BIOL/ENVL/MARS 3600 - Preparation for Research ...



BIOL/ENVL/MARS 3600 - Preparation for Research (Information Literacy!) - Spring 2005

 

Index: The assignment’s 28 (or more) steps: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pp. 1-7

General comments: Library of Congress classification system, LCSH, SCI: . . . . pp. 7-8

Map: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 9

Stockton periodical holdings (BIOL, NAMS, ENVL, MARS, PHTH): . . . . . . . . pp. 10-16

Books that come in series (from Current Contents(): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pp. 17-18

ISI Instructions for use of Index to Scientific Reviews(: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pp. 19-20

BIOSIS Instructions for use of Biological Abstracts: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pp. 21-22

ISI Instructions for using Science Citation Index(: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pp. 23-24

 

THE BIOLOGICAL LITERATURE

By this time you should have a topic to investigate and a faculty "sponsor" with whose help you will conduct your library investigation. Using the guidelines below you should be able to find monographs (conventional books), articles in serial books, articles in review journals, articles in research journals, perhaps masters and doctoral theses, and government documents in the various sub-disciplines of biology. YOUR GOAL IS A SET OF CITATIONS FOR YOUR TOPIC, ARRANGED BY THE TASK-NUMBERS BELOW. It should please contain at least the following 29 sections (tasks), numbered as on this handout.

 

You are welcome to work in a GROUP of as many as THREE students, submitting a single report with the names of all contributors. Or you are welcome (encouraged! you’ll learn MORE! you’ll do better on the exam!) to work alone.

 

Your faculty sponsor may well be able to provide hints to start you on your way in many of the sections, and s/he is authorized to waive some of them (although I urge you to confirm waivers with me!). Please note that there are also some optional sections, that your sponsor is authorized to demand of you, and/or that you may wish to add voluntarily. Refer to them also by number.

 

IMPORTANT: We are as interested in HOW you find material as in WHAT you find. Be sure to note what search term (or idea) enabled you to locate EACH citation you report. Try to find roughly THREE citations with each task, avoiding duplicate citations.

 

FORM: We're not fussy about style, but please be sure your citations are COMPLETE. For a book there should be a TITLE, AUTHOR(S) or EDITOR(S), PUBLISHER, YEAR OF COPYRIGHT, and CALL NUMBER (if it's in the College library) -- as well as HOW YOU FOUND IT. Citations of journal articles should include TITLE, AUTHOR(S), NAME OF JOURNAL, VOLUME, PAGES and YEAR -- as well as HOW YOU FOUND IT. An article in a serial book is cited something like: "Directed Migration of Eukaryotic Cells" by SJ Singer & A Kupfer, in Ann Rev of Cell Biol 2: 337-366, 1986 (found by browsing Ann Rev of Cell Biol).

 

Please pace your library searching: at 20 minutes per section, you should be able to finish the assignment in 580 minutes (~10 hours). Try to work efficiently, and "give up" if you feel you are wasting your time on any particular section -- or come to me (Dick Colby) for help. (You will have a second chance!)

 

Note: Some tasks require computer terminals and some tasks (marked by BR, which stands for browse) specifically forbid them! Don't be fooled into thinking that this entire assignment can be completed in your dorm room or on a computer terminal elsewhere!

 

Bring a PC-formatted computer disk if you wish to copy any output of the computer-based search tools in the Library's reference section, since the Library’s printer may be backed up. I will supply free disks if you ask me. Most of the databases can be accessed from any networked campus computer, or from the internet anywhere. Incidentally, I will spend my office hours (MWF 10-11) and many other hours in the Library helping students with this assignment.

 

[If you'd like an "independent" view on library searching, here are some books that attempt to offer the same instruction as I try to offer in this course: (1) Judith Bazler: Biology Resources in the Electronic Age. Greenwood Press, 2003 (REF/QH303.5 B39); (2) Diane Schmidt et al.: Using the Biological Literature: a practical guide, 3/e, Marcel Dekker, 2002 (REF/QH 303.6 D38); (3) David Kronick: The Literature of the Life Sciences, ISI Press, 1985 (REF/QH 303.6 K76); (4) Thomas Kirk Jr: Library Research Guide to Biology, Pierian Press, 1978 (REF/QH 315 K52).]

 

HERE’S THE ASSIGNMENT:

 

1. TOPIC/KEYWORDS: Your search TOPIC (i.e. the title of your investigation), hopefully in the form of a specific question; and ONE OR MORE KEYWORDS to use as initial search terms in indices and databases.

