Zoology
This is a general guide for researchers interested in the field of Zoology, and for students enrolled in courses related to this area. You'll find suggestions for locating books, articles, topical overviews, research tools, and factual information. If further assistance is needed, please contact the subject librarian for Zoology to arrange an appointment: Bonnie Avery, ph 737-7602, bonnie.avery@oregonstate.edu.
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Off-Campus Access | Interlibrary Loan Forms | Academic Search Premier | BIOSIS | Medline | |
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| Finding Books in Online Catalogs | Other Useful Internet Sites | |
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| Finding Articles in Journals | Other Useful Subject Research Guides | |
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| Reference Sources | ||
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Dictionaries & encyclopedias
Literature guides
Handbooks
Style guides
Finding Books in Online Catalogs
OSU Libraries Online Catalog
All formats of materials owned by OSU Libraries are cataloged in this database, including books, government documents, journals to which the library subscribes*, and videos. You can search OSU Libraries Online Catalogs from any computer with Internet access at: http://oasis.oregonstate.edu.
* Library online catalogs do NOT give you access to the individual articles within the journals the library subscribes to. See Finding articles...
Summit (Orbis):
You may also want to search the collective Summit catalog which combines several academic library catalogs in Oregon and Washington. Materials in Summit are available to OSU students, faculty & staff within 3 working days if they aren't checked out. You can extend your search from OSU Libraries Online Catalog to Summit with the click of a button, or connect directly at: http://summit.orbiscascade.org
Searching:
Online catalogs can be searched by author, title, subject, etc. The most effective subject searching utilizes the Library of Congress Subject Headings. The complete list of subject headings is located in the library's reference area; ask if you need help. Notice that each record in the online catalog will indicate the subject headings assigned to that item, and these are usually hot links to other materials on similar topics.
Locating by call number: Like most academic libraries, OSU Libraries uses the Library of Congress Classification system to organize and arrange materials in the library. Zoology materials fall into the "QL" call number range and are located on the 1st floor of The Valley Library.
WorldCat:
If you don't find enough material in local and regional libraries, you can search for books in WorldCat which is a collective catalog from hundreds of libraries, containing over thirty million records. Each record will indicate which libraries own the item and whether or not they will lend it to another institution.
Government Publications:
GPO Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Lists many documents published by the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health. The Valley Library has a great number of federal documents in the collection. Some are shelved in Governments Documents. Others have been cataloged with Library of Congress call numbers and are on various floors of the library. Check OASIS.
Finding Articles in Journals
Basic searching // Comprehensive searching // Journal abbreviations // Current awareness services // Electronic journals
Journal indexes:
To find individual articles in journals, you will typically use periodical indexes/databases which can either be in printed form or online (electronic) form. Most such indexes allow you to search by author or title of the article as well as subject or topic. Many online indexes also allow you to search the article citation and abstract with a keyword or free text search.
Locating journals:
With the exception of some journals which are available in full-text online, you will need to locate the actual journal to read the article. You can search the online catalog for the Journal Title (name of the journal) to determine if the library has the journal.
If not, you can get copies of journal articles through our Interlibrary Loan service at:
http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/ill/.
Basic searching
Academic Search Premiere
This is a multidisciplinary index which provides access to a number of scientific magazines and journals. This is a good starting place to do a beginning search, particularly for topics of current interest. Many articles are in full text. Coverage for this database starts in the 1980's.
LexisNexis Academic
Comprehensive index to newspaper and magazine articles, radio and TV news program transcripts, legal material and other reference sources. Primarily focused on news, business and legal topics. Includes full-text. Very useful for finding information on topics of contemporary interest.
Comprehensive searching
You may want to search these databases if you need to do a thorough review of the literature on your topic.
BIOSIS/Biological Abstracts/Biological Abstracts RRM.
Biological Abstracts
The world's major indexing service for biological information in research journals. Contains information on all aspects of biology, including biochemistry, endocrinology, genetics, microbiology, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology. Due to the way this index is designed, subject terms should be searched in article titles and abstract fields and not limited to the descriptor fields. Has thorough systematic indexing. (Valley Reference QH1 .B5 1926-1997)
Biological Abstracts: Reports, Reviews and Meetings (RRM)
Companion to Biological Abstracts, this index provides international coverage of biological information in conference proceedings, new books, review journals, and many other kinds of publications. Indexed by subject, author, systematic names, concepts, and article title words. 1980-1999. (Valley Reference QH1 .B502 1980-2000)
BIOSIS search guide. Philadelphia, PA : BIOSIS
Comprehensive guide to searching BIOSIS. (Ref Z699.5.B53 B561)
MEDLINE via PubMed
Produced by the National Library of Medicine, this database provides access to millions of journal citations. Contains information related to clinical and experimental medicine; microbiology; pathology; pharmacology; physiology; reproductive biology; psychology; toxicology; and veterinary medicine. Coverage is from 1966.
Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) - 1978 - present
Indexes journal articles, government reports, books, dissertations and conference papers covering all biological and ecological aspects of marine and freshwater environments. Includes abstracts to many articles.
