Biology
This is a general guide for researchers interested in the field of Biology, and for students enrolled in courses related to this area. You'll find suggestions for locating books, articles, topical overviews, research tools, and factual information. If further assistance is needed, please contact the Biology, Environment and Health Cluster atLibSci/BEHLibrarians@oregonstate.edu
| Quicklinks | |
 |
Off-Campus Access
|
Interlibrary Loan Forms
|
Academic Search Premier
| BIOSIS |
| Table of Contents | ||
| ||
| Finding Books in Online Catalogs | Other Useful Internet Sites | |
| ||
| Finding Articles in Journals | Other Useful Subject Research Guides | |
| ||
| Reference Sources | ||
| ||
Classification
Dictionaries
Encyclopedias
Handbooks
Style guides
Finding Books in Online Catalogs
OSU Libraries' Online Catalog
All formats of materials owned by OSU Libraries are cataloged in this database, including books, government documents, journals to which the library subscribes*, and videos. You can search the database from any computer with Internet access at: http://oasis.oregonstate.edu.
* Library online catalogs do NOT give you access to the individual articles within the journals the library subscribes to. See Finding articles...
Summit (Orbis):
You may also want to search the collective Summit catalog which combines several academic library catalogs in Oregon and Washington. Materials in Summit are available to OSU students, faculty & staff within 3 working days if they aren't checked out. You can extend your search from OSU Libraries Online Catalog to Summit with the click of a button, or connect directly at: http://summit.orbiscascade.org
Searching:
Online catalogs can be searched by author, title, subject, etc. The most effective subject searching utilizes the Library of Congress Subject Headings. The complete list of subject headings is located in the library's reference area; ask if you need help. Notice that each record in the online catalog will indicate the subject headings assigned to that item, and these are usually hot links to other materials on similar topics.
Locating by call number: Like most academic libraries, OSU Libraries uses the Library of Congress Classification system to organize and arrange materials in the library. Many biology materials fall into the QH call number range. Other relevant call number areas include QL (Zoology), QP (Physiology and Biochemistry) and QR (Microbiology). These collections are located on the 1st floor of The Valley Library.
WorldCat:
If you don't find enough material in local and regional libraries, you can search for books in WorldCat which is a collective catalog from hundreds of libraries, containing over 30 million records. Each record will indicate which libraries own the item and whether or not they will lend it to another institution.
Government Publications:
GPO Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Lists many documents published by the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health. The Valley Library has a great number of federal documents in the collection. Some are shelved in Governments Documents. Others have been cataloged with Library of Congress call numbers and are on various floors of the library. Check the OSU Libraries Catalog.
Finding Articles in Journals
Journal indexes:
To find individual articles in journals, you will typically use periodical indexes/databases which can either be in printed form or online (electronic) form. Most such indexes allow you to search by author or title of the article as well as subject or topic. Many online indexes also allow you to search the article citation and abstract with a keyword or free text search.
Locating journals:
With the exception of some journals which are available in full-text online, you will need to locate the actual journal to read the article. You can search the online catalog for the Journal Title (name of the journal) to determine if we own the journal.
If not, you can get copies of journal articles through our Interlibrary Loan service at:
http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/ill/.
Basic searching
Academic Search Premier
This is a multidisciplinary index which provides access to a number of scientific magazines and journals. This is a good starting place to do a beginning search, particularly for topics of current interest. Many articles are in full text. Coverage for this database starts in the 1980's.
LexisNexis Academic
Comprehensive index to newspaper and magazine articles, radio and TV news program transcripts, legal material and other reference sources. Primarily focused on news, business and legal topics. Includes full-text. Very useful for finding information on topics of contemporary interest.
Comprehensive searching
You may want to search these databases if you need to do a thorough review of the literature on your topic.
Biological Abstracts/Biological Abstracts RRM/BIOSIS. (1990-present)
Biological Abstracts
The world's major indexing service for biological information in research journals. Contains information on all aspects of biology, including biochemistry, endocrinology, genetics, microbiology, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology. Due to the way this index is designed, subject terms should be searched in article titles and abstract fields and not limited to the descriptor fields. Has thorough systematic indexing.
Valley Reference QH1 .B5 1926-1990.
Biological Abstracts: Reports, Reviews and Meetings (RRM)
Companion to Biological Abstracts, this index provides international coverage of biological information in conference proceedings, new books, review journals, and many other kinds of publications. Indexed by subject, author, systematic names, concepts, and article title words.
Valley Reference QH1 .B502 1980-2000
MEDLINE via PubMed 1966-
Produced by the National Library of Medicine, this database provides access to the millions of citations in biological and medical journals. Contains information related to clinical and experimental medicine; microbiology; pathology; pharmacology; physiology; reproductive biology; toxicology; and veterinary medicine. Coverage is from 1966.
Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) - (1978-)
Indexes journal articles, government reports, books, dissertations and conference papers covering all biological and ecological aspects of marine and freshwater environments. Includes abstracts to many articles.
Environmental Science and Pollution Management - (1992-)
Comprehensive, multi-disciplinary index to research articles from all fields in the environmental sciences. Indexes U.S. government environmental impact statements.
Fish and Fisheries Worldwide - (1971-)
Index to journal articles, books, conference papers, government reports, theses and other literature covering all areas of fish and fisheries research.
Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide - (1935-)
Index to journal articles, books, conference papers, government reports, theses and other literature covering all areas of wildlife research.
