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Biology 336: Coastal Environments (Fall 2008)

Fall 2008: Course Research Guide

This is a guide to help you with your Research Paper Assignment.  It focuses on finding sources of information for your paper, evaluating internet sources, and how to cite your information. 

If you need further assistance, contact Pearl Ly, Natural Sciences Librarian, with any questions or to schedule a consultation appointment.

Sources for your Research


Finding Background Information:

Encyclopedias are a great starting point when you unfamiliar with a topic to get a general overview and a list of references for more information on your topic.  We have print and electronic resources at the library. 

Environmental encyclopedia
This is a helpful online encyclopedia that you can also access from home with your CSUSM id/password. It has many entries on different environmental issues including many of your research topics (i.e. desalination, global warming, etc.). You can search the index or do a keyword search.  

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences
In-depth, peer-reviewed articles on concepts, organisms, chemicals, etc.

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia

Cooper's comprehensive environmental desk reference
GE123 .C64 1996 REFERENCE

A dictionary of biology
QH302.5 .D5 2000  REFERENCE

 

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Books:

Give you in-depth coverage on a topic.

CSUSM Library Catalog  
Search our local collection of about 250,000 books.

*The following are just a few subject headings from our Library Catalog related to the suggested topics. Try clicking on some that are related to your topic and see what titles come up:

Whaling
Coral Reefs And Islands
Tide pools
Sewage Disposal  
Marine Mammals
Seals Animals
Sea otter
 Beach Nourishment California  
Wind power
Kelp
Express highways
Plankton
ANWR
Saline water conversion

Find a book you want?

  1. Check the availability
  2. Write down the call number (i.e. HQ 342.29 2007)
  3. Proceed to the location of the book (i.e. REF, 4th Floor Stacks)
  4. Take the book to the 3rd floor Check Out Desk with your Cougar ID/Library Barcode

Can't find enough info still?

Do a subject search in the Circuit Catalog (UCSD, SDSU, USD, and SDCL)
Search the collections of other San Diego area libraries -- about 3,000,000 books. Find and request books directly online; pick them up at our Library in 1-3 days.
 

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Scholarly vs. popular sources

Many professors require that you use scholarly sources for your projects. What are scholarly sources, and how can you find them? Cornell University has a useful web page, Distinguishing scholarly journals from other sources, that you can use to categorize sources.

Here is an at-a-glance guide:

Scholarly (peer-reviewed, academic)

Non-scholarly (popular)

Audience

academic readers

general audience

Author

researchers, experts, specialists

journalists, free-lance writers, generalists

Language

professional jargon

common; easy to understand
Style specific structure (e.g. abstract, methodology, data, results, conclusion, references) structured like a story; can look glossy with pictures and ads

Sources

includes bibliography, references, footnotes

no bibliography or references listed
Examples Marine Biology Research, Journal of Sea Research, JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association National Geographic, Discovery, People Weekly, Readers Digest, Sports Illustrated, Time


Some databases provide a 'peer-reviewed' or 'scholarly only' limit function that can narrow the results, but will still bring back non-scholarly materials that were published in a scholarly journal (e.g., editorials, letters to the editor, book reviews.) When in doubt, look for a substantial bibliography or ask a librarian.

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Finding articles

Academic Search Premier
A good general database to search for academic journals, newspaper, or magazine articles.  You can narrow your results by clicking on the publication type on the left.

 

Scholarly Journals articles
Include the latest research in the field. To find articles, search the Biology research databases. Databases can have BOTH scholarly and non-scholarly articles. Here are some databases for your subject area:

Biological Abstracts
A complete collection of bibliographic references covering life science and biomedical research literature published from more than 4,000 journals internationally.
Coverage: 1969→current

ScienceDirect
Provides full text access to over 1,000 journals covering all fields of science.
Coverage: 1995→current

Wiley Interscience
Access to abstracts and full text from journals, reference works, databases, and books. Disciplines covered include the life sciences, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology, earth sciences, education, social sciences, humanities, business, and more
Coverage: 1996→current

Google Scholar
Click on "Get-It! @ CSUSM" to access our library journals

NOTE: Depending on your topic, other databases might be more relevant. For example, you may need geographic or economic sources for your paper. Choose a database by subject.

 

See an article you want in one of these databases?

  1. Look for "Full Text" in pdf PDF, HTML Full TextHTML, Linked Full Text Linked or  Check SFX for Availability
  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!

Newspaper articles can be a good way to see what the media and popular press are saying about your topic. Try adding a location to limit your search (e.g. Offshore sewage disposal AND San Diego) for regional press coverage.

Type in keywords related to your topic in the following newspaper databases:

ProQuest Newspapers

Lexis Nexis Academic



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Evaluate your web sources

The Internet has very useful information, but the web is full of so much information and not all of it is trustworthy or credible. Much of the information on the Internet is questionable and not appropriate for a college-level research project, and using the first few results from a Google search does not constitute scholarly research!

It is highly recommended that you formally evaluate any web site before choosing to include the information you find in your research project. How do you know that its information is accurate, legitimate or current? Learn how to evaluate a web site before choosing to include the information you find in your research project.

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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.  Your instructor is requiring CSE (formerly known as CBE).  

CSE: Council of Science EditorsBook Cover

 

 

If you need some help, the following are web sites on CBE citation style:

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