2. (BR) SCIENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA: Some are located at REF/Q121 -- but there are many others. Use the "index" volume. Report the name of the encyclopedia, the heading under which the material on your topic is located, and appropriate page numbers (as well as the other components of a complete citation). Other encyclopedias may be more appropriate: Encyclopedia of Bioethics (REF/QH332), Encyclopedia of Cancer (REF/RC261), Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering (REF/TD9), Encyclopedia of Genetics (REF/QH427), Encyclopedia of Human Biology (REF/QP11), Encyclopedia of the Human Brain (REF/QP376), Encyclopedia of Marine Sciences (REF/GC9), Encyclopedia of Microscopy and Microtechnique (REF/QH203), Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers (REF/SB403.2), Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health (REF/RT21), Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia (REF/QL3), etc. (Having trouble? See task 8a.)

 

3. (BR) BROWSE THE REFERENCE SECTION: Examine "REF" from Q through T (or as appropriate), noting items that may be relevant to your search topic. Report at least two items, including specific sub-sections and page numbers. Most biologists should find something useful in the Biology Data Book (3 vols: QH310.A392). Others include the CRC Handbook of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (QH345.H347). Plant biologists need to examine QK and SB. ENVL majors should examine GE, S and SD, as well. MARS majors should examine GC and SH. Anthropology is in GN. Biochemistry is included both under Chemistry (QD415) and Physiology (QP512). ENVL pollution is in TC and TD. Energy in TJ. Geology in QE and TN. Biotechnology and food technology in TP 248-550 and TX, as well as QH324. Physical Therapy (and OT) in RM 600-900 and RT21. Veterinary science in SF. Alternative medicine: RM666-700.

 

4. (BR) BROWSE THE "READY REFERENCE" SHELVES: Most libraries like to keep a separate section of the MOST FREQUENTLY USED reference works, sometimes locked up so they won't be stolen! The Merck Index (of chemicals) is usually there, along with the Merck Manual (of diseases; our copy is behind the Circulation Desk), and the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (some years!). Also useful in "ready reference": style manuals, directories of organizations, regional newspapers and government officials, Guide to US Government Publications, Occupational Outlook Handbook (see pp. 146-158, 164, 183, 228-239!). The Statistical Abstract of the US contains chapters on the US Environment, Agriculture, Health and Nutrition, Natural resources, Energy, and Weights and Measures.

 

5. ULRICH'S PERIODICALS DIRECTORY: Discover and report the titles of some specialty journals likely to have articles relevant to your topic, even if the journals aren't in our library. From the Library's home page, click Periodicals; then Periodical Indices (Alphabetic); then, in the lower right corner, click Ulrich's Periodical Directory. Then pile up some of your keywords and click Submit. Report what you think are the three most relevant citations (journal titles), and use intelligence to decide what components of the citation to include. Note the symbols near the left margin: for inclusion of review articles (green star), for peer review (black thingamajig), and electronic access (blue E). Note: our contract with Ulrich’s allows only one user at a time, so you may be denied access (so try later).

 

6. (BR) SEARCH TERMS in Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Generate a list of appropriate search terms from LCSH (proper terms will be in bold type). Include LC CLASSES (call numbers) if they are provided, as well as (if relevant) NT (narrower term) search terms. LC search terms are important because that's what the subject card catalog (and its online equivalent) is based on, not to mention various other electronic databases. Located within sight of the reference desk, and many other places in our (and any other) library. (Librarians call an "official" set of search terms a "controlled vocabulary.")

 

7. Web-based Catalog for SUBJECT SEARCHING - note that this task is linked to task #6: Here's where you "try out" your "official" LC Subject Headings (#6, above). From the Library Catalog, enter an LCSH search term and click the Subject box on the left side of the page. Pay attention to possibilities for word truncation (e.g. mito retrieves mitosis, mitotic, mitogen and other words with this prefix) and search qualifiers such as publication year, language and material type. Try to find three relevant books in our library, and make your citations complete. (You can, of course, do this task from a distance.)

 

8. Web-based Catalog for KEYWORD SEARCHING: Permits the combining of search terms using Boolean operators (e.g. intermediate filaments AND lymphocytes; regulatory protein NOT nucleus). It's much more powerful than subject searching (and preferred by experts) -- for two important reasons: (a) The computer searches the entire "MARC" record, including title words -- not just "official" LC Subject Headings. (b) The computer accepts "Boolean logic": you can specify two terms connected by "and": the computer will discover the "intersection" of the two search fields. Word truncation in this mode requires the “?” symbol. (E.g. mito? retrieves mitosis, mitotic, mitogen and other words with this prefix.) Enter your search term(s) and click the Keyword box. Include a Boolean expression in your use of this library search tool, putting the expression following the operator into parentheses, e.g. "mammals not (evolution)". You should get many more citations than you did in task #7.