Zoological Record - (1993-)
Index to journal articles, books, reports, conference proceedings and dissertations. Covers all areas of zoology including: behavior; biochemistry; development; ecology; evolution; feeding and nutrition; genetics; morphology; parasitology; reproduction; systematics; physiology; and zoogeography.
Print: Valley Reference Z7991 .Z6 1864 - 1994
Science Citation Index -- Available via the web 1996-
The Valley Library CD Network 1985-present
Print: Valley Reference (1st Floor) Z7401 .S35 1955-1991
Indexes approximately 5,000 journals from various scientific disciplines. Represents core Life science journals defined as those most often cited in research articles. Searchable by author, article title word, journal name, cited author, and cited journal name.
ArticleFirst
Indexes articles from over 12,500 journals in science, technology, medicine, social science, business, humanities and popular culture. Searchable by author, article title words and keywords. Contains tables-of-contents and holdings information for the journals. Searchable by journal name.
Covers: 1990-present
ingenta
ingenta is a database of recent articles from many thousands of journals. ingenta provides 24-48 hour fax delivery of articles from journals for which ingenta has copyright permission. ingenta Reveal Research Alerts is an automated alerting service that delivers the tables-of-contents of journals via e-mail.
Dissertation Abstracts
This provides access to the complete range of academic subjects appearing in dissertations accepted at accredited institutions.
Indexing of dissertations: 1861-
Abstracting of dissertations: 1980-
Abstracting of theses: 1988-
Google Scholar - Read here to learn some Google Scholar Tips .
Journal Abbreviations
BIOSIS Serial Sources
List of journals indexed in BIOSIS (Biological Abstracts and Biological Abstracts RRM)
Valley Reference QH1 .B511 2005 (Reference Desk)
List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus
Lists journals indexed in MEDLINE
Valley Reference Z6660 .C827 (Reference Desk)
Current Awareness Services
These services are designed to cover the gap between today and when articles are listed in the indexing and abstracting services described above. However, access may be only via article title words or scanning title pages, and there are usually no abstracts.
ingenta
ingenta is a database of recent articles from many thousands of journals. ingenta provides 24-48 hour fax delivery of articles from journals for which ingenta has copyright permission. ingenta Reveal Research Alerts is an automated alerting service that delivers the tables-of-contents of journals via e-mail.
Electronic journals
These must usually be searched one journal title at a time, so this is not a very efficient way to search.
Unless you are interested in searching one specific electronic journal, it is recommended that you use a periodical index/database to do your searching. One advantage of electronic journals is that they are often full-text online. This list is subject to change.
Reference Sources
In general, reference sources can provide an overview of topics within a field. This is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with your subject and its vocabulary.
Literature guides
Using the biological literature: a practical guide. 2002. Davis, E.B. and Schmidt D. New York.: Dekker. 3rd edition.
Valley Reference QH303.6 .D38 2002
Classification
Five kingdoms : an illustrated guide to the phyla of life on earth
Lynn Margulis, Karlene V. Schwartz. New York : W.H. Freeman, c1998. 3rd ed. 520 p
Valley Reference QH83 .M36 1998
Synopsis and classification of living organisms.
Sybil P. Parker, editor in chief. New York : McGraw-Hill, 1982. 2v.
Valley Reference QH83 .S89
Provides systematic positions of all living organisms down to the family level. Index is located in volume 2 and contains both common and scientific names. Length of entries varies--sometimes just the name is mentioned (though references for the taxon immediately superior may be relevant) May be a brief overview of the organism's characteristics, biology and ecology, as well as literature references.
Dictionaries
Dictionaries in specialized areas give definitions of terms and phrases used within the field. These can be very useful in crafting the language of your search before you start using the indexes and databases. You can search "biology and dictionaries" as subject keywords in Oasis.
Dictionary of ecology
edited by Michael Allaby. Oxford, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 2nd ed. 440 p
Valley Reference QH540.4 .C66 1998
Henderson's dictionary of biology
edited by Eleanor Lawrence. Harlow, England. New York: Pearson/Prentice Hall 2005
Valley Reference QH302.5 .H45 2005
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias can range from a single volume to many volumes. They contain short to lengthy articles about the topics within the field or subfield. They often provide bibliographies on the topic for further reading.
Grzimek's Animal life encyclopedia.
Bernhard Grzimek, editor-in-chief. New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.
Valley Reference QL3 .G7813
Arrangement by animal groupings and further divided into animal orders and families.
Handbooks
Handbooks and manuals provide an overview and suggest strategies and resources for doing research or finding information in the field.
Quantities, symbols, units, and abbreviations in the life sciences : a guide for authors and editors compiled by Arnost Kotyk. Totowa, N.J. : Humana Press, 1999. 130 p.
Valley Reference QH304.5 .Q36 1999
Style guides
Scientific style and format : the CBE manual for authors, editors, and publishers.
Style Manual Committee, Council of Biology Editors. Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1994. 6th ed. 825 p.
Valley Reference T11 .S386 1994 c.3
Other Useful Internet Sites
OSU Biology Program
http://biology.science.oregonstate.edu/
General Internet Sites
Virtual Library: Biosciences
http://vlib.org/Biosciences.html
Virtual Library of Ecology and Biodiversity
http://conbio.net/vl/
Other Useful Subject Research Guides
- Biochemistry and Biophysics
- Entomology
- Fisheries and Wildlife
- Genetics
- Microbiology
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Zoology
Return to the Alphabetical or Subject index of the Subject Research Guides.
