Genetics_110_Fall

Genetics 110 - Genetics Orientation
October 4, 2007

Finding Genetics Resources in Parks Library

Andrea Dinkelman, Assistant Professor and Science & Technology Librarian
Email: adinkelm@iastate.edu

Library website: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/

Research: Getting Started!

1. Identify the main concepts in the topic and make a list of search terms.
2. Gather background information about your topic.
3. Use the library catalog to locate specific journals and/or books about the topic.
4. Use a periodical index (database) to locate citations to journal articles about the topic.
5. Carefully evaluate all of the information you locate.

I. Locating Background/General Information

1. Parks Library Reference Collection (Tier 2) and Online Resources

Nature Encyclopedia of the Human Genome (REFERENCE Collection QH447 E53 2003, 5 volumes)
Encyclopedia of Genetics (REFERENCE Collection QH427 E54x 2002, 4 volumes)
A Dictionary of Genetics (REFERENCE Collection QH427 .K55 2006)
A Dictionary of Gene Technology Terms (REFERENCE Collection QH442 Z48x 2001)
The Dictionary of Gene Technology : Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics (REFERENCE Collection QH506 K333 2004, 2 volumes)
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology (REFERENCE Q121 M3 2007)
Encyclopedia of Bioethics (REFERENCE QH332 E52 2004 and online, part of the Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, & Ethics (REFERENCE Q175.35 E53 2005 and online, part of the Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Encyclopedia of Life Sciences (online resource)
Encyclopedia of Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics (online resource)
Scientific Style and Format : The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (REFERENCE T11 S386 2006)

Note: All of the online sources are available through the Library catalog; do a "Title" search.

2. Use the web to locate a reputable web site.

Google - Carefully evaluate any information you find. The Wikipedia is not an acceptable source to include in a bibliography of a research paper! Limit your Google searches to a specific domain. For example, "cystic fibrosis" site:.gov
Google Scholar - retrieves information from "scholarly" sources (e.g. journal citations, books, conference proceedings). Remember, Google Scholar is still in beta. The currency of information retrieved can be problematic. You will NOT find the most up-to-date information on a topic in Google Scholar.

II. Library Catalog

Includes description and location information for books, journals, and other items owned by the Library.
NOTE: You will find records in the library catalog for specific journals, but you will NOT find records in the catalog for individual articles within the journal.

III. Article Indexes

1. General - Listed under "Collections - Indexes & Abstracts." Both of these databases cover many different academic subjects.

Academic OneFile
EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite

2. Subject-Based - Listed under "Collections - Indexes & Abstracts." The Library subscribes to a number of indexes specific to the life sciences, medicine, and agriculture.

AGRICOLA - agriculture
Biological and Agricultural Index - biology and agriculture
Biosis Previews - life sciences
CAB Abstracts - agriculture, plant and animal science, biotechnology
Fish and Fisheries Worldwide - ichthyology, fisheries, and related aspects of aquaculture
Health Source - Nursing/Academic Edition - medicine, coverage of nursing and allied health is particularly strong
PubMed - medicine and life sciences
Wildlife and Ecology Studies Worldwide - wildlife biology
Zoological Record - world's most comprehensive index to the zoological literature

Note: All of the above databases have the "Get it@ISU" feature enabled.

3. News Databases - Listed under "Collections - Indexes & Abstracts." These cover news sources (e.g. newspapers, news magazines, blogs) rather than scholarly journals.

Access World News - Check out Current Events and Special Reports.
Lexis-Nexis Academic
Newspaper Source

Frequently Asked Questions about Articles

1. How do I tell the difference between scholarly and popular Articles?

http://library.weber.edu/ref/guides/howto/scholarlyarticles.cfm

2. My professor told me me to find a primary research article. What are the differences between primary and secondary sources?

Tutorial: http://www.lib.unc.edu/instruct/biology/biolit/index.html

3. I need to find a peer-reviewed article. What does peer review mean and how does this process work?

See: "I Don't Know What to Believe. . ." Making Sense of Science Stories
PDF: http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/pdf/ShortPeerReviewGuide.pdf

IV. Evaluation of Information

Authority
Purpose
Currency
Accuracy

V. Off-Campus Access to Electronic Resources

Set your Library PIN number: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/borrpinnumb.html

VI. Interlibrary Loan

This service lets you obtain journal articles and/or books that the Library doesn't own.
Online Form: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/isu-bin/ILL

VII. Selected Web Resources

Resources with easy-to-understand information about genetics and human disease

MedlinePlus Health Information (http://www.medlineplus.gov/)
Genetics Home Reference (http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/)

If you encounter unfamiliar genetics terms, try one of these:

Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms (http://www.genome.gov/glossary.cfm)
Medical Dictionary (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html)
GeneTests Glossary - definitions include illustrations. This is excellent.

Online Textbooks

PubMed Bookshelf - a collection of full-text medicine and basic science books.

Genetics and History

Profiles in Science - National Library of Medicine
The Wellcome Trust: The Crick Papers - "Explore an online showcase of papers from Francis Crick's archive."
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library - Features James D. Watson archives and other online exhibits.
Linus Pauling and the Race for DNA - An online archive hosted by Valley Library at Oregon State University.

Timelines

Milestones in Genetics: Timeline - Part of the Online Education Kit: Understanding the Human Genome Project multimedia download page. Hosted by the The National Human Genome Research Institute. Lots of great resources.
Major Events in the U.S. Human Genome Project and Related Projects
A Historical Timeline: Cracking the Code of Life - Historical timeline as presented by the JGI: US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute.

Other

The New Genetics, a publication of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Available: http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/thenewgenetics/
Genomics and Health Weekly Update, published by the Centers for Disease Control Available: http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/update/current.htm
Reading List - Books Related to Medicine. Interested in pre-med or the health professions? This guide includes books about medicine and science.

Questions? Contact Andrea Dinkelman, Science & Technology Librarian, adinkelm@iastate.edu