Welcome to the BIO 500 Research Help guide! This is a compilation of electronic as well as print resources that will direct you to scholarly information useful in your senior seminar research. The most significant and impactful databases and titles to which Centre College has access are included here. If you would like assistance in using these resources, or need help finding additional information, please contact a reference librarian.
What is a literature review? A guide or an overview to a particular topic.
How does one write a literature view? Research a topic. Focus on aspects from your sources that connect. Find a theme. You need to summarize and synthesize the arguments, data, and ideas of others. Use your own words to convey your organizing principle.
A quick tutorial on reading and understanding a scientific paper, created and shared by Dr. Jennifer Raff, a research fellow in Anthropology at the University of Texas-Austin.
As BIO500 Senior Seminar students, most of you already have experience using the library and its resources for researching project or paper topics. Whether you enjoy the research process or dread it, there are many tools at your disposal that can make the job more organized and researcher-friendly.
Many of the online databases and resources the library provides come with built-in features that can help you build your research. Here are some general tips for using these bells and whistles to help you keep track of your materials and stay informed about the latest research on your topic: