Biology 112 – Maupin
About this guide
This guide provides students with recommendations for finding and evaluating information on topics related to evolutionary biology. Use the tabs above to navigate through the pages of the guide.
A group presentation and annotated bibliography using at least four sources, including at least one source from a scholarly peer reviewed journal.
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Reference sources are a great place to find scientific terms, definitions, and background information on your topic.
Online Reference Sources
The library subscribes to some online reference sources, including the following general reference books and subject-specific books. When accessing these resources off campus, you’ll be prompted for your pipeline username and password.
- Credo Reference Contains the full text of over 600 encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books covering all major subject areas.
Print Reference Sources
These books are available in the Luria Library Reference section. Ask a librarian for additional help finding reference books on your topic.
- Encyclopedia of Evolution — R 576.8 P133e
- Evolution: The Story of Life — R 576.8 P173e 2009
Search the library catalog for books on your topic. The library’s collection includes both print books and online ebooks. Your search results will include articles as well. Limit to books by choosing the appropriate box from the menu to the left of the results.
Articles from periodicals (journals, magazines, and newspapers) often provide the most current information on a topic. Some periodical articles are more scholarly than others. To find periodical articles on your topic, search through the library’s databases or some of the freely available resources listed below.
Magazine vs. Journal Articles
Before you search, you need to know the difference between “magazine” and “journal” articles. Journals are also referred to as “peer-reviewed” or “scholarly” sources.A brief explanation can be found here:
The following subscription databases will require you to log in with your Pipeline information from off campus:
- Academic Search Premier A great starting point for research on any topic. This multi-disciplinary database provides full text for more than 4,600 journals, including full text for nearly 3,900 peer-reviewed titles. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles.
- Science Full Text Select Provides full text for more than 400 journals in fields such as agriculture & agricultural research, biochemistry, biology, biotechnology, botany, environmental science, marine biology, microbiology, and much more.
Freely Available Resources
Online scientific journals and articles can also be found through these non-subscription resources:
- Directory of Open Access Journals The Directory of Open Access Journals “is a service that provides access to quality controlled Open Access Journals.”
- Highwire Press Journals Search here for scientific articles, but note that not all articles are available for free.
- PLOS (Public Library of Science) One is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication, with primary research from any scientific discipline.
Use Interlibrary Loan to request articles not available for free.
Finding good websites for college research can be challenging and time-consuming. Be sure to evaluate any websites you find on your own, using the P.R.O.V.E.N. Test for Evaluating Sources:
- Purpose: The reason the information exists
- Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs
- Objectivity: The reasonableness of the information
- Verifiability: The truthfulness and accuracy of the information
- Expertise: The source of the information
- Newness: The timeliness of the information
The following magazine websites include online articles, blog posts, and other reliable information related to biology.
The web directories below allow you to search for information from lists of reliable websites.