Biology Courses & Research

A Dictionary of Biology: this dictionary provides comprehensive coverage of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, as well as key terms from medicine and palaeontology. It includes biographies of key scientists, and feature articles on important topics, such as bioinformatics, genetically modified organisms, microarray technology, and RNA interference.

Encyclopedia of Evolution: surveys essential concepts and theories, present methods, models and findings, and discuss both the history of the field and current controversies.

Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: provides a comprehensive survey of modern biochemistry and molecular biology. It includes definitions of terms from the fields of Bioinformatics, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Systems Biology, and Toxicology.

What is it? Why do I care? What does it really say?

You answer these three questions every time you use a source, whether you know it or not.

• Whether it is a website or a scholarly journal article...
• Whether it is for a 1st-year course or real life...

Start noticing how you answer these questions to ensure your sources are really meeting your needs.

The Three Questions:

• What is it: What is the source type and author credibility?
  • Quick Wikipedia checks are okay! You can also compare what other source say about that source.
• Why do I care: Does the source type and author credibility meet your needs?
  • Decide this at the beginning so you know whether to read the material or find something better.
• What does it really say: Perceive how the word choices influence the knowledge.
  • The author's word choices, included and excluded information, and the aim of the publication all make a difference in how or why you would use a source.