Search Term | What it does | Example |
---|---|---|
AND |
All terms must appear Narrows your search Fewer results Use to include multiple concepts |
E. coli AND romaine lettuce |
OR |
Either term may appear Broadens your search More results Use for related concepts |
brain eating amoeba OR Naegleria fowleri |
NOT |
Removes a term from your search Narrows your search Fewer results Use for concepts you do not want to research |
Cordyceps NOT herbal drug |
Phrases |
Search for exact phrases Narrows your search Fewer results |
"Kirby-Bauer Test" |
Helpful science / biology publications
Finding reliable, non-scholarly scientific information can be difficult. Knowing where to start can be a huge help in conducting research when you are a novice. Below are several popular, reputable science publications that can be helpful for staying up to date and developing topics! These sources will be easier to understand than scholarly articles while still providing you with authoritative information.
American Scientist print available in Thun Library's First Draft Collection
New Scientist print available in Thun Library's First Draft Collection
Popular Science print available in Thun Library's First Draft Collection
Science News print available in Thun Library's First Draft Collection
Scientific American print available in Thun Library's First Draft Collection
Wired print available in Thun Library's First Draft Collection
Helpful Databases
Evaluating science reporting
Differentiating between original research articles and review articles can be a bit tricky. Both types of articles are considered "scholarly" and appear in peer reviewed journals. However, it is an essential skill in the sciences to be able to differentiate between the two types of articles. In this class, you will need to find review articles. Below is information to assist you in determining what type of resource you are viewing.
Characteristics |
Examples |
|
Research Article |
Author(s) present new set of findings from original research after conducting an original experiment. Typically contains the following distinct sections:
|
Davenport, E. E., Burnham, K. L., Radhakrishnan, J., Humburg, P., Hutton, P., Mills, T. C., Rautanen, A., Gordon, A. C., Garrard, C., Hill, A. V. S., Hinds, C. J., & Knight, J. C. (2016). Genomic landscape of the individual host response and outcomes in sepsis: A prospective cohort study. The Lancet, 4(4), 259-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(16)00046-1 |
Review Article |
Author(s) analyze and summarize existing research. Often focus on a general topic and bring together all relevant, useful articles on that topic in one article. Do not contain sections such as Methods or Results because they did not conduct original research. References within a review article can help you locate primary research articles on a topic! |
Wang, W., & Liu, C. F. (2023). Sepsis heterogeneity. World Journal of Pediatrics, 19(10), 919-927. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-023-00689-8 |
Intimidated and frustrated by that 15 page scientific article? Use the links below to learn how to navigate scientific journal articles.