Biology 211:Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology (Fall 2008)

This guide is designed to support your literature review research for the 'Zoe Takes a Dive' paper.  It emphasizes the different types of research literature that exists (to help you find 'peer-reviewed, primary journal articles'), developing search strategies, and provides recommended databases.  Information on how to cite your literature sources is also provided.

Contact Pearl Ly, Natural Sciences Librarian, with any questions or to schedule a research consultation.

Research Literature Terminology

What kind of article are you looking at? Confirm you have an accurate understanding of the various terms used to describe scientific publishing and research.

Terminology review

Journal (or 'scholarly journal' or 'academic journal' or  'professional journal') The main mode of communication by professionals in a field; this regular publication provides the venue where researches share research, perspectives, and other scholarly communication.  Published every week, month, or every few months like a normal magazine.

Electronic journal A journal that happens to be 'published' online. There is no difference between a journal that is published in print (like a normal magazine) and a journal that is published online.

Peer-review The process by which original research submitted for publication in a journal is reviewed by other experts (peers) in a particular field. Research is checked by these other experts for data quality, methodology, and if the research is a unique contribution to knowledge in a particular field.

Peer-reviewed journal article A journal article that has undergone peer-review.

Primary literature (or 'professional literature' or 'research literature') Another way to describe journal articles that provide the actual data collected, how it was collected, and data analysis.

Research article (or 'empirical study') Another way to describe journal articles that provide the actual data collected, how it was collected, and data analysis.

Literature review (or  'reviews' or 'introduction' or 'background') Either an entire article or part of an article that discusses what is already know on the topic being discussed, and what is not known. When it is part of a research article, the literature review will also discuss how the research that is to be discussed helps to provide further knowledge on the subject. Articles that are entirely literature reviews are especially useful when you don't know much about an topic, because they summarize what is known and not known.

 

Databases and searching

Below are strategies and links to journal article databases.

Chunking your search

AND	OR	NOT
"proteasome*" and "protein inhibitor*"	"ghrelin" or "leptin"	"ghrelin" not "leptin"
gets results with both terms	gets results on either or both terms	gets results on ghrelin, but nothing about leptin
-an * at the word roots retrieves plurals/variations: sex* = sexual, sexes, sexism, etc.

Search examples

Example topic	Sample search
I need articles on how Weddell seals can dive as deep as they do.	Leptonychotes weddellii and (div*)
I need to articles on how ghrelin affects appetite in humans.	"ghrelin" and appetite* and ( human* or "homo sapien")
-an * at the word roots retrieves plurals/variations: sex* = sexual, sexes, sexism, etc.

 

Article databases

Students are expected to rely heavily on the databases below to find primary literature or peer-reviewed journal articles required to complete their lab write-up literature reviews/introductions.

Recommended Databases

Biological Abstracts (BIOSIS) A complete collection of bibliographic references covering life science and biomedical research literature published from more than 4,000 journals internationally.

PubMed @ CSUSM The primary database of world biomedical literature.

GoogleScholar Search the research literature using Google.  Click on the 'Get It! @ CSUSM' link.

 

See an article you want in one of these databases?

1. Look for "Full Text" in PDF, HTML, Linked or  
2. If all else fails, fill out an Interlibrary Loan article request form. You'll get it within 5-10 days for FREE.
3. Or, any time you need help, ask a librarian!

 

Citing information

When using the primary literature, there is a standard protocol for citing information in the literature review/introduction as well as your reference list.

For the in-class assignment, we will be using the style required by the journal, Ecology.  See the journal's author information for citation examples and tips.  Dr. Brown has provided you with a citation hand-out as well.