Biology
Books
Generally, biology books will be found in the QH to QR call number range on the 1st floor. Use InvestiGator, the online catalog, to locate books on a specific topic. To find the resources that are most closely related to your topic, the best strategy is to use subject searching. Subject searching requires that you use the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), which are available in the Indexes & Abstracts Area. Some headings to try are:
Adaptation (Biology)
Biotechnology -- Dictionaries
Cells
Developmental Biology
Genetics -- History
Industrial Microbiology
Life (Biology)
Parasitology
Phylogeny -- Fishes
Symbiosis
Other ways of searching InvestiGator include title, author, and words searching. Words searching may be especially useful if you do not know the exact LC subject heading for a concept. In words searching you can look for words or phrases that may appear in a book's title, subject headings, notes, and tables of contents. Then, once you find a good source, you can simply click on its subject headings to find similar titles. Examples of words searches may be found here.
The catalog record will indicate where the item is shelved. Some possibilities include the Main Collection (floors 1-4), the Reference Collection (1st floor), or the Government Collection (5th floor).
If the J. Paul Leonard Library does not own a book that you want, or if it is checked out or not available, you have other options for getting the book. First, check the LINK+ system to see if the book can be borrowed from other local academic and public libraries. To search other libraries in the CSU system, use PHAROS. Books ordered through either of these methods may be picked up at the 1st floor Circulation Desk once they arrive.
If you still cannot find a book, or you do not have time for the book to be delivered via LINK+ or PHAROS, you may want to check some of the other regional libraries' catalogs, then visit the libraries in person to retrieve the book.
Periodicals
Periodicals (journals, magazines, and newspapers) provide more current information than is available in books. They also are the first, and often the only, source for full publication of scientific, technical, medical, or social research. To find periodical articles on a specific topic, use the print indexes and abstracts and electronic databases.
Current Awareness
Browsing recent issues of professional journals is a way to identify emerging issues in life science research. The following are located in the Current Periodicals (last 2-3 years) or Bound Periodicals areas on the 2nd floor of the library and/or are available online through an SF State subscription. There are many other titles available as well; these are only examples.
FASEBJournal Bioessays
Quarterly Review of Biology
Bioscience
Evolution & Human Behavior
Journal of Experimental Biology
Electronic Databases
Like print indexes and abstracts, electronic databases are used to search for journal, magazine, and newspaper citations on a given topic. The databases may or may not also contain the full-text of the articles themselves.
BIOSIS Previews [1997 - Current] is the primary database used to access the biological sciences periodical literature. In other formats it is known as Biological Abstracts and Biological Abstracts/RRM. To search the literature of 1995 and 1996, use Biological Abstracts/RRM on CD-ROM, which is located at the Research Assistance Desk. Dates prior to 1995 must be searched with the print equivalent located in the Indexes & Abstracts Area.
Consider the following databases as well when doing life sciences research.
AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access) [1979 - Current]Applied Science & Technology Abstracts [1983 - Current]
Biological Sciences [1982 - Current]
Biology Digest [1989 - Current]
JSTOR
NOTE: JSTOR is meant to be an electronic storage facility. It does not contain materials published within the last 2 or 3 years. Do not use JSTOR to locate recent journal literature.
Web of Science - Science Citation Index [1991 - Current]
NOTE: Web of Science is a citation database. It allows you to find out whether or not an article has been cited by other authors.
Most of the electronic databases are available remotely to SF State students, staff, and faculty. For access, see Accessing Databases from Off-Campus.
Print Indexes & Abstracts
Indexes are collections of citations organized by topic. They do not include the full text of the articles themselves. Abstracts are similar to indexes, but they also include brief summaries of the articles. Many of the print indexes and abstracts have an equivalent electronic database, though not all do. Therefore, it is important to use both print and electronic resources to find citations. Print sources are found in the Indexes & Abstracts Area on the 1st floor and include:
Applied Science & Technology Index [1958 - 1982 & prev. 2 yrs.]Biological & Agricultural Index [1964 - 2003], Agricultural Index [1948 - 1964]
General Science Index [1978 - Current]
Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings [2000 - Current]
Science Citation Index [1970 - 1990] = Web of Science [online 1991 - current]
To find out if the library has a particular periodical, enter the periodical title (not the article title) as a title search in InvestiGator. If it is owned by the library, check the catalog record to see if it is available in print or electronic form. Print periodicals are found on the 2nd floor in the Periodicals Collection. Periodicals that are available electronically will often have a link to the database in their catalog record. See the handout Access to Periodical Articles in Electronic Format for more information.
If SF State does not have the periodical you need, you may request it through Document Delivery Services . DDS articles can be picked up at the DDS counter on the 1st floor. (You will be notified when they arrive--usually 3 days to 3 weeks.)
References Sources
Altman, P. L. & Dittmer, D. S. (Eds.). (1974). Biology data book (2nd ed., Vols. 1-3).
- Bethesda, MD: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Ref QH 310 .A392
- Friday, A. E. & Ingram, D. S. (Eds.). (1985). Cambridge encyclopedia of life sciences.
- New York: Cambridge University Press. Main QH 307.2 .C36
- Gaither, C. C. & Cavazos-Gaither, A. E. (Eds.). (2001). Naturally speaking: A dictionary of quotations on biology, botany, nature and zoology.
- Philadelphia: Institute of Physics Publications. Ref QH 13 .N368
- Indge, B. (1999). Dictionary of biology.
- Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn. Ref QH 302.5 .I534
- Olson, R. (Ed.). (1998). Biographical encyclopedia of scientists (Vols. 1-5).
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New York: Marshall Cavendish. Ref Q 141 .B532
- Parker, S. P. (Ed.). (1982). Synopsis and classification of living organisms (Vols. 1-2).
- New York: McGraw-Hill. Ref QH 83 .S89
Selected Internet Resources
- BIOSCI/bionet Electronic Newsgroup Network for Biology
- "BIOSCI is a set of electronic communication forums - the bionet USENET newsgroups and parallel e-mail lists - used by biological scientists worldwide. No fees are charged for the service."
- BUBL LINK/5:15 Catalogue of Internet Resources: Life Sciences
- "BUBL LINK is the name of a catalogue of selected Internet resources covering all academic subject areas and catalogued according to DDC (Dewey Decimal Classification). All items are selected, evaluated, catalogued and described. Links are checked and fixed each month."
- National Biological Information Infrastructure
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"The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
- Pronunciation of Biological Latin Including Taxonomic Names
- Developed by Peter Ommundsen of Selkirk College (Canada); includes references
- Scirus
- "Scirus is the most comprehensive science-specific search engine available on the Internet. Driven by the latest search engine technology, it enables scientists, students and anyone searching for scientific information to chart and pinpoint data, locate university sites and find reports and articles quickly and easily. It was launched by Elsevier Science, the leading international publisher of scientific information."
