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Resources for General Biology

WebCat - the database used to locate books and all other materials owned by the University Libraries.  Don't forget that "ink on paper" resources are generally authoritative and are still the easiest to use for many questions.  Remember too, that "Power Search" allows you to limit to by item type (periodical for example), by language, publication date(s) etc.

Research Databases - these proprietary databases are leased by the Shenandoah University Libraries at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars annually.  They include materials which are accurate and authoritative and have search interfaces designed by experts to make your search for information easier.  Using these databases will generally provide more accurate information, more quickly and easily, than using "free" Internet sources.

Selected Websites - Caution:  The sites listed below are available "free" of charge on the Internet.  They have been selected by experts for their accuracy and reliability.  However, one should always use a critical eye in evaluating information found for free on the WWW. 

 

Library Home - Catalog - Journal Locator - Databases - Internet Resources - Media - Reference/Instruction - User Services - General Info -
Off-Campus Support - Forms - Faculty Info - Other Libraries - Site Index

        Research Databases        

ScienceDirect College Editions - indexes over eight million articles in life and applied sciences.  Fulltext is available for many titles

JSTOR - an archive of scholarly journals providing the fulltext (PDF files) of hundreds of  journals from all disciplines.  Coverage extends back decades for many titles, but most have a "moving wall" which blocks access to the most recent articles.

Academic OneFile - provides indexing to more than 11,000 scholarly journals in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. The fulltext of articles is available for approximately 3,500 of the titles indexed. Some of the journals indexed may be available in the University Libraries. (remote access requires username and password)

General OneFile - provides indexing to more than 10,000 periodicals and scholarly journals in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. The fulltext of articles is available for approximately 4,000 of the titles indexed. Some of the journals indexed may be available in the University Libraries. (remote access requires username and password)

Wilson Omnifile - provides access to indexing and abstracting for approximately 3,500 journals and magazines from the humanities, social sciences, and science and engineering, with fulltext available for about 1,750 titles.  Coverage for some titles begins as early as 1982.  (remote access requires username and password)

Academic Search    -  is really fun to use.  In "Today's News," which is updated several times daily, you can read leading American and world newspapers.  Coverage includes access to fulltext of nearly 5,000 publications ranging from general news to business, legal, medical and reference information.  Coverage of state and federal law and the judiciary is especially strong.  Coverage of some publications begins as early as 1980.  (remote access requires username and password)

Journal Locator - is an alphabetical list of journals and magazines to which the University Libraries provide access.  This title list will, in most cases, tell you the dates available for a particular electronic title, and you can connect to the appropriate database.  You can then search the database for the title you need. 
If we subscribe to a title in print format, SU Journal Collection will be stated and you can connect to the catalog record which will show our subscription holdings.  The catalog record will tell you whether a title is available in paper or on microfilm.
Approximately 27,000 titles are now listed.

Search Journal Locator  -  Find Both Print and Electronic Journals Available Through University Libraries

WorldCat - contains records of over 95 million items in over 400 languages from over 60,000 participating libraries from around the world.  As you might expect, most records are of books, but you will find records of any conceivable item a library might own including audio and video recordings, computer programs, archival materials, maps, musical scores and more.  Some items in this database date to before 1,000 B.C. Approximately one million items are being added annually, and WorldCat is updated daily.  (remote access requires Outlook username and password)

InterLibrary Loan Forms - just click here to bring up the forms for books and journals.  Remember, you must make sure that we do not have access to what you need in our local collection, BEFORE you make a request. 
 

     Remember to read on-screen instructions; some systems are actually quite friendly.

     Use online help features for more detailed explanations of how to search each particular
     database.
 

     Always feel free to ask a librarian for help!!

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                Web Sites               

Caution:  The sites listed below are available free of charge on the Internet.  They have been selected by experts for their accuracy and reliability, however one should always use a critical eye in evaluating information found free on the WWW.

Evaluating information found on the web is very important since "anyone" can publish on the web.  Here is a site which will help you learn to critically assess Internet pages.  It also provides links to pages dedicated to helping you learn how to site what you find on the WWW.  
How to Evaluate and Cite Internet Sources

Helpful Science and Biology Websites

National Counsel for Science and the Environment - "the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) has been working since 1990 to improve the scientific basis for environmental decisionmaking. NCSE is supported by nearly 500 academic, scientific, environmental, and business organizations"
Plants Database - includes characteristics, classification, factsheets, invasive, threatened and more.  Courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture
Science Photo Library - claims to be "the world's leading provider of science photos covering all aspects of science, health & medicine, space exploration & astronomy, technology & industry, earth science, satellite imagery, and nature & wildlife"
Scientific and Technical Acronyms, Symbols, and Abbreviations  - courtesy of Wiley Interscience
 

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