Pathfinder Biology

   . . . resources in the Drain-Jordan Library, West Virginia State University
INTRODUCTION:        Biology students are encouraged to utilize the many journals, magazines, databases, and books provided. We have facts, opinions, statistics, and videos to enhance any research project.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?        Reference librarians are on duty at all hours and they are willing and able to assist you in selecting and narrowing down a subject area. Biology materials use LC call number ranges Q (science) to R (medicine). Our Reference Department is a great place to get started; it has subject specific dictionaries, handbooks, field guides and encyclopedias in the Q and R range, which will help you define and focus your research topic. 
INDEXES General Science Index, Paper Index. Periodicals index tables. Indexes science periodicals. 
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, Paper Index. Periodicals index tables. Indexes a wide variety of magazines and some journals. An excellent quick source for a wide range of subject areas.
INTERNET 
INDEXES
       We subscribe to several large Internet-based periodical indexes which provide you with full-text articles. EBSCOhost contains several medically oriented databases as well as the general academic databases. MEDLINE, an EBSCOhost database, provides abstracts from many (over 4600) current biomedical journals in medicine, nursing and health care fields.
WHERE DO I FIND 
PERIODICALS?
       Use our "Periodical Holdings List". We publish a paper list of our periodicals each semester and scatter them throughout the library. This alphabetical list tells you what title we own, its years and volumes, and the format. Library staff will help you find the titles in our Periodicals Room. Periodicals cannot be checked out, but may be photocopied.
REFERENCE 
BOOKS
Here are a few of the many reference titles that may help you.
World of Biology - Ref QH 302.5 W67 1999
The Facts on File Dictionary of Biology - Ref QH 13 166 1981 
Dictionary of Biological Terms - Ref QH 13 H38 
The Dictionary of the Biological Sciences - Ref QH 13 G68 
Biology Data Book - Ref QH 310 A392 
Library Research Guide to Biology - Ref QH 315 K52 
Science and Technology Desk Reference - Ref Q 173 S397 1993 
Using the Biological Literature - Ref QH 303.6 .D38 1995 
Encyclopedia of BioEthics - Ref QH 332.E52 1995
Encyclopedia of Environmental Science - Ref GE 10 M66 2000
CIRCULATING 
BOOKS
       Since reference books must remain in the library, try searching our Chameleon Book Catalog for circulating books. The catalog allows simple Browse (Author Title Subject) searches and more complex Keyword (All) searches. Both search types feature pulldown menus for selection of the field type to search. 
       For example, in the Browse search, select the Subject field from the pulldown menu and enter the subject for your paper or presentation. You can use terms you have found in reference works, or in the Library of Congress Subject Headings (the "Big Red" books located in the lobby area). 
      You can also access the online card catalog from home via the Internet by going to our Home Page <http://library.wvstateu.edu/> and clicking on the Book Catalog Virtua Gateway  link.
WEB 
RESOURCES
Biological Resources <http://biology.usgs.gov> Site sponsored by the USGS featuring studies done by government agencies in various areas of the biological sciences. 
The Biology Project <http://www.biology.arizona.edu> Sponsored by the University of Arizona, this site provides an interactive, online resource for learning biology. 
Scirus search engine <http://www.scirus.com> Scirus is a science specific search engine by Elsevier specially designed to search pages with scientific content. Note: searching includes Elsevier's databases so some articles will not be available full text .  
Harvard Biology Links <http://mcb.harvard.edu/BioLinks.html> Harvard University's Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology's megasite.
National Library of Medicine <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/>.
Findarticles <http://www.findarticles.com/>.
FreeMedical Journals <http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/>.
Highwire Press <http://highwire.stanford.edu/>.
Both our Reference Page under Science - Technology <http://library.wvsc.edu/refp.html#SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY> and 
Homework Page under Biology <http://library.wvstateu.edu/homework.html#BIOLOGY>.
Need more HELP
Check the Library Tutorials & handouts link on the Library Homepage or ask at the Reference Desk.

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