Science Research Coach
Engineering, Business, & Computing Research Coach
Related Guides
Not finding what you need? Check out other related databases & resources from the subject guides below:
Where to Search
Image adapted from "The early bird" by Jamie McCaffrey via flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0
Search for scholarly literature
- PubMed (Medline) This link opens in a new windowPremier source for aspects of human biology and medicine. Can filter results by species (i.e. human or other animals) based on locomotion project.
- Biological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowCovers all aspects of biology, with emphasis on molecular biology, genetics, and microbiology. Can filter results by Super Taxa based on locomotion assignment.
- SPORTDiscus with Full Text This link opens in a new windowBest source for literature on sport, physical fitness, and physical education topics.
- Web of Science This link opens in a new windowImportant if you want to focus on journal articles that are most heavily cited by other researchers. Helpful for cited reference searches and for interdisciplinary research.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowScholarly journal articles and books in all fields.
To link Google Scholar to your PSU account from off campus:
1) Click Settings (top)
2) Click Library Links (left)
3) Type Pennsylvania State University [Enter]
4) Select desired result
5) Click Save (bottom)
Search for video & multimedia resources
- Anatomy.TV This link opens in a new windowInteractive 3D human anatomy. Functional anatomy section particularly useful for the grant proposal presentation.
- Sports Medicine and Exercise Science in Video: Volume I This link opens in a new windowThe most extensive video collection ever assembled in the areas of fitness and health assessment, disease management, injury treatment, nutrition, medical fitness, sport science, work-site wellness, exercise adherence, and much more.
- Inner BodyInteractive anatomy images with descriptions.
- YouTubeSearch YouTube for videos to include in your presentations.
Looking for creative commons licensed or copyright free images? Check out the guide below for where to search!
Class Activity
Search Tips
When searching for literature on the biomechanics of humans or animals, experiment with combining the following search terms in the databases:
- Name of animal / scientific name of animal (e.g. rattlesnake / Crotalus cerastes)
- Taxonomic rank (e.g. Mammals)
- Locomotion, or type of (e.g. running, swimming, flying, etc.)
- Physiology
- Biomechanics / Biophysics
Example search:
Get the Full Text
Once you find the citation, try the 
button to see if Penn State has the electronic or print version of the article you need. If the electronic version is available, it will appear as the first link on the Get it! menu. If the article is not available electronically, click on The CAT link to automatically search our catalog and see if Penn State has a print copy. If no other copy is available, you use the InterLibrary Loan (ILL) link to request it from another library. ILL will get a copy of the article for you, typically at no cost; articles usually arrive within a week, often in as few as 2-3 days. Watch your PSU email for notification and further instructions.