BIOLOGY 152: Introductory Biology (Fall 2025) : Start Here
Starting Your Research
This guide will help you find and evaluate scientific literature for your Independent Project. For this project, you will need to go beyond novice searching (e.g., phrase searching in Google) to more advanced searching in the Libraries' licensed databases.
The databases listed here will get you started finding articles for your IP. You can find more information about choosing databases, plus links to subject-focused databases, on the Finding Articles page of this guide.
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Web of ScienceHighly selective database covering the sciences broadly.
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PubMed/MedlineFocuses on biomedical and health research. Also covers life sciences, behavioral sciences, chemical sciences, and bioengineering.
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Biological AbstractsCovers all aspects of biology, including bacteriology, cell biology, genetics, microbiology, pathology, physiology, toxicology, virology, and zoology.
Whether you are exploring data sources first to form a hypothesis or looking for additional data to support your project, the resources on this page will help you get started. You can find more information about data sources in your course Canvas page, and on the Finding Data page of this guide.
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Data Citation IndexDatasets and databases across all science subjects. On the Web of Science platform.
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Agriculture: Data and StatisticsSources for finding agricultural data from Wisconsin and around the world.
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Climate Data SourcesSources of climate-related data from the United States and around the world.
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Health Data and StatisticsSources of data and statistics relating to all areas of health.
If you have questions about the protocols or methods mentioned in the papers you find, these resources can help you learn more about them. You can also ask your TA.
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JoVE: Journal of Visualized ExperimentsStreaming video "articles" covering lab methods and protocols in biological, medical, psychological, chemical, and physical sciences.
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Laboratory Protocols and Methods Research GuideResources to learn about protocols and methods.
Get Research Help
Librarians are here to help! We can help you find and evaluate articles to support your research project.
AskSEL@library.wisc.edu
Email the science & engineering librarian team for help finding, evaluating, and citing sources for your IP.
Schedule a consultation (via Zoom)
Schedule a 30-minute appointment with a science & engineering librarian for one-on-one help.
Ask a Librarian Chat
Chat with a librarian to get research help in real time. Questions may be referred to a subject expert.