LibGuides: Biology: Define

Define

Research question/understand and define a topic
... what is the question(s) you are trying to answer? These secondary sources can help you—

Remember, true research is rarely a straight path.

C. elegans --

WormBook
"WormBook is a comprehensive, open-access collection of original, peer-reviewed chapters covering topics related to the biology of Caenorhabditis elegans and other nematodes."

C. elegans II by Riddle, Donald L.
Call Number: QL391.N4 C2 1997
Publication Date: 1997

AccessScience This link opens in a new window
Contains reference material covering all major scientific disciplines with articles drawn from McGraw-Hill encyclopedias, dictionaries, and yearbooks, as well as videos, curriculum materials, and links to primary source documents.

NCBI Bookshelf
The full text of 900+ well-known biology and other science textbooks, reports, and other materials.

Annual Reviews This link opens in a new window
1932–present. Provides critical reviews of the primary research literature in 50+ disciplines within the biomedical/life sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences.

Trends in ...
20+ separate journals; shorter academic reviews
Science Bibliographies Online
Updated, starter bibliographies on a growing number of science topics; a great way to find sources for papers, labs, and other projects

Read summaries of research in—

Other good overview sources --

Arabidopsis Book
Open-access peer-reviewed online journal covering a broad range of topics in research on Arabidopsis thaliana and related species, supported by the American Society of Plant Biologists.
ATSDR Toxic Substances Portal
... information about toxic substances and how they affect our health ...

Bacterial Stress Responses by Gisela Storz; Regine Hengge
Call Number: Kistle Science Library QR97.A1 B33 2011
ISBN: 9781555816216
Publication Date: 2011
The 2000 edition is also available: Kistle Science Library Oversize QR97.A1 B33 2000

Bean Beetles
Provides basic information about raising, handling, and maintaining cultures of bean beetles, Callosobruchus maculatus, for faculty who teach undergraduate laboratory courses.

DailyMed
In-depth information about marketed drugs.
Drugs, Herbs, and Supplements
MEDLINEplus -- United States National Library of Medicine; a guide to thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as herbs and supplements.

Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
For easy-to-understand, authoritative information about human diseases and disorders.
Plants Database
From the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD)
SGD is a database of the molecular biology and genetics of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is commonly known as baker's or budding yeast.
Taxonomy Database
Database maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Library of Medicine, providing classification and nomenclature for all of the organisms in the public sequence databases, representing about 10% of the described species of life on the planet.

For Science news and ideas for topics --

CuratedSci
Science news from the best sources
Strategian Science
Good sources to help you understand and link to secondary and primary sources about a wide range of science topics.

Individual sources:

General --

Science News
Independent, nonprofit source for news about science, medicine, and technology for the general public.
New Scientist
Popular weekly science and technology magazine.
Scientific American
Long-standing U.S. magazine focusing on scientific discoveries and technological innovations.
JAMA--medical news
Nature--news
Science--news

New York Times This link opens in a new window
The New York Times is one of the leading news providers in the U.S. This link goes to a page with options for accessing the New York Times through the Grinnell College Libraries.
Washington Post This link opens in a new window
2005–present. Unlimited access to the digital site-license version of Washington, DC’s premiere newspaper via the college’s network. Includes real-time Q&A discussions and live-streaming of news and commentary. (App access not currently available.)

Technology --

Database to search across all the individual sources:

ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
1970–present. The largest single periodical resource available, bringing together dozens of full-text databases across all major subject areas, including Business, Education, Health and Medical, Humanities, Science and Technology, and the Social Sciences. Search across all the sources above and many more.