 

(8a. If you’re still looking for encyclopedias, try this: combine “encyclopedia” with another keyword in a KEYWORD TITLE search. E.g. “encyclopedia biology” retrieves 4 titles. The same combination in a KEYWORD KEYWORD search retrieves 11 titles. Truncation can get you even more!)

9. Web-based Catalog for CALL NUMBER SEARCHING (oldtimers call this shelf list searching) - note that this task is partially linked to task #6: Use the most relevant LC call numbers from your Web-catalog searching, so far (tasks #7-8), or from LC Subject Headings (task #6). First click the Numeric Searches. . . box, lower left of the Web Catalog page. To search a decimal range of call numbers, simply leave off the last one or two or three digits. (E.g. entering QH10 gets you everything from QH100 to QH109.999.) See if you can come up with two additional book citations. (You can also use this tool for New Jersey government documents. E.g. all New Jersey State documents on plants would be displayed by your typing the call number NJ QK.)

 

10. BIP: Use Books in Print, to generate additional book citations -- e.g. citations for books not in our library. Different search terms might be necessary (report which ones you find useful). Books in Print is located two lines above Ulrich’s – see instructions in item #5, above. Note: our contract with BIP only allows two users at a time, so you may be told to try later. (An alternate tool is WorldCat, an index to books in over 15,000 libraries, located three lines above Ulrich’s. Be sure you limit your search to books.)

 

11. (BR) SERIAL BOOKS: List some titles of serial books appropriate to your search topic, and BROWSE for citations. The "Annual Review" series includes Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Energy and the Environment, Genetics, Immunology, Medicine, Microbiology, Neuroscience, Physiology, Plant Physiology and others. Other serial book titles start with "Current Topics in" or "Progress in" or "Advances in." There is a list of such book series in the index issues of Current Contents (included in this handout), and an entire multivolume bibliographic index titled Books in Series (see me). Another way to find serial books is by the "eyeball method": visual inspection of the book stacks, in your appropriate LC call number area: look for a "set" of books (with identical bindings). Browse (handle!) and supply at least two citations, please, of specific chapters or articles.

 

12. WEB INDEX TO ANNUAL REVIEWS: Entered through the Stockton College Library homepage: E-Reference Shelf > Web Resource lists > Academic Program Web Resources > Biology > Annual Reviews (under Research Databases) > Search (Advanced Search). Try some keywords, on separate lines if you want Boolean logic. You may need help from a reference librarian. The truncation symbol is *; search for exact phrases with double quote marks: “gene splic*”. Note that it's possible to search multiple editions of Annual Reviews simultaneously.

 

13. (BR) REVIEW JOURNALS: These are journals that publish "professional" reviews of other publications. The reviews are written by scientists and intended for scientists. They do NOT contain original research. Report the titles of a professional review journal appropriate to your search topic, and BROWSE it for citations. Get to "know it." Some examples are Physiological Reviews, Current Opinion in Cell Biology, MMBR (Microbiological and Molecular Biology Reviews), and the more general Quarterly Review of Biology and Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. Check with your sponsor before attempting this section, and skip it if your sponsor says to; your sponsor may know of review journals accessible electronically.

 

14. (BR) INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC REVIEWS( (ISR): Located in Reference North! Separately, search for review articles in "ISR." It is published twice a year – by Thomson-ISI in Philadelphia. Start with the subject section (instructions included later in this handout), to find the names of authors, and then go to the author section to complete your citations. ISR is published twice a year. The titles of most journals are abbreviated. There is an index of abbreviations near the front of each volume. The format was changed in mid-2003: the most recent issues are in two volumes: first use the Permuterm Subject Index to obtain the names of authors of review articles. Then use the Source Index to find each review author’s complete citation. Here’s a typical citation: “J EXP MAR B 293(1):41-55 03 41R 706XP.” It means: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology, vol. 293, issue 1, pp. 41-55, year 2003; 41 primary research articles were reviewed; disregard the last item.

 

15. Pub MED (FOR REVIEWS) or INDEX MEDICUS (BR): Another tool for finding review articles, published by the US National Library of Medicine, and you can do it either online or in hard copy: Here are the on line instructions: From the Library's home page, click Periodicals; then Periodical Indices (Alphabetically); then, in the right column, Pub MED > Limits > click Review in the Publication Types menu > enter your keyword(s) and click Go. Now the hard copy instructions, for years before 1999: in the Government Documents section of the Library (on the lower level, in compact shelving near room E-056): one volume of each annual cumulation is titled Bibliography of Medical Reviews. Contrary to what the title might suggest, much basic molecular, cellular and organismal biology is covered. There is a separate guide to subject headings for this index (a different "controlled vocabulary": LC Subject Headings aren't used), usually shelved nearby. NOTE: Your sponsor may suggest an alternative to this tool, or permit you to waive it.

