Advanced Topics in Cell Biology
Biology 446

Sources for Journal Articles

• Biology Journal Indexes (Online)
  • Medline < about >
• Full Text Resources (Online Journals)

See Also:
Examples of Items in Library Collection
Off-Campus Access to Licensed Resources

NOTE: Don't forget to use Bibliographies!

For Search Engines and Search Tools, see Finding Web Sites and Web Indexes and Directories.
See also Biology Research Guide: Web Sites.

See Also:

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Neurosciences on the Internet
• WWW Virtual Library - Neuroscience

WorldCat < about >
WorldCat contains bibliographic citations for high-quality Web sites on a variety of subjects. When you search WorldCat for Web sites, remember to check the box for "Internet Resources" in the section called "Limit type to". Sites are selected according to a collection development policy that emphasizes quality, authoritativeness, and durability.

Use these points to evaluate the credibility of Websites:

1. Accuracy
How reliable is the information? Are there editors and fact checkers?
2. Authority
What are the author's qualifications? Is the publisher reputable?
3. Objectivity
Is the author trying to sway opinion? Is the information free from bias?
4. Currency
Is the publication date indicated? Is the source up to date?
5. Coverage
Does the site cover the topic comprehensively, or are there information gaps?

Sites that provide guidance on evaluating Websites:

• Evaluating Web Resources
  Widener University Library
• Evaluating Information Found on the Internet
  Johns Hopkins University Library
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Resources
  New Mexico State University Library
• Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources
  UCLA College Library

CITING YOUR SOURCES

See Citing Sources for help in citing print and electronic resources in various bibliographic styles (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)

Science - Information to Authors
Nature - Information to Authors

Citing Electronic Information

RHODES/SAKS BOOK REVIEW

A Concise Guide to Writing a Critical Book Review
from the University of Alberta

Three aspects that must be covered by a critical book review are:

1. Contents - what is said in the book. (Note: this is not a summary of contents, but a statement describing the contents.)
2. Style - how it is said
3. Assessment - a comment on the significance of what is said.

Suggested steps in writing a critical book review:

1. Get to know the work by a careful reading of the book; and by the opinions of others. (Use the resources of the library to find other critical reviews.) In getting to know the book, use all the information within the book itself. Look at the title page, is there a sub-title? Note when the book was first published. Is there a table of contents, or chapter headings? If so, use these as an orientation to the organization and contents of the book. If a bibliography is present, give it careful scrutiny to determine what may have contributed to the author's conclusions. Also consider the quality and veracity of these sources. Always read the preface or introduction for statements about the book's intentions and/or limitations. As you read, take notes and flag passages that you feel are illustrative of the purpose, theme and style of the work. Note strengths as well as weaknesses.

2. Establish the "thesis" of the review. Think about what the main point of your criticism will be. In establishing the main point of criticism consider the author's intention in writing the book and whether this was achieved.

3. Make a preliminary outline. Consult notes made while reading the book. Assemble these notes around the main point to be made in the review. Decide on the best order of presenting the criticism for clarity and emphasis.

4. Write a first draft, double or triple spacing and leaving wide margins to allow room for corrections and additions. Include statements about the author's previous works and background; his or her cultural, scientific, religious, and political affiliation; and reputation. Also state the author's purpose and occasion for writing the book, as stated or implied in the preface or text. Pay particular attention to the opening paragraph.

   Some suggestions on how to begin:

   • describe the author's purpose for writing the book and his or her qualifications
   • state the main point of criticism about the book
   • describe the genre or group to which the work belongs
   • give the historical background of the work
   • comment on the significance of the work

   For the body of the review follow the preliminary outline, assembling and if necessary, rearranging arguments for the most logical presentation. Use quotation marks or indents to set off any quoted material. In the conclusion restate or sum up your thesis. If possible leave some time before the next step.

5. Revise the first draft. Read through and correct errors as they are found. Reading aloud is helpful to show up any awkwardness of construction. At this point verify quotations for accuracy and make sure they are properly indicated. Check again for logical presentation and, if necessary, rearrange statements and/or make major revisions. Your rough draft is finished when you are ready to make a final copy from it.

6. Copy over and document sources. Check uncertain spelling as you copy. Document the work being reviewed either in a subtitle or footnote, giving the author, title, place of publication, publisher and date of publication. Passages quoted from the work as well as passages referred to in the work must be footnoted. Ideas borrowed or quoted from other sources must also be properly acknowledged. (For correct examples of footnotes and bibliographic form consult any of the style guides available in Reference collections.)

Scientific American:

Finding Book Reviews:

Helpful Books:

SCIENTIFIC JOURNALISM

Some Helpful Resources:

Scholarly Journals and Popular Magazines Newspapers

Periodicals are publications that are issued "periodically" - that is, at regular time intervals, such as weekly, monthly, or quarterly. They can be magazines, journals, or newspapers. Periodicals can be divided into two broad categories: scholarly journals, and news or popular magazines. These two types of publications serve different purposes and different audiences.

Scholarly Journals

• Authors are scholars or researchers in their fields.
• Authors cite their sources in footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies.
• Individual issues have little or no advertising.
• Articles must go through a peer-review process.
• Articles usually report original scholarly research.
• Most illustrations are charts, figures, or graphs.
• Authors use the specialized language or jargon of the discipline.

Popular Magazines

• Authors are free lance writers or magazine staff members.
• Authors may mention sources, but rarely cite them in notes or bibliographies.
• Individual issues contain many advertisements.
• There is no peer review process. Articles are reviewed by editors or publishers.
• Illustrations are numerous and colorful.
• Articles are meant to inform and entertain an educated audience.
• Language is written for the general adult audience (no specialized jargon).