Use the resources on this page to get to know a new research area or choose a topic for a paper. These are not necessarily sources you can cite in a paper, but they will help you understand the basics and come up with keywords to use when you search for sources later.
Feel free to begin your research on Google, as long as it doesn't end there. Use this time to try out different keywords for your topic.
Many databases, including Scopus, ScienceDirect, and PubMed, allow you to filter results to see only review articles. These kinds of articles give a broad overview of scholarship in a topic and are a good place to start your research. The databases section has more on these resources.
Try one of the specialized encyclopedias below for expert-written articles on your topic, including citations to important sources.
Books are a great place to start your research because they take the time to explain things you may not understand (unlike journal articles). You don't have to read the whole book! Search for books using Library Search.
These are a few of the biology-related background info sources available through the library. To find more, use Library Search on the main library page.
Encyclopedia of Microbiology by 
Space Physiology and Medicine by 
Comprehensive Gut Microbiota by 
Netter's Sports Medicine by 
Encyclopedia of Ecology by 
Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene by 
McGraw-Hill provides this set of online medical books that are both searchable and browsable for students and professionals.
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