16. (BR) "POPULAR" REVIEW JOURNALS: A final source of biological reviews is this recently enlarged category of "semi-professional" journals that specialize in informal commentaries on current research. Again, start by checking with your sponsor! BROWSE: The "Trends in" series includes Biochemical Sciences, Ecology and Evolution, Genetics, Immunology, and Neuroscience. Other choices are Bioessays, Environmental Science & Technology, News in Physiological Science (title changed in 2004 to Physiology), and Nutrition Today. If all else fails, Scientific American () and Endeavour (now on-line only) publish "popular-level" reviews with short bibliographies. Another approach to this section would be one of our Web-based general science indices: e.g. General Science Abstracts (in the column above Pub MED), but the intention is for you to become familiar with one of these journals by spending at least 20 minutes handling (browsing) it.

 

17. (BR) RESEARCH JOURNALS: List the titles of at least two specialty research journals appropriate to your topic. "Use" your sponsor's expertise, or you might have learned about some appropriate journals in Ulrich's, or in any other task performed so far! Again, get to know these journals by BROWSING them for at least two recent (and relevant!) citations. Most journals publish cumulative subject indices at the completion of each volume or year.

 

18. Use Pub MED (or the main subject volumes of a pre-1999 INDEX MEDICUS) -- for RESEARCH ARTICLES. This time do NOT restrict your Pub MED search to reviews! Alternative indices to the research literature include Bibliography of Agriculture, Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates, Environment Abstracts, Nutrition Abstracts, Oceanic Abstracts, and perhaps others known to your sponsor. The systematic (taxonomic) indices of Biological Abstracts may be appropriate for some searches. Report some citations, explaining your search strategy.

 

19. USE OTHER RESEARCH RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LIBRARY’S WWW HOME PAGE: Click Periodicals; then Periodical Indices (Alphabetically); then any of the following. Cite at least two more research articles (in primary research journals). Know that, of the following search engines, only PubMed is comprehensive in searching the entire realm of journals. Each of the others offers only a small subset of the entire realm of published (and electronic) journals.

Cambridge Journals Online (left column)

Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (right column): select a topic area: biological sciences, environmental sciences, aquatic/marine sciences, agricultural sciences, medical sciences.

Ingentia Select (left column)

Science Direct (left column):

Scirus (right column)

EBSCO Journal Service (left column): beware: searches research, review and popular journals.

PubMed (right column -- if you haven't already used it):

 

20. A “new” source of journal citations: GOOGLE SCHOLAR: From Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, try . Pile on your best keywords. Compare this search engine with others you have used.

 

21. SCIENCE CITATION INDEX( (SCI)/ CLASSIC CITATION: Now for something completely different! Examine all the journal (not book) citations you've uncovered, so far, for ONE which is the MOST IMPORTANT, and which also was published AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO. Simply report it as your "classic citation." (I.e. no new library searching is needed for this section.) If you have trouble understanding this section, please don't be discouraged: you're not the first. PLEASE ASK!!!

 

22. (BR) SCI/ CURRENT CITATIONS/ WEB OF SCIENCE(: Search "forward in time" from the publication date of your "classic citation," by looking it up in the CITATION volumes of a current (1996 is the latest we have in hard copy!) edition of SCI. You'll now find all the current authors who CITED your classic, and thus who are following up on (adding to) the work reported in your classic citation. To obtain COMPLETE current citations, find the current author(s) in the SOURCE volumes of SCI. There are further instructions for the use of this tool later in this handout. One additional use is of the GEOGRAPHIC volume: to obtain all the publications of a particular institution or department in a particular period of time. (E.g. you could easily check up on the research productivity of a graduate school department, or find all the professional publications of Stockton faculty and students in a particular year.) I’ll probably be able to show each student how this search is performed electronically, in which case you’ll have to meet with me in the library, or we can do it by e-mail.

 

23. (BR) BIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS (BA): Located in Reference North. Report the location in BA of the abstract of your classic citation (#20), by examining BA's two author indices for its year of publication (and perhaps the following year, since the editors aren't always up to date). Include a xerox copy (or simply the citation) of the abstract with your report. ALSO, if your topic has to do with a particular species or other taxonomic group, use the "systematic" or "generic" indices in BA to find citations -- a very handy trick. BA is especially useful because it supplies abstracts of articles in journals not received by our library. BA is available (at RSC) in printed form through 1997, and in CD format to Dec 1999 on two dedicated PCs in the reference area. Hopefully, your "classic" citation will be older than 1997. Notes: two volumes of BA are published in each recent year. It covers most journals and some books that come in series, such as Annual Reviews (but not popular journals such as Scientific American).

