BIOL Course Guide: Getting Started

The purpose of this course guide is to provide Biology (BIOL) students with an explanation of the research process, which should be used to find information for class assignments and reports. After reviewing this course guide, students will have a better understanding how to:

• determine information need and formulate a research question
• search library databases using keywords and Boolean operators to find scholarly articles
• apply theories of evaluating sources to differentiate quality and questionable sources
• recognize issues of plagiarism and how to use information ethically by citing in APA

The library's subject guides for the Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography (HCNSO) provide information about discipline-specific resources that are available, including selected databases, journals, books, and websites. 

• books (print & electronic)
• reference books (dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.)
• periodicals (magazines, newspapers, journals, etc.)
• websites

When researching a topic, you need to investigate a variety of sources to gather information.

Look at the image below for a "big picture" overview on how information sources are created and shared.