LibGuides: Biology: Biology Research Basics

BIRD Fellowship

Belongingness Interns Recognizing Diversity
The Belongingness Intern Recognizing Diversity (BIRD) fellowship is an opportunity for Reed College students within the Biology department to engage in a paid fellowship centered around student belongingness.

Getting Started with Research

Dive into biological research quickly and easily by utilizing core reference sources for background information to come up with keywords, concepts, and research topics. Reference resources build a strong foundation for your research projects.

Find Background Information

AccessScience
Subject encyclopedia for the sciences, including extensive coverage of environmental studies. May be useful for policy research relating to environmental and other scientific issues
Dictionary of Biology
Subjects covered include biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, as well as some medicine and palaeontology. Includes biographies of key scientists in the discipline and quick definitions.
Encyclopedia of Life Science
A comprehensive life sciences resource on a variety of topics from biochemistry to virology. Links to relevant news/articles. Also includes illustrations, a glossary, and related web resources, as well as themed collections of articles.

Find Books

For general textbooks on a particular topic do a keyword search: <topic> study teaching. This won't get you every textbook we have, but should help get you pointed in the right direction.

Browsing in the appropriate call number range can also be a productive exercise. All of the following call numbers are located on Level 2, North Stacks or in Oversize. Many of our science textbooks are considered Oversize books and are located in the Oversize stacks on Main Level, Center Stacks.

Biology (general)	QH300s
Biochemistry & molecular biology	QD415, QH500s, QP500s
Botany Plant Physiology	QK, RS160s (herbs), SB QK710
Ecology Molecular Ecology	QH540s QH541.15 M63
Developmental Biology	QH491
Genetics	QH426-470
Immunology	QR
Microbiology	QR
Neuroscience	QM, RC300s
Physiology Animal Physiology Exercise Physiology Human Physiology	QP QP31, QP33 QP301 QP34
Population Biology	QH352
Zoology Animal Behavior	QL QL750

Taxonomy, Classification, & Illustrations

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)
This open-source compilation aims to catalogue every taxon. Pages include information on distribution, morphology, biology, and habitat, and also feature relevant media and references. Articles may also be commented on and rated by readers.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility
A network of biodiversity databases and information technology tools that will enable users to navigate and put to use the world's vast quantities of biodiversity information to produce national economic, environmental and social benefits.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System
A database of current names and classifications of all biota." The Data Access section contains access to the database as well as instructions for use. Searchable by scientific or common name or taxonomic serial number. Contains scientific name, common (vernacular) name, TSN, author and rank.
NCBI Taxonomy Page
Searchable collection of databases containing protein and nucleic acid sequences of hundreds of organisms. Probably one of the most useful sites of its type that I have seen. Entries include references.
PLANTS Database
Provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
Tree of Life
Provides information about the diversity of organisms on Earth, their evolutionary history, and characteristics. Pages are linked one to another hierarchically, in the form of the evolutionary tree of life. Starting with the root of all Life on Earth and moving out along diverging branches to individual species, the structure of the ToL project thus illustrates the genetic connections between all living things.

Field Guides, Floras & Manuals

Amphibians of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia by Charlotte Corkran; Chris Thoms
Call Number: QL653.O7 C6 1996

ISBN: 9781551050737
Atlas of Oregon Wildlife by Blair A. Csuti
ISBN: 9780585235479

Publication Date: 1997-01-01
Medicinal Plants of the World, Volume 3 Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses by Ross, Ivan A
ISBN: 9786610831814
Moss flora of the Pacific Northwest. by Lawton, Elva
Call Number: QK534 .L3 1971
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds--W by National Audubon Society
Call Number: QL681 .U33 1994

ISBN: 9780679428510
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E by National Audubon Society
Call Number: QK481 .L49 1980

ISBN: 9780394507606
The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms by Nancy J. Turner; Patrick von Aderkas
Call Number: QK100.N6 T87 2009

ISBN: 9780881929294
Snakes of the United States and Canada, Eastern Area by John V. Rossi
Call Number: SF515.5.S64 R67 1991

ISBN: 9780894645907
Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest by Hitchcock, C. Leo (Charles Leo)
Call Number: QK144 .V38
Western Reptiles and Amphibians by Robert C. Stebbins (Illustrator); Roger Tory Peterson (Contribution by, Editor)
Call Number: QL651 .S783 2003

ISBN: 9780395982723