 

24. CURRENT CONTENTS ON DISKETTE(/ WEB OF SCIENCE(: CC supplies the TABLES OF CONTENTS of all journals published each week. Most scientists are victims of a master/slave relationship with this resource. Stockton’s library has discontinued this tool (it’s too expensive), so I’ll attempt a substitute! I ask that you see me personally (Dick Colby) for help: Please be ready with your own search PROFILE; we'll enter it into hard disk storage (for future as well as current use). Also bring a diskette, formatted for a PC, or I’ll give you one. This tool is powerful, so it is only semi-friendly to users. If you're lucky, your future library will provide a service whereby a technician will run your profile every week for you, and send you the printout or file by electronic mail or on a floppy disk, possibly formatted into a bibliographic software package such as EndNote Plus(. Again, you MUST SEE ME for this one!

 

25. GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS: Above PubMed is a tool titled MarchiveDOC. Alternatively, start at the Library’s Home Page, click E-Reference Shelf, then Government Documents (near the bottom of the page). There is quite a selection of search engines to play with! I hope you’ll find something relevant. Another alternative is the hard-copy Guide to US Government Publications on the Ready Reference Shelf (task # 4, above). Try your keywords. You'll be surprised at how much relevant material from the NIH or NSF is available.

 

26. The INTERNET: Many databanks, conference reports, faculty home pages and miscellaneous chit-chat is available with the help of a search engine such as Google(, available at the bottom of the Library's home page (but first click WWW!). I suggest piling on the keywords to make your search more restrictive. Tim Haresign is our local expert; we may get a demonstration from him. Think how to best stylize your citation; it should certainly include the URL. Tim would warn you that internet sources are considered suspicious by scientists, since the information is not professionally reviewed.

 

27. STOCKTON'S ELECTRONIC JOURNALS LIST: Our Library pays for a company to provide us with convenient access to journals available free on the Web. Select a few of your citations from journals not at Stockton, and report whether the articles are available by this route. Access from the Library's home page: Periodicals > Stockton Electronic Journals List. Click the first letter of the journal title before you start scrolling.

 

28. BIOGRAPHIES OF SCIENTISTS: Try two methods of getting information about individual scientists, such as authors of “classic papers”: (a) Look up your “classic” author in American Men and Women of Science [REF Q141/A474; 8 volumes] and report on the author’s current professional address, age, and employment history. If success fails you, try other biographical resources at Q141. (b) Try “Googling” your “classic” author and report whether you can obtain the same information, as easily.

 

29. EVALUATION: Take ten or twenty minutes to comment now on this entire assignment, so far. What tool was most useful? Which was least useful? Which sections in the assignment deserve better explanations from me? How current is our book collection? Are there any journals we should subscribe to that we don't currently get? Do you think you will learn most from the citations you found in books, review journals, or research journals? What other questions should you be asking? (Ask them, please!)

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Optional sections:

 

30. TEXTBOOKS: Another early place to search for general information is in the classic textbooks you may have used in your courses. Cell biology students should probably know about Alberts et al, Darnell et al, Karp, and/or Wolfe. Environmentalists will probably find a basic explanation of virtually any environmental topic in GT Miller's Living in the Environment; the 1980's editions have especially good bibliographies. Again, report complete citations, including specific sub-sections and page numbers.

 

31. (BR) BROWSE THE MAIN BOOK STACKS: Once you have call numbers, it is usually productive to manually examine the actual shelves, for other books with nearby call numbers. You might also find "textbooks" (#28, above) this way.

 

32. OTHER POPULAR-LEVEL DATABASES: Internet Resources intended for high school and beginning college students, and pitched at the level of the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. Some that we buy are General Science Abstracts, Academic Search Premier, and Lexis-Nexis Academic. But you won't get much, since these indices report only from the most popular scientific journals, such as Science and Nature. Include some printout with your report.

 

33. (BR) DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS (PhD and Masters theses, worldwide: from 1971 through the 1980s, roughly, we got this in hard copy, then in electronic format. The hard copy is shelved in “Reference North.” If you go for an advanced research degree, you'll probably use it.

 

34. DOCUMENTS (by other routes): Browsable on the Library’s lower level. Our Documents specialist has retired, unfortunately, and not yet been replaced. The reference librarians may be able to show you how to retrieve census data, maps, and documents held in microformats. We get many federal, State (NJ), UN, and some corporate documents, including many periodicals. Examples: Bulletin of the World Health Organization, NJ Fish and Game Newsletters, NJ-DEP reports on water quality, air pollution, and genetically modified organisms.

