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Biology: Research Steps

Research and resources in biology.

Getting Started

Over 3,500 journals covering all areas of medicine. Includes the entire Medline database (1966+) PLUS PreMedline and links to publisher full-text websites and other databases.

arXiv is a free distribution service and an open-access archive for 1,912,719 scholarly articles in the fields of physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance, statistics, electrical engineering and systems science, and economics. 

Research Steps

Selecting a topic can be the most challenging part of a research assignment. Since this is the very first step in writing a paper, it is vital that it be done correctly. Here are some tips for selecting a topic:

  1. Select a topic within the parameters set by the assignment. Check with your instructor for guidelines as to what you can and cannot write about. 
  2. Select a topic of personal interest to you and learn more about it. The research for and writing of a paper will be more enjoyable if you are writing about something that you find interesting.
  3. Select a topic for which you can find a manageable amount of information. Do a preliminary search of information sources to determine whether existing sources will meet your needs. If you find too much information, you may need to narrow your topic; if you find too little, you may need to broaden your topic.
  4. Be original. Your instructor reads hundreds of research papers every year, and many of them are on the same topics (topics in the news at the time, controversial issues, subjects for which there is ample and easily accessed information). Stand out from your classmates by selecting an interesting and off-the-beaten-path topic.
  5. Still can't come up with a topic to write about? See your instructor for advice.

Keywords, also commonly called search terms, are the words that you enter into the database search boxes. Without the right keywords, you may have difficulty finding the articles that you need.

Keywords are important words/concepts found in your research question or topic. 

Selecting keywords is a multi-step process that involves:

  • identifying the main concepts of your topic
    • try pulling out the most important nouns and main terms from your research statement/question/topic
  • brainstorming synonyms and antonyms that could also be used to describe your topic
  • spell out abbreviations
  • using keyword search will ALWAYS retrieve more results than phrases or sentences. 

It is very rare that your first search will bring back perfect results. It takes trial and error to determine which keywords work best for your topic. Be prepared to run multiple searches in your quest for the keywords that will help you find the materials you need.

Introduction to Keywords & Setting Up Your Preliminary Search

How to Narrow Down Your Topic

Think about:

  • Who - a person, organization, demographic group
    • Women, Men, Athletes, Teenagers, etc.
  • What - an event, theory discovery 
  • Where - a country, region, defined geographic space
    • Africa, Mars, College Campuses, the Human Body, etc.
  • When - a time span, century, period
    • Victorian Era, present day, the 1980s, etc.
  • Why - describe what is significant about this topic 

 

Before starting your research, it's important to understand the types of information sources available. They include:

  • Encyclopedias & Dictionaries - to get an overview and definitions for a topic
  • Books & E-Books - good for broad topics
  • Videos & Images - a picture can be worth 1000 words
  • Articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals - covers events and the scholarly interpretation
  • Grey Literature - things not formally published
  • Websites - require careful evaluation of their quality.

Before beginning your research, do a preliminary search to determine whether there is enough information out there for your needs and to set the context of your research.

Look up your keywords in the library catalog and in subject-specific research databases. Try other sources such as our catalog of ebooks, periodical databases, and internet search engines. Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve readings. You may find it necessary to adjust the focus of your topic in light of the resources available to you.

Make sure there are ample peer-reviewed, scholarly, and current sources on your topic.

Learn more about Scholarly Articles Here. 

After you conduct a review on your topic, you should discover what is already known and what research questions remain regarding your topic.  Your research question will most likely derive from the recent literature. What remains to be known and studied about your issue? Which 'implications for future research' were stated in the articles you found?

With the direction of your research now clear to you, you can begin locating material on your topic. There are a number of places you can look for information:

  • If you are looking for books, ebooks, start with a search in the Catalog.
  • Save or write down the citation information (author, title, etc.) as you go! and the location (call number and collection) of the item(s). Note the circulation status. When you locate the book on the shelf, look at the books located nearby; similar items are always shelved in the same area. 

Use the library's electronic databases to find magazines, newspapers, and scholarly articles. Choose the databases and formats best suited to your particular topic; ask a librarian if you need help figuring out which database best meets your needs. 

  • See Databases & Open Access Resources listed on this guide. 
  • Use search engines (Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic, etc.) and subject directories to locate materials on the Internet. 
  • Save citations and notes as you go. 
  • Keep track of your keyword combinations and where you searched. 

