Ask a Librarian
Attribution
This guide was created by a former Milne Librarian.
- In 2021, it was adapted by Jennifer Jensen with ideas from guides by Michelle Hendley, Heather Statler, and Sarah Rhodes.
Welcome to the Biology Research Guide! Use the tabs at left to navigate. This guide contains information about library resources (and how to use them) for Biology students. (Image: Omphalotus olivascens by Daniel Neal, CC-BY)
Research process
The Research Process
This library guide is designed to help you along each step of the research process as you prepare and write papers for your classes. For general Research Paper Help, try this guide, too.
Each section of the guide connects with one step of the research process:
- Pick a topic with ideas from the news, library databases, and more.
- Find Research Sources by searching for reference items, articles, books, and other library resources to help you learn about your topic.
- When you are ready to get writing, the Write & Cite page has helpful links to citation and writing/revising resources.
Pick a topic
Pick a Topic
Looking for ideas? Here are a few ways to generate ideas for a research paper topic:
- Consider adapting a topic you are studying for another class -- get a new perspective on it, and use your research twice
- Browse chapter titles in your textbook or unit titles in your class syllabus
- Scan newspaper headlines (see "News and Topic Databases" below)
- Check out what's trending in social media sites you like
- Use the "Browse Issues" section in the library's Opposing Viewpoints database (link below)
- Watch a film or documentary and explore the film's ideas further with your research paper
News & Topic Databases
- Newspaper Source PlusIncludes over 850 full-text U.S. and international newspapers as well as over 800,000 television and radio news transcripts.
- Google Newspapers Archive This link opens in a new windowProvides free access to scanned archives of newspapers and links to other newspaper archives on the web. It contains more than 2,000 scanned newspapers, including The Afro American (1902-1992), The Pittsburgh Press (1819-1992), and The Village Voice (1955-2004).
- Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new windowContains a variety of media rich content, including over 20,000 pro/con viewpoints, approximately 19,000 reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more. Cross-searchable with Gale In Context: Global Issues. National Debate Topics category provides quick and easy access to content on frequently studied and discussed issues. Educator Resources include a research toolkit with tips on analyzing issues with opposing viewpoints, distinguishing fact from opinion, evaluating information sources, and recognizing deceptive arguments.