Environmental Science and Pollution Management - 1992- present
Comprehensive, multi-disciplinary index to research articles from all fields in the environmental sciences. Indexes U.S. government environmental impact statements.
Fish and Fisheries Worldwide 1971- present
Index to journal articles, books, conference papers, government reports, theses and other literature covering all areas of fish and fisheries research.
Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide - 1935 - present
Index to journal articles, books, conference papers, government reports, theses and other literature covering all areas of wildlife research.
Zoological Record - 1993- present
Index to journal articles, books, reports, conference proceedings and dissertations. Covers all areas of zoology including: behavior; biochemistry; development; ecology; evolution; feeding and nutrition; genetics; morphology; parasitology; reproduction; systematics; physiology; and zoogeography. (Ref Z7991 .Z6 1864 - 1994)
Science Citation Index -- Available via the web 1996-
The Valley Library CD Network 1985-present
Print: Valley Reference (1st Floor) Z7401 .S35 1955-1991
Indexes approximately 5,000 journals from various scientific disciplines. Represents core Life science journals defined as those most often cited in research articles. Searchable by author, article title word, journal name, cited author, and cited journal name.
ArticleFirst
Indexes articles from over 12,500 journals in science, technology, medicine, social science, business, humanities and popular culture. Searchable by author, article title words and keywords. Contains tables-of-contents and holdings information for the journals. Searchable by journal name. Covers: 1990-present
ingenta
ingenta is a database of recent articles from many thousands of journals. ingenta provides 24-48 hour fax delivery of articles from journals for which ingenta has copyright permission. ingenta Reveal Research Alerts is an automated alerting service that delivers the tables-of-contents of journals via e-mail.
Dissertation Abstracts
This provides access to the complete range of academic subjects appearing in dissertations accepted at accredited institutions.
Indexing of dissertations: 1861-
Abstracting of dissertations: 1980-
Abstracting of theses: 1988-
Journal Abbreviations
BIOSIS Serial Sources
List of journals indexed in BIOSIS (Biological Abstracts and Biological Abstracts RRM)
Valley Reference QH1 .B511 1999 (Reference Desk)
List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus
Lists journals indexed in MEDLINE
Valley Reference Z6660 .C827 (Reference Desk)
Current Awareness Services
These services are designed to cover the gap between today and when articles are listed in the indexing and abstracting services described above. However, access may be only via article title words or scanning title pages, and there are usually no abstracts.
ingenta
ingenta is a database of recent articles from many thousands of journals. ingenta provides 24-48 hour fax delivery of articles from journals for which ingenta has copyright permission. ingenta Reveal Research Alerts is an automated alerting service that delivers the tables-of-contents of journals via e-mail.
Electronic journals
These must usually be searched one journal title at a time, so this is not a very efficient way to search.
Unless you are interested in searching one specific electronic journal, it is recommended that you use a periodical index/database to do your searching. One advantage of electronic journals is that they are often full-text online. This list is subject to change.
Reference Sources
Classification // Dictionaries & encyclopedias // Literature guides // Handbooks // Style guides
Classification
Synopsis and classification of living organisms.
Sybil P. Parker, editor in chief. New York : McGraw-Hill, 1982. 2v.
Provides systematic positions of all living organisms down to the family level. Index is located in volume 2 and contains both common and scientific names. Length of entries varies--sometimes just the name is mentioned (though references for the taxon immediately superior may be relevant) May be a brief overview of the organism's characteristics, biology and ecology, as well as literature references.
Valley Reference QH83 .S89
Literature guides
Using the biological literature: a practical guide.
2002. Davis, E.B. and Schmidt D. New York.: Dekker. 3rd edition.
Chapter 13 covers zoology. Some of the resources listed below are described in this book.
Valley Reference QH303.6 .D38 2002
Guide to reference and information sources in the zoological sciences
Diane Schmidt. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2003. 352 p
More comprehensive guide than above entry.
Valley Reference QL45.2 .S36 2003
Dictionaries & encyclopedias
Grzimek's Animal life encyclopedia.
Bernhard Grzimek, editor-in-chief. New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1972-75
Arrangement by animal groupings and further divided into animal orders and families.
Valley Reference QL3 .G7813
Handbooks
Birds
Birds of North America: Life Histories for the 21st Century
Will eventually encompass individual species accounts for the 700 bird species nesting in the United States and Canada
Valley Reference QL681 B625 1992-
Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world
Charles G. Sibley and Burt L. Monroe, Jr. New Haven, Conn. : Yale University Press, c1990. 1111 p.
Valley Reference QL677 .S531 1990
Supplement to Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world
Charles G. Sibley and Burt L. Monroe, Jr. New Haven : Yale University Press, c1993. 108 p
Taxonomic list of birds based on use of DNA and DNA hybridization analysis.
Valley Reference QL677 .S531 1990 sup.
Field guide to the birds of North America.
Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, 1999. 3rd ed. 480 p
Valley Reference QL681 .F531 1999
Fish
Encyclopedia of fishes.
John R. Paxton & William N. Eschmeyer ; San Diego, CA : Academic Press, 1998. 2nd ed. 240 p.
Valley Reference QL614.7 .E521 1998
Fishes of the world
Joseph S. Nelson. New York : J