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BIO 111, Introduction to Biology I

Tips and strategies for locating scientific journal articles for the BIO 111 lab reports

When Do I Use This Strategy?

When would you use this strategy? Most of the time, since we rarely start our research knowing about specific articles or books on our topic.

Quiz #1: Our response

Reference

Barcott, B., & Scherer, M. (2015, May). The great pot experiment. Time, 185(19), 38-45. http://time.com/

This one probably least exemplifies scientific method. Even though there is mention of research in the abstract, there are no headings in the article that match any part of the scientific investigation cycle. And did you notice that there's no bibliography or list of references?

Some other things you might have noticed:

  • the language is rather informal, not at all scientific - "a little Brain Science 101" for example; and
  • the name of the journal, Time, might be one you recognize from browsing the magazine racks at your local grocery or book store.

This article may be based on science, but it's presented for a "lay" (i.e., non-scientific) audience, and is probably written by a journalist who specializes in science writing, rather than a scientist conducting research.

 

Finding Articles & Books on a Topic

Limit Your Results (optional)
~ OR ~

[Note: We are working to improve access to our collections and revising our subject headings to be more respectful and inclusive. Please be aware that you may see certain words or descriptions in search results or library materials which reflect the author’s attitude or that of the period in which the item was created and may now be considered offensive.]

Use the search box above to search in about 70% of the journals we offer, as well as the library's print collection, e-books, films, and more. This is the same search box you'll find on the library's home page.

Tips:

  • Check the box for Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) to find original research articles (i.e., ones based on scientific method).
  • From the results page(s):
    • Use the Subject limiters (on the left side) to focus your results. Look for terms that match words in your topic.
    • You can also experiment with the date slider to narrow your search results.

You might also try searching directly in one or more of these databases:

Finding Scholarly Articles with Find It

The following tips will help you identify articles and books that address one or more aspects of your topic.

  1. Start with one or two keywords describing your topic.
  2. Use the limiting options within the database to focus (i.e., refine) your results:
    • academic/peer-reviewed journals
    • date of publication (you might want more recent articles for some topics)
  3. Look for subjects (aka descriptors) that can help you define your topic more narrowly.
  4. Once you determine an angle or perspective you'd like to explore, try adding additional terms to your search.
  5. Look for a "full text" link to view articles.
    • If no full text link is available, try "Full Text Finder" to locate a copy of the article.
    • If no copy of the article is available online or in print, you can still request a copy from another library; there is no fee for this service, and articles take about 3 days (often fewer) to arrive.
  6. Use the tools within the databases to mark, email, and print your articles:
    • You may be able to email the entire article to yourself, or at least the article information and abstract.
    • You may also be able to send yourself an APA-formatted reference.
    • Articles in PDF format will have page numbers; articles in HTML format might not.

Database 1: American Chemical Society (ACS) Journals

Try these searches in American Chemical Society (ACS) Journals (link below):

  • Type acid phosphatase in the Title search box and PNP in the Anywhere search box.
  • Type enzymes in the Title search box.
  • Type phosphatase enzyme in the Title search box.

Database 2: ScienceDirect

Try these searches in ScienceDirect (link below):

  • Type "acid phosphatase" and hydrolysis in the search box. Use quotation marks to indicate a phrase.
    • Select Abstract, Title, Keywords from the dropdown box.
    • Check Article under the Limit by document type option.
    • From your search results, use the Limit To options to refine your search. Try one or more of these topic options:
      • acid phosphatase
      • ​phosphatase activity
      • enzyme activity
  • Type "acid phosphatase" and substrate in the search box. Use the same limit options described above.

Tip: Look for the term Original Research Article in the search results listings.

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