 

35. LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY MATERIAL: This may be relevant to some search topics. E.g. there are regulations on the use of human subjects in research, animal experimentation, occupational health standards, and the administration of grants. Make an appointment with a reference librarian to learn about (and examine) the Code of Federal Regulations, the equivalent State administrative code, and (for current legislative happenings) Congressional Quarterly Weekly Reports. The trend is toward online (rather than hard copy) access.

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General comments:

 

LC BOOK CLASSIFICATIONS: Here are some major sections and sub-sections of the "Library of Congress" classification system for books, some documents, media, and sometimes journals:

 

Q Science (general) QM Human anatomy

QD Chemistry, some biochem QP Physiology, some biochem

QH Gen. Biology, genetics, ecology, QR Microbiology

evolution, cell biology R Medicine, incl. pathology

QK Botany RM includes PT and OT, I think

QL Zoology, developmental biology S Agriculture, fisheries (SH)

T Technology, nutrition (TX)

 

REFERENCE COLLECTION: Examples of frequently consulted works (and some personal favorites) are:

General encyclopedias: AE 5

Oxford English Dictionary (etymology): PE 1625 (also on CD in E-224)

Science encyclopedia(s): Q 121 (and elsewhere)

Historical Timetables (of scientific advances): Q 125

American Men & Women of Science: Q 141

Handbook of Chemistry and Physics QD 65

Biology Data Book (2/e): QH 310

Library Research Guide to Biology: QH 315

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia: QL 3

Reference Books on Endangered Species: QL 82-84

Current Therapy (physician's reference): RM 101

Merck Index (of chemicals): RS 356 (and Ready Reference)

Soils of New Jersey: S 59.9

Veterinary Medicine: SF

Handbook of Food Additives: TX 553

Style Manual for Biological Journals: Z 250.6

 

LC SUBJECT HEADINGS: Five thick red volumes, located where bibliographic searches begin! The following code symbols are used in the current edition:

 

USE: use (instead) BT: broader term RT: related term

UF: used for NT: narrower term SA: see also

 

SCIENCE CITATION INDEX: probably the cleverest invention in the entire history of science bibliography, allowing you to find: (a) lifelong publications lists of important individual scientists, and (b) recent articles that extend the work of "classic" authors. I.e. starting with a classic citation, you can "follow up" to see what has been done since the classic paper was published. Also (c) publications of all authors in a particular city or college or university department.

 

All you do is find your classic citation's first author in the CITATION volumes of SCI. Under the name you'll find, chronologically, all the classic author's papers and books that were cited in the year(s) covered by the edition of SCI; then each of the current citations, i.e. citations of current articles in which the classic paper was referred to in a footnote. For complete current citations, you then look up the current first author's name in the SOURCE volumes of SCI.

 

 

Richard Stockton (State) College

 

BIOL/ENVL/MARS 3600: Preparation for Research (Information Literacy!) - Spring 2005

meets alternate Mondays and Wednesdays (roughly), starting 24 or 26 Jan, 3:35pm, C-001

instructor: Dick Colby in charge (C-120, ext. 4355, dick.colby@stockton.edu)

My office hours are MWF 10-11 and by appointment – I’ll be in the library most days..

intended for all sophomores and juniors majoring in Biology; optional for BCMB, ENVL and MARS

 

Main course components:

Learning techniques for library searching

Investigating an interesting topic in biology

Practicing an interesting style of learning ("journal club"- aka "tutorial")

Preparing for a senior project or internship (maybe!)

Diagnostic quiz on understanding graphs and tables - and reading comprehension!

Session on career planning: building a placement file

Session on technical READING

Writing your résumé

Session in which graduates return to describe their careers (tentative; probably not this year)

Listening to graduating seniors report on their projects/internships (optional)

 

Grading: based on: (1) the quality of your library research bibliography,

(2) your performance in two “journal club” tutorials (as judged by your sponsor),

(3) an exam on your understanding of library "techniques,"

(4) your résumé, and abstracts of three articles read, and

(5) attendance.

 

Schedule:

(week) dates Topic

2 (24, 26 Jan): Introduction; faculty promote the library research topics they will supervise; students select topics; diagnostic quiz on graphing and reading.

4 (7, 9 Feb): First of two sessions on use of library resources (handout forthcoming).

5, 6 (14, 23 Feb): Second session on library resources: PC-based searching.

8 (7, 9 Mar): Two copies of first draft of bibliography due; first tutorial session.

10 (28, 30 Mar): Stockton's Career Planning services, and writing a résumé; exam.

