Library Guides:  Frontiers in Biology

Instructor, Dr. Jim Sellers
Developed by Connie Fly, Librarian

The Address of this page is:  http://www.cos.edu/library/sellers/researchposterproject.htm

Research Project Outline | Assignments Schedule | Assignment 1 - The Research Process | Assignment 2 - Periodical Databases | Assignment 3 - Web Search Engines & Evaluating Web Pages | Assignment 4 - Searching for Images | Plagiarism & Citing your Sources

Frontiers in Biology:  Biology 20 Research Poster Project

Research Project Outline:  Each Research Project must follow and include the following components.

1. Definition of Topic Using Reference Material in the COS Library
2. History of Topic Using COS Library Reference Material and Books
3. Statistics and Demographics of Topic using various COS Library periodical indexes, databases and the Web
4. Biological Concepts of Topic using various COS Library periodical indexes, databases and the Web
5. Current Research and Frontier Issues of Topic using various COS Library periodical indexes, databases and the Web

List of Assignments:  Meet in Library Classroom Room 203 - at the top of the stairs on the second floor of the library.

1. The Research Process  - Part 1a & 1b

2. Periodical Databases; Key Word versus Subject Searching; and Boolean Logic

3. Using Search Engines & Web Evaluation

4. Searching For Images and Using Power Point

5. Citing Sources for your Bibliography

6. Plagiarism

7. Research Project Wrap-up

To view and print .PDF (Adobe portable document format) files you much have the reader on your computer.  You can download the reader  from the Adobe Site for free.  This format will print out a more user friendly document than the html (web) version.  This software is installed on all computers in the library.

Assignments 

Assignment 1 - The Research Process

• Assignment 1-Part 1a - The Research Process (.html version) This is an example of how you are to complete Part 1b.
  •   The Research Process (.PDF version)
• Assignment 1-Part 1b - Research Process Worksheet (.html version)
  •   Research Process Worksheet (.PDF version)
• Reference Book List - Books to use to complete Assignment 1-Part 1b

Assignment  2 - Periodical Databases

• Review How do I find magazine and newspaper articles?
• Complete Assignment:  Keywords and Questions Worksheet (PDF)
• Complete Assignment:  Finding magazine and newspaper articles worksheet. (PDF)

Periodical Databases

• All of the databases the COS Library subscribes to provides multiple delivery options from display, print, download, or e-mail.
• The COS Library provides 24 hour access to these database through its Web site.
• If you locate a newspaper or magazine article title that only provides the citation remember to check to see if the COS Library Periodicals Room subscribes to that newspaper in paper form or if it is available full-text in another database.  For example InfoTrac provides only the citation  to articles from the New York Times Newspaper yet you will usually be able to find those same NY Times articles in full-text format in the Lexis Nexis Database listed on the Electronic Resources Web Page.

 Overview of Featured Database - InfoTrac

• InfoTrac Expanded Academic ASAP is Gale's premier database for research in all the academic disciplines.  It offers balanced coverage of every academic concentration-from advertising and microbiology to history and women's studies.  Combining indexing, abstracts, full text and images, this comprehensive resource delivers answers for novice and the experienced research  - all in one seamless search.
• It provides full-text articles from 1,900 journals and indexing to 3,000 journals. Balanced coverage is available  through a wide variety of sources. 
  • Social Science Journals
  • Humanities Journals
  • Science and Technology Journals
  • National News Periodicals
  • General Interest Magazines
  • The New York Times (indexed only)
• Its date range is from 1980 to the present.

Assignment 3 - Web Search Engines & Evaluating Web Pages

In Class Exercise - Evaluating Web Sources Exercise

• Using Academic Search Engines Worksheet
  •  Using  Academic Search Engines Worksheet
•  Evaluating Web Sites Worksheet

Assignment 4 - Searching For Images

• Searching for Images Assignment - Locate 2 images, cite in MLA Format and staple copies of images to assignment.

Plagiarism & Citing Your Sources - Review

This page was last updated: November 13, 2006. As of August 25, 2004  you are visitor  
For questions and comments, please mail to: connief@cos.edu or jims@cos.edu