Virtual PC is a program which offers a wide array of software to you at your desktop. Login at vpc.uconn.edu and use Chrome or Safari browsers only. You will have access to UCOnn licensed applications from your PC, Mac and mobile device from anywhere in the world where you have Internet acccess.

Biology 2245W  Evolutionary Biology

Library Instruction

Spring, 2013

Introduction

• What are refereed journals? 
• What is primary literature?

Choosing a topic:

Look for sources with broad background information

·         Search any database by a particular journal or review journal (Science, Nature, TREE, Ecology, etc.)

·         Scan popular science sciences magazines such as Bioscience, Scientific American, Discover, etc. or popular websites like www.sciencedaily.com

·         Search for review articles, both for background information and for lists of primary literature on a topic

   Look for classic topics in your textbook

Find primary research on specific topics:

Biology databases:

• Biosis Previews - best overall biology database 1969+
• ASFA - marine and freshwater environments 1978+
• CAB Direct - agriculture, parasitology, veterinary science 1973+
• Agricola - agriculture, US focused 1970+
  
• Zoological Record - premier zoology database 1864+
• PubMed - any topic related to human health or supporting research 1969+
  

Citation Databases

• Web of Science -  multidisciplinrary strong science coverage 1994+
• Scopus - multidisciplinary, strong science coverage 1996+

Search Essentials

1. Identify the main concepts of your search topic
2. Truncation
3. Operators (and, or, not)
4. Nesting terms
5. Field searching - review articles
6. Locate the DOI for an article
   

 EXERCISE

Locate Journal Articles

Finding Fulltext: UConn Links button     

• EJournal Locator
• Homer, Library Catalog
• Interlibrary Loan

Vocabulary & Concept Assistance:

Use the subject guide to fine online:

• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias

Writing Assistance

For assistance in writing and editing papers, contact the UConn Writing Center at www.writingcenter.uconn.edu or 860.486.4387

Assistance with Scientific Names for Organisms:

Integrated Taxonomic Information System – an authoritative taxonomic information source for plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. A good source for taxonomc hierarchies from either scientific or common organism names.

RefWorks - a tool to help you manage citations and write papers

• import references directly from online databases
• combine with Word to help you write papers and bibliographies
• access your personal acccount from any computer connected to the internet
• free access to all UConn faculty, students and staff