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Biology Research: Finding Research Articles

Biology Databases

Select one of the scholarly databases listed below to search for information on your topic.

If you are currently off campus you will need log in with your MyVSU credentials to access the database.

Agriculture & Environmental Sciences Databases

Biology Databases

Health & Medical Science Databases

Can I Search in Google?

Of course you can search in Google, unless your professor asks you to use a library database.

 

If you choose to search in Google, be smart about it. 

 

  • Use Google Scholar, not regular Google
  • Confirm that the articles you find are peer reviewed using Ulrich's
  • Do not pay for articles! If the article full text is not available for free, get it through the library
    • Search the Journals A-Z to see if the library owns the journal
    • If the library does not have the article you can request it through Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

 

If you are getting too many results, or off-topic results, in Google Scholar, then you should consider meeting with a librarian. A librarian can help you identify search terms or search in a library database.

Applying Limiters to Your Search in EBSCOhost Databases

You can set your limits at the beginning of the search, on the Advanced Search screen, or you can apply the limiters to your Search Results.

 

Advanced Search

  • On the Advanced Search screen, scroll down to Search Options and select the limiters you want to use. 

  • Type your search terms into the search boxes.

  • Click Search.

 

Search Results:

  • Do your search.

  • Click on the Search History link, located above the Search Results.

  • Click on the Edit link for the search you want to limit.

  • A pop-up box with the Search Options will appear. Select the limiters you want to use.

  • Click on Save.

Limit by Peer Review, Full Text, or Date Range

As you search in the database, you can select certain options, known as limiters, to make your search results fit with your research needs or the instructions in your assignment. Often, professors provide guidelines on the type of publication or when the article was published.

Common Limiters 

 

Full Text 

  • All your search results will be Full text. 

 

Peer Reviewed 

  •  Search results will only include articles that are Peer Reviewed. 

 

Date Range

  •  Search results published within a certain date range.

Should I limit to Full Text?

Why I (and your professors) prefer to not limit to Full Text...

 

The most recent articles may not be full text in the library's databases. If you are researching current topics you should look for all the articles on your topic - not just the full text ones. 

 

Just because the article is not available full text in that database doesn't mean you can't get a copy. If the library does not have the article in full text or print, then you can request a copy via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). ILL takes a few days so you want to do your research early enough that you have time to request articles and receive them. Learn more about ILL.

 

If you are ever unsure how to get the full text of an article, ask a librarian!

Managing Search Results in EBSCOhost

The EBSCOhost databases have several features to help manage your research results. 

 

 

Create a free account in EBSCOhost to save item records or searches. 

  • Go into any EBSCOhost database

  • Click on Sign In

  • Click on Create a new Account

  • Fill in the information

    • You do not have to use your BlazeVIEW username or password, this is an entirely separate system
    • Your password must be "strong" or the system will not accept it

  • Once you are logged into an EBSCOhost database, you will see a small yellow icon that reads "My"

​Log in to EBSCOhost is represented by a yellow My appearing above the logo in the top left.

 

Save item records in your folder.

  • When you find a book record, article record, etc. that you want to keep...

  • Click on the blue folder icon to add it to your folder

    • The blue folder icon is available on the search results page and in the item's record

To add results to your MyEBSCO host folder, click on the folder icon next to the result. If the folder icon changes to yellow, it has been added. If it is blue, click on the folder icon to add it to your folder.

Warning! If you add a record to your folder but you are not logged in, it will disappear when you close the browser. Be sure you are logged in!