Finding Research Articles for Biology Courses Houston Cole Library Jacksonville State University 2007.

Finding Research Articles for

Biology Courses

Houston Cole Library

Jacksonville State University

2007

Objectives

Use the library’s online catalog to find journal titles

Use the library’s databases to find scholarly research articles in Biological Sciences, Elsevier Science Direct, others

Is It a Scholarly Article?

Where did you find it? Web or database search?

Who is the publisher?Often a professional organization

Is it peer-reviewed or refereed?

Does it have an editorial board?Look in the front of the print journal to see

Look for journal description or information online

Is It a Scholarly Article? Cont.

Introduction Literature review

Methods Results

Discussion Conclusion

Does it have at least two of the following sections?

Where Do I Find Articles?

Library Catalog-find journal titles

Databases-find journal articles

Serials Solutions-search by title or subject areas to see if the journal is available in electronic format in a database

Where Do I Find Articles,Cont.

Full text articles may be found in library-subscribed databases (restricted access for registered users)

Biological Sciences

Elsevier Science Direct

Wiley InterScience Life Science Journals

Some general databases: Academic Search Premier, Expanded Academic ASAP

Where Do I Find Articles, Cont.

Citation/abstract databases

Biological Sciences • Library subscribed database

PubMed• free from NIH, Web accessible

When you find a citation, look for the full text of the article in the JSU catalog and/or databases

What's a Citation?What's an Abstract?

Citations are information about the article, including author, article title, journal title, volume and issue numbers, and page numbers

Abstracts are article summaries, often with outline of methodology, other components

Click Here for Catalog Access

Find Journal Titles

Where Do I Find Articles, Cont.

Limited reputable full text sources are available free on the Web, such as the sites below, although there may be a delay of up to one year before articles are on the site.

PubMed CentralBioMed Central • (free, but requires registration)

HighWire Press

Examples of Research Journals and Where to Find Them

Ecology: Expanded Academic ASAP, InfoTrac

American Journal of Botany: General Science Full Text

Journal of Mammalogy: ASM Online Journals, Academic Search Premier, in print in the library

How Do I Find a Full-text Article?

Check library's online catalog for the journal title to see if we subscribeFind electronic format with Serials SolutionsWeb sources, including PubMed Central, HighWire Press, BioMed CentralLinks from the database record to the catalog and Serials Solutions

Why can't I get access to the article text?

Some databases may restrict access to current text online for six months to a year, so check available dates. See example entry below:

Annual review of phytopathology  (0066-4286) from 01/01/1996 to 1 year ago in Academic Search Premier

from 01/01/1997 to 1 year ago in Wilson OmniFile: Full Text Mega Edition

This delay is called an embargo

Biological Sciences database

Go to the library home page

Click on Databases/Electronic Resources

Choose Biological Sciences from title list

Type a word or phrase in the search box, click the Search button

Click Databases/Electronic Resources

Type in term(s), click Search

Biological Sciences search screen

Click on Full Text Linking for article.

Biological Sciences result screen

Text of linked article in another database

Elsevier Science Direct

Start at the library home page

Click on Find Articles (Databases)

Choose Elsevier Science Direct from Databases by Title, then click on GO

In the search box, type one or more words or a phrase related to your topic

Type term(s), click Search button

Science Direct search screen

Click for .pdf of article, opens with Adobe reader

Science Direct results list

Image of article (pdf)

The Article Is Not in This Database. Now What?

Serials Solutions is linked from the Library’s home page and "Find Articles" page.

Check to see if the journal is available full-text in a database with Serials Solutions. If it is, you can click on a link to go to that database.

Searching Serials Solutions

Type name of journal, click Search

Search Results for Ecology

Click on a link to go to database

Access the Journal in Expanded Academic ASAP Database

Click on "full-text" to go to article

Text of Article

Additional Resources

Houston Cole Library Distance Education Services page

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact: Paula Barnett Ellis

Health and Sciences Librarian

Office on Library's 9th Floor

phone: 256-782-5249

e-mail: [email protected]

Toll-free number for Library Reference Desk:

1-800-231-5291

My hours

Monday: 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Lunch: Usually 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.