Librarian Contact Info
Why are you here?
As a direct result of this instructional session, you should notice some or all of the following side effects:
1) The development of faster, more effective search strategies leading to increased free time.
2) The ability to request the resources you need through Inter-Library Loan.
3) Alertness when you turn in this assignment because you weren't up half the night completeing your bibliography.
Refworks: Part 1
1) Free to use
2) Citation tracking for journal articles and all other sources
3) You can have as many accounts as you would like, or you can use folders
4) Off-campus access is possible using the Group Code: rwillwesu
RefWorks bread crumbs: Library homepage > Technology > RefWorks - Research Organizer > RefWorks User Login
Where to Start? Wikipedia v. Access Science
When you need to select your topic or familiarize yourself with keywords...
Access Science -Online science encyclopedia
1) Focus on all sciences
2) Search by keyword
3) Includes encyclopedia articles, definitions, research updates
Access Science bread crumbs: Library homepage > Find Articles & Subject Guides > Drop down link to Biology > Dictionaries & Encyclopedias > Access Science
Databases
Biosis Previews
1) Coverage 1999 to present
2) Focus on life sciences
3) Search by keyword, author, or subject heading
Bonus Tips: Uncheck the "Map Term to Subject Heading" box and be sure to explore the "More Fields" link that has a magnifying glass next to it to assist in searching for keywords in specific fields.
Biosis Previews bread crumbs: Library homepage > Find Articles & Subject Guides > Drop down link to Biology > Find Articles > Advanced > Biosis Previews
*Note what an SFX menu looks like
Science Citation Index
1) Coverage 1980 to present
2) Focus on all sciences
3) Search by keyword, author, or cited reference – explain this last one
Science Citation Index bread crumbs: Library homepage > Find Articles & Subject Guides > Drop down link to Biology > Find Articles > Advanced > Science Citation Index
*Note what an SFX menu looks like
1) Coverage 1950 to present
2) Focus on medicine
3) Search by keyword, author, or subject heading
Medline bread crumbs: Library homepage > Find Articles & Subject Guides > Drop down link to Biology > Find Articles > Related > Medline
1) Coverage prior to 2000
2) Focus on ecology, botany, and general science
3) Search by keyword or author
JSTOR bread crumbs: Library homepage > Find Articles & Subject Guides > Drop down link to Biology > Find Articles > Advanced > JSTOR
What to do with your Search Results
| What to Look For | How to Use this Information |
| Keywords- synonyms, antonyms, and related terms | Incorporate into search statements and use to judge relevance of sources to your project |
| Big Names- who are the major researchers in the field | Find out what they're writing (i.e. author searches) and who's writing about them (i.e. cited author searches) |
| Fundamentals- what information do you find repeatedly? What is its significance? | Repetition often indicates importance. |
| Citations- what sources are listed in the bibliography or "further reading" section? | Great way to chronicle the development of a research area. |
RefWorks: Part 2
What do you mean it won't do it for me?
Yes, it's true, some databases are not RefWorks compatible. However, there are ways to get around this.
Finally, note that the tool bar is VERY easy to use.
ILLiad (better known as InterLibrary Loan)
What you should know:
1) Free to use
2) Can request articles and books
3) Articles arrive within 4 business days on average
You can get to ILLiad any time from the library home page quick links.
*Note what an SFX menu looks like