Judi Windleharth
Adjunct Librarian
Kellogg Library 3419
jwindleh@csusm.edu
760-750-4342
Office Hours:
Wed 2-4
also by appt. or stop by!
|
|
|
Understanding journal articles
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.
|
Using the web
Using the web as your primary source of
information is strongly discouraged.
Many students start their search at
Google
or other search
engines.
Find
at least
a second source that supports the information
you find on the web.
Cite the non-web source.
Use the web to get a preliminary idea of a
concept, topic, issue.
Find
at least
a second source that supports the information
you find on the web.
|
Places to start |
DMOZ
Biology
DMOZ is a directory of web sites. Organized by area
of study.
|
Yahoo! Directory: Biology
A remarkable collection of sites. Organized by area
of study.
|
BioTech
A life science resource from the University of
Texas. Includes some quality reference sources.
|
Background
information
Reference works help you quickly find
a
definition, explanation of a process,
or a brief introduction to a concept.
These resources are perfect for supporting
the information you
may have found on the web and include bibliographies that
direct you to journal articles.
Encyclopedia
of Life Sciences
In-depth, peer-reviewed
articles on concepts, organisms, chemicals, etc.
|
Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia
Provides basic information on species.
|
Magill's survey of science. Life science
series
QH307.2 .M34 1991
REFERENCE
Table of Contents
This huge reference work focuses on processes
rather than organisms.
Each entry has
bibliography for further reading.
|
Cooper's comprehensive environmental desk
reference
GE123 .C64 1996 REFERENCE
|
Treatise on geochemistry
QE515 .T69 2004 REFERENCE
|
Encyclopedia of the biosphere
QH343.4 .B5613 2000
REFERENCE
|
A dictionary of ecology
QH540.4 .C66 1998
REFERENCE
|
Encyclopedia of biodiversity
QH541.15 .B56 E53 2001
REFERENCE
|
Encyclopedia of bioethics
|
Search
CSUSM Library
Search
strategies
Article databases require that
you search in a very particular way. Follow the guidelines
below.
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 the journal articles required to 'solve' their
learning issues.
You are expected
to use journal articles as your main source of
information.
Biological Abstracts
(BIOSIS)
A complete
collection of bibliographic references covering life
science and biomedical research literature published
from more than 4,000 journals internationally.
BioOne is
collection of about 100 journals in the
biosciences and is searchable via
Biological Abstracts. |
Scirus
A science-focused search engine that also searches
for journal articles. Links to our library's
collection when accessed via the campus network.
Does not
link to our library's collections when accessed
outside of the campus network. |
GoogleScholar
Search the research literature using Google.
Does not link to our library's collections when
accessed outside of the campus network. |
Citing information
You are expected
to cite all your sources. The links below include examples
for a variety of sources.
CBE Style is used in
many of the sciences.
Many students
prefer
APA Style.
|
