Biology
This is a guide for research in biology
Research & Instruction Librarian
Getting Started with Biology Research
Biology research can cover an extensive array of topics and intersect with numerous other fields. When you're starting to explore biology research, it can be helpful to take a few of these steps:
- Write down key words, phrases, names, and dates that might relate to your topic.
- Consider different ways of talking about things, like using common/scientific names for species, generic/chemical/trade names for drugs, and other terminologies and synonyms you might encounter.
- Often you have to think more broadly than your specific report, trial study, or other reference work in order to find relevant sources—where might you find related works?
When looking for biology literature, you may want to start by searching these databases:
- Web of Science This link opens in a new windowIndexes information covering disciplines in the sciences, arts and humanities, and social sciences. Includes six citation databases: the Science Citation Index, the Social Sciences Citation Index, the Arts & Humanities Citation Index, the Book Citation Index, Current Chemical Reactions, and Index Chemicus.
- Public Library of Science (PLOS) This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
Original published reports and research in the life sciences and medicine.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Search across a wide range of scholarly literature from around the world. This custom link for Google Scholar includes the Macalester Library code and will display a "MACLINKS FULL TEXT" link next to resources available from Macalester Library. You will also see MACLINKS if you are logged in to the on-campus network. If you are off campus and don't use the above custom link, you can configure Google Scholar to display MACLINKS by customizing your library links settings.
- BioOne Complete This link opens in a new windowA full-text database of 200+ leading journals in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences.
If you're looking for medical or clinical literature, these may be good starting points:
- PubMed This link opens in a new windowContains publication in the area of health and medicine research. Includes MedLine which records are indexed with NLM's controlled vocabulary, the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®). Links to full-text online holdings are listed where the citations match Macalester Library e-journal resources.
- BioMed Central This link opens in a new windowAccess to publications including journals across all biomedical fields - from basic life sciences to clinical medicine. All research articles are peer reviewed and, if published, made immediately and freely available.
Featured Journals
- Cell
Cell is a peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing research papers across a broad range of disciplines within the life sciences. - Human Biology
Human Biology focuses on genetics in the broadest sense. Included under this rubric are population genetics, evolutionary and genetic demography, quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology, behavioral genetics, molecular genetics, and growth physiology parameters focusing on genetic/environmental interactions.
Background & Contextual Sources
- Biodiversity Heritage LibraryThe Biodiversity Heritage Library is a collection of literature and research on the subject of biodiversity. It contains thousands of books, articles, and historical documents.
- NCBI Taxonomy BrowserThe Taxonomy Database is a resource for the classification and nomenclature for all of the plant and animal species listed in the public sequence databases.
- Oxford Dictionary of Biology and MicrobiologyThe Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offers a comprehensive database for terms relating to modern biochemistry and molecular biology.
- ION: Index to Organism NamesION holds the data on organism nomenclature, collected from the scientific literature for Clarivate Analytics' Zoological Record database.
Local Resources and Organizations
A handful of links to local resources and organizations here in the Twin Cities to help kick-start your research process.
- Family Tree Clinic"Poverty, oppression, lack of access and discrimination are just a handful of the barriers the people we serve face when it comes to getting their health care needs met. We are determined to change that. We believe each individual person is deserving of not only high-quality and affordable services, but also of affirming, individualized, and respectful care."
- Planned ParenthoodPlanned Parenthood is one of the nation’s leading providers of high-quality, affordable health care, and the nation’s largest provider of sex education.
- The Alzheimer's Research CenterThe Alzheimer’s Research Center is a national non-profit research center that relies on charitable gifts to conduct nationally recognized research for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke and other nervous system disorders.
- MN Transgender Health CoalitionThe Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition is committed to improving health care access and the quality of health care received by trans and gender nonconforming people through education, resources, and advocacy.