Accessing library materials from off-campus requires you to log in using your email ID (before the @ sign) and password.  Once in, you have 24/7 access from anywhere!

If you come across materials you need for your research that the Library does not own or subscribe to, you have a few different options.  For books, your best option is to check the Catalog. For articles and books, etc. not held in this library request the item through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.  These items will either be sent to you electronically through your ILL account or sent to the Library Circulation Desk for you to pick up. 

Once you have gathered your sources, you need to evaluate them. Your instructor expects that you will provide credible, truthful, and reliable information and you have every right to expect that the sources you use are providing the same. This step is especially important when using Internet resources, many of which are regarded as less than reliable.

It can be tempting to use any source in your paper that seems to agree with your thesis, but remember that not all information is good information, especially in an online environment. 

Developed by librarians at California State University-Chico, the CRAAP Test is a handy checklist to use when evaluating a web resource (or ANY resource).  The test provides a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not a source is reliable and credible enough to use in your academic research paper. CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.  

Something to keep in mind: the CRAAP test is only one method for evaluating content. There are other methods out there that may be more appropriate such as RADAR (Relevance, Authority, Date, Appearance, Reason for writing), or CARS Checklist for Information Quality 

Give information the craap test - ALSC Blog

Create a rough outline for your paper. Consult the resources you have chosen and note the information that will be useful in your paper. Be sure to document all the sources you consult, even if there is a chance you may not use that particular source. The author, title, publisher, URL, and other information will be needed later when creating your References list.

You may find it useful to create an annotated bibliography at this stage. 

 

Writing research papers can be very challenging.

Knowing how to take notes and paraphrase ideas can help.

Writing papers can include steps such as:

  • Taking Notes
  • Outlining the Paper
  • Incorporating Source Material
  • Utilizing Guide to Grammar and Writing Well
  • Writing specific kinds of assignments such as Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews

Recommended Websites

Begin by organizing the information you have collected.

The next step is the rough draft, wherein you get your ideas on paper in an unfinished fashion. This step will help you organize your ideas and determine the form your final paper will take. After this, you will revise the draft as many times as you think necessary to create a final product to turn in to your instructor.

Make sure to cite all information from outside sources using APA Style citations and formatting.

Build your References list as you search for articles and cite as you write.

Need to write an abstract?

An abstract is a 150- to 250-word paragraph that provides readers with a quick overview of your essay or report and its organization. The function of the abstract is to outline briefly all parts of the paper. Although it is placed at the beginning of your paper, immediately following the title page, the abstract should be the last thing that you write, once you are sure of the conclusions you will reach.

It should express your thesis (or central idea) and your key points; it should also suggest any implications or applications of the research you discuss in the paper.

More Resources

Give credit where credit is due; cite your sources.

Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves two purposes: it gives proper credit to the authors of the materials used, and it allows those who are reading your work to duplicate your research and locate the sources that you have listed as references.

You can find citation examples and templates in the library's APA Guide

Failure to cite your sources properly is plagiarism. Plagiarism is avoidable!

The final step in the process is to proofread the paper you have created.

Read through the text and check for any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Make sure the sources you used are cited properly. Make sure the message that you want to get across to the reader has been thoroughly stated.

If you need help proofreading or writing - you can make an appointment at the Center for Academic Success. If you would like a librarian to review your citations and formatting - make an appointment with a librarian

Additional research tips:

  • Work from the general to the specific -- find background information first, then use more specific sources.

  • Don't forget print sources -- many times print materials are more easily accessed and every bit as helpful as online resources.

  • If you have questions about the assignment, ask your instructor.

  • If you have any questions about finding information in the library, research, or citations ask the librarian.

Helpful Hints

  • Consider broader or narrower terms if needed.
  • For species, try common names and scientific names.
  • Try synonyms and alternate spellings, i.e. cancer OR carcinogen OR carcinogenic
  • Use quotes to search for an "exact phrase"
  • Use an asterisk (*) for truncation, i.e. educat* = educate, educated, education
  • Try searching different fields i.e. Title, Abstract, Subject, etc.
  • Sort and narrow results by Publication Date, Source Type, Subject, etc.
  • Once you've found a relevant article:
    • Look at the citing and cited references to find more articles
    • Look at the conclusion for directions for future research

Keep In Mind

Research topics aren't set in stone and choosing a research topic isn't always a straightforward process.

As you begin to look for articles on your initial topic, your research idea may evolve along a new path. That's okay! It's all part of the research process.