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Biology Research Guide

Guidance to help students with Biology research papers and projects.

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Search in OneSearch

OneSearch doesn't have everything! If you can't find what you need, try searching in the specific databases below, or stop by the LRC to chat with a Librarian. Also look below for info on finding specific types of sources. For more help searching, visit the Search Effectively page.

Using Specific Databases

The Nursing and Allied Health database covers a wide variety of topics:

  • nursing, allied health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cytology, histology, physiology, anatomy, gerontology, geriatrics, orthopedics, traumatology, radiology, diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, nutrition, dietetics, dental hygiene, and rehabilitation.

OneSearch generally will not show results from this database, so this is an especially useful one to search directly.

Watch the video to learn how to search Nursing and Allied Health.


Direct Link: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3ne3kVDkqm
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Medline is a database from the United States' National Library of Medicine (NLM). It contains journal articles in life sciences, focusing on biomedicine.

Watch the video below to learn how to search Medline.


Direct Link: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3nfcnVDkwP
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Types of Sources

Also known as "Scholarly Articles," "Peer-Reviewed Articles," or "Academic Articles," these are:

  • Written and reviewed by scholars and provide new research, analysis, or information about a specific topic
    • "Review" means the article is approved by other experts before publication
  • Usually focused on a narrow subject or a single case study
  • Intended for an academic audience

Find Articles:

You can find many articles online using OneSearch. Watch the short video below to see how!

Unlike journal articles, scholarly books:

  • Are written on a broader, general subject
  • May contain a collection of related chapters by different authors
  • Contain less recent information

Remember: you may only need to read one chapter of a scholarly book!

Find Books:

You can find print books and other physical resources like DVDs in our catalog, ChesCat. Watch the short video below to see how!

News articles:

  • Are written by journalists for a broad audience
  • Are written and published within a short time frame
  • Are not as extensively reviewed as academic journal articles
    • Corrections may be published after the original article publication, as new information comes out
  • Usually provide sources for information like quotes and statistics, though not as formally as an academic journal article

Find News Articles:

You can find many news articles in OneSearch. View the video in the "Journal Articles" tab for an overview of using OneSearch. If you can't find what you need there, you can also try the databases below.

Websites:

  • May be published by organizations, individuals, corporations, government bodies, etc.
  • May be continuously updated or not updated at all
  • May or may not provide sources for information presented

Find Websites:

Websites are especially useful if you already have an idea of what you are looking for. For example, if you need statistics or information from the website of a particular organization. Government websites in particular are very good places to find statistics on the economy, population demographics, health, crime, housing, transportation, etc.

Search for government websites by adding site:.gov after your search! Example: maryland demographics site:.gov