13 (18, 20 Apr): Annotated bibliographies due; second tutorial session: what did you learn about your topic?

14 (27 Apr): Biology Seminar; Poster Day (Wednesday)! Reports on this year's senior projects.

 

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TOPICS FOR LIBRARY RESEARCH:

 

Pamela Beresford (Evolutionary biology, Biogeography, Conservation, Birds): (1) Bird migration, emphasizing NJ stop-off points, including evolution of migration, systematic patterns of migration, and physiological demands on birds; (2) Keratin orthologues and homologues (as used in making feathers!); (3) Phylogeography (“molecular biogeography”); (4) Other topics of interest to students. – journals: American Naturalist, Auk, Condor, Ibis. [x6021, Pamela.Beresford@Stockton.edu, B-109, MTW 1-2]

Sandy Bierbrauer (Botany, Genetics, Anthropology): Genes of the First Americans, traced by mitochondrial DNA analysis. [x4209, BierbraS@stockton.edu, A&S-215, ?]

Dick Colby (Cell biology): What forces pull chromosomes in mitosis? - journal: Cell Motility

(ENVL): The psychology of recycling. - journal: Environment and Behavior

(MARS): Trends in mercury contamination of fish. [x4355, Dick.Colby@Stockton.Edu, C-120, MW 10-11]

Jack Connor (Ornithology): Dwarfed forests in general, but dwarf pine forests and New Jersey's Pygmy Plains in particular:  how the pines have come to show the characteristics they do (and I am also interested in other Pygmy Plains plants and animals).  (key words: Pinus rigida (= pitch pine); dwarf forest; dwarf pines; serrotinous cones; serotiny; Pygmy Plains; fire ecology; pines and fire.) [x4446, IAPROD287@Stockton.Edu, C-148, MWF 10-11]

Jamie Cromartie (Ecology; Entomology): (1) Macroinvertebrates in blackwater streams - journals: Ecology; Hydrobiologia; (2) Bioretention basins for stormwater management - journal: Jl of the American Water Resources Assn; (3) Biodiversity in powerline rights of way - journals: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club; Ecological Applications; Ann Rev: Entomol; Ecol & System. [x4413, Jamie.Cromartie@Stockton.Edu, AS-223, RF 11-12]

Mike Geller (Ecology, Mammalogy): Population cycles in rodents and lagomorphs: the role of predation, food and behavioral factors – journal: Mammal Review. [x4620, mgeller@stockton.edu, AS-221, W 8:30-11, 2:10-3:25, R 1-2]

Carolyn Gutierrez (Library Science; 2 max): Transgenic crops: environmental and/or health risk assessment – journal: Environmental Health Persepctives. [x4275, gutierrc@stockton.edu, E-117e.]

Tim Haresign (Neurobiology; Animal behavior): Topics for students enrolled in BIOL 3110 (Animal Behavior). [x4316,Tim.Haresign@Stockton.edu, AS-219, M 1:30-2:30, F 2-3]

Tara Harmer (Cell biology, Protobiology): (1) Evolution of carbon fixation (RUBISCO); (2) Biology of hydrothermal vents - [x4965, Tara.Harmer@Stockton.edu, C-137, T 10:30-12; R 2:30-4]

Roz Herlands (Embryology): Multiple paternity in turtles. [x4402, R.Herlands@Stockton.Edu, C-107, W 2-3]

Rebecca Hoffman (Cell biology): Adult stem cells. – journals: Stem Cells; Trends in Biotechnology. Database: PubMed. [x6094, Rebecca.Hoffman@Stockton.edu, J-108a, M 10-11, W 9:30-11, R 8:30-10]

Kelly Keenan (Biochemistry; especially for her Biochem students; 5 max): Metabolic or biochemical changes produced by anorexia nervosa or bulimia. [x4558, KeenanK@Stockton.Edu, C-106, W 4-5, R 11:15-12, F 1-2]

Michael Lague (Physical anthropology): Sexual dimorphism in living and fossil primates. – journal: Primates. [x4746, Michael.Lague@stockton.edu, E-295, M 2:30-4, T 1:30-3]

Matt Landau (Invertebrate physiology; 2 max): coral reef ecology – limited to students who are free at Noon on Wednesdays. [x4578, LandauM@Stockton.Edu, B-115, R 12:30-2:20, F 10-11]

David Lechner (BioMedical Library Science): West Nile Viral Disease. [x4324, David.Lechner@Stockton.edu, E-117e]

Margaret Lewis (Evolutionary Biology, Paleontology): 1) How do we reconstruct the behavior and ecology of extinct mammals? (Preference given to students enrolled in BIOL 4100 – Principles of Evolution); 2) Term Paper research for students enrolled in ANTH/BIOL 2200 – Human Adaptation and Variation. [x4686, Margaret.Lewis@Stockton.Edu, B-118, T 1-2:20; W 2:10-3:25]

Alysia Mastrangello (Physical Therapy, Sports Injuries): ?. [x6047, ?, K-208, .]

