How to Find a Topic
Use encyclopedias and other overview sources to get a broad picture of a topic. Once your topic is chosen, use more specific sources to narrow and research your topic.SCU Science E-Reference Books
Fifty online reference books cover a variety of topics. A sampling among the Medicine and Health e-books includes:
- Encyclopedia of drugs, alcohol, & addictive behavior / Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, ed. HV5804 .E53 2001
- Encyclopedia of public health / Lester Breslow, ed. RA423 .E53 2002 http://sculib.scu.edu/record=b1814907
- Nutrition and well-being A to Z / Delores C.S. James, ed. RA784 .N838 2004
- World of sports science / K. Lee Lerner and Brenda W. Lerner, eds. RC1206 .W67 2007
Food and fitness: a dictionary of diet and exercise / Michael Kent. RA784 .K397 1997b
Reader's Guide Full Text
For overviews in "Popular" literature (i.e., not scholarly journals), this database provides citations from 300+ popular magazines from 1983 to date, with full text from over 150 publications back to 1994. Updated daily.
For more in-depth information
At the end of articles in many encyclopedias are references that will provide more in-depth information.
To get from a citation to the reference itself
Library Homepage > Research Help > How Do I Find...
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Find Journal Article
For additional information on your topic
Search databases listed below and other Biology Databases on the library website.
Databases
OmniFile Full Text
Multi-disciplinary database includes General Science and Applied Science & Tech Index databases, as well as databases in social sciences, business, education, and humanities.
Academic Search Elite
Covers wide range of academic topics including business, education, social sciences, humanities, science & engineering. Full text for ~2,050 publications, including 1,500 peer-reviewed scholarly journals.
LexisNexis
Fulltext database of thousands of magazine and newspaper articles, news wires, legal and government sources. At Power Search tab, choose "Natural Language" for a Google-like search. Can limit by subject and by date. Can limit by section: click "Show" > Section > Choose "HLead" or "Subject" to make sure your search terms are the focus of the article.
Journals
Although thousands of journals exist on health, fitness, and science topics, the following provide good general coverage.New Scientist
SCU Library homepage > Journal Finder > New Scientist > LexisNexis Academic > Choose "Natural Language" for a Google-like search. Can limit by date. Can limit by section: click "Show" > Section > Choose "HLead" or "Subject" to make sure your search terms are the focus of the article.
Science News
SCU Library homepage > Journal Finder > Science News > Academic Search Elite > "Search Within This Publication" link.
Scientific American
SCU Library homepage > Journal Finder > Scientific American > Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition > "Search Within This Publication" link.
Web Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The U.S. government's CDC has broad topic areas: Disease & Conditions; Environmental Health; Injury, Violence & Safety; Workplace Health; and more. Each offers a wealth of information. CDC also has an image library, statistics, and CDC news topics.
Food and Nutrition Information Center
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's site on nutrition includes the following subject areas: diet and disease, food safety, weight and obesity, vegetarian nutrition, dietary supplements, and others.
MedlinePlus
A website of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus offers 750 searchable topics on conditions, diseases, wellness; medical encyclopedia; medical dictionary; health news; and links to other health resources.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
NIMH is a U.S. government site that focuses on disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Eating Disorders, Depression, and others.
Science Friday
National Public Radio's weekly science talk show, on Fridays from 2-4 p.m. Eastern time. Focuses on science in the news, includes discussions with experts. Website includes links to radio streams, podcasts, science blogs, specific topics of interest, and more. Plus a link to Science Friday in Second Life.
IMAGES
CDC's Public Health Image Library (PHIL)
Most are free to use, but check the credits. Some are copyright protected.
FirstGov Images
A wide-ranging collection of photographs, illustrations, charts and graphs at the federal government's main website. At the search box, top center, choose the images tab and enter search terms.
Gray's Anatomy
Illustrations from Gray's Anatomy on all parts and systems of the body.
Internet Atlas of Histology
Cellular-level slides showing a broad range of human anatomy: from skin and reproductive system to circulatory system and bones.
PEIR Digital Library
The PEIR Digital Library is a multidisciplinary public access image database for use in medical education.
Citing Works...and more
Citing a Reference
Finding Scholarly Journals
Avoiding Plagiarism
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Created January 2008
For help with biology information resources, please contact:
Michal Strutin
Science Subject Librarian
mstrutin@scu.edu
408-551-7021