

Language of Science
Deciphering Medspeak - Medical Library Association
Melloni's Illustrated Medical Dictionary - Science Reference q R121 .D76 2002

Mega-Resources
Credo Reference - Medicine and Biology
Oxford Reference Online - Medicine - Advanced Search

Find books

Wellesley College Library Catalog

• tip: in the library catalog, start with keyword > choose a useful book > Full Record tab - follow the subject links to find more on that topic
• tip: to see the subscription details for a print journal or serial ['Lib has'] > Full Record tab.

Find journal articles

The following databases provide either full-text articles or citations (information about when and where the peer-reviewed article was published).

• Use the Find It! @ Wellesleylink from each citation to search one or more electronic journal sources or to search our Library Catalog.
• If Wellesley College cannot access the article, use the 'Find It' link to Interlibrary Loan, which automatically links the requestor to a form to submit for either
  • NExpress (several nearby libraries, often arrives in 2-3 days) or
  • ILL (thousands of libraries worldwide, arrives in 2days - 2weeks).

Popular & scientific articles - great places to start your search

• Scholarly or Popular? Handout
• Scholarly or Popular Periodicals - Differences - Video clip (College of St. Catherine Libraries, Minnesota, May 2008)
  
• Ulrich's Periodicals Directory - Database describes academic/scholarly, trade, and popular types of publications

• Academic Search Complete - dates vary, from mid-1970s to within 6-12 months of present date - Off-campus Link
• Scientific American Archive - 1993-present - interdisciplinary overviews - Off-campus Link

More databases - cover peer-reviewed articles

• PubMed - articles in all fields of medicine and biomedicine, 1949-present, PubMed Basics; Saving Citations & Time with Clipboard
• Science Direct - online articles (= green icon) for hundreds of scientific journals, from 1995 onward - Off-campus link

For individual help, please consult Science Librarian Neil Nero

Citing sources

What & How to Cite - Advice re: direct quotations, paraphrasing, and patchworking (Duke University Libraries)

CBE Name-Year System - Reference List (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Use EndNote bibliographic management software to manage your references as you research your topic in the scientific databases.

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Return to Research Guides by Subject: Biological Sciences