Ray Mueller (ENVL: Soil science): 1) General soil formation or 2) Use of soil for Bioremediation (particularly of sludge and/or heavy metals) or 3) Environmental degradation by ancient peoples (especially Western Hemisphere) or 4) anything related to soil in which a student has a personal interest. [x4209, Ray.Mueller@Stockton.Edu, A&S-121, TR 10:30-12, W 10-11]

Brian Rogerson (Biochemistry; 4 max): The immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection in humans and/or animals: how Mtb responds biochemically to the attack of the immune system. [x4425, Brian.Rogerson@Stockton.Edu, C-149, R 9:30-10:30, F 1:30-2:30]

Kathy Sedia (Pine Barrens fungal ecology): Habitat fragmentation of vascular plants (Preference given to students enrolled in BIOL 2020 – Intro to Plants). [x4569, Kathy.Sedia@Stockton.edu, B-122, MW 9-11]

Linda Smith (Physiological Ecology): 1) The stress response: from social interactions. 2) Habitat fragmentation: effects on animals [x4213, Linda.Smith@Stockton.Edu, B-106, MWF 11:30-12:30]

Ralph Werner (Veterinary science): Apoptosis and its role in human aging. [x4462, WernerR@Stockton.Edu, B-116, MWF 10-11]

Roger Wood (Conservation Biology, Paleontology): Conservation biology: invasive species. [x4252, Roger.Wood@Stockton.edu, H-253, W 2:10-3:25, F 11:30-12:30 ]

Karen York (Microbiology., Molecular Genetics): Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease.[x4449, Karen.York@Stockton.Edu, C-146, MF 11:30-12:30, R 12-1]

 

 

***************************

BIOL 3600: Preparation for Research

 

Response pages: Selection of Readings Topic, General Questionnaire, Diagnostic exam:

 

Your name: ____________________________ Preceptor: ___________________

 

RSC Box No: ____________ e-mail address: _______________

 

Major: ____________ Minor(s): ____________ level (Fr, So, Jr, Sr): ________

 

In what COUNTY (or State or Country, if not NJ) did you attend high school? ___________________________

Did either (or both) of your parents attend college? Yes___; No___.

If you are a transfer student, which other college(s) did you attend? ___________________________________

Do you live on campus ___; or commute ___ (if so how many miles each way? ______)

How many hours per week do you work at one or more jobs? ____________

What extracurricular activities have you enjoyed at Stockton? _________________________________________

Describe any internship or independent study that you have completed ___ or intend to complete ___:

___________________________________________________________________________________

How much have you used the College Library: (check all that apply)

___a) Never or rarely

___b) Primarily for study at a carrel or table

___c) Primarily for web-based information

___d) I have checked out books for course or independent study assignments in General Studies (ASD) courses

___e ) I have checked out books for course or independent study assignments in Program/Cognate courses

___f) I have checked out books for pleasure reading

___g) I have ordered at least one book or journal article by inter-library loan

___h) I have browsed in the periodicals (magazine) room

___i) I have used the computer terminals for web searching for College assignments

___j) I have found the Stockton Library inadequate for my needs and use another library instead

___k) I love libraries and spend much of my free time in them.

 

What’s the most interesting book you have ever read? _____________________________________________

 

Anticipated career (feel free to rank several):

Health professions: ____ MD or other Doctor (specify): ____________________

____ MPT, MOT or other Masters practitioner: ________________

____ Clinical technician: ____________________

____ Other health, e.g. PA (specify): ____________________

Pharmaceuticals: ____ Laboratory (R&D)

____ Sales, other: ____________________

Other industry (please specify): ____________________

Education (teaching): ____ K-8

____ High School

____ College or University

Environmental: ____ Regulation (government)

____ Wildlife or Zoo-life

____ Agriculture or Horticulture

____ Industrial (specify): ____________________

Research: ____ Scientist (PhD)

____ Technician

Other (journalism, librarianship, GIS, computer, etc.; please describe): ____________________

Completely undecided: ____

 

******************************************************************************

 

Names of other students in Group (2 max!): ______________________

 

_________________________

 

 

First choice of faculty sponsor: ___________________________

 

Second choice: _________________________________________

 

Third choice: __________________________________________

 

Fourth choice: _________________________________________

 

Fifth choice: ___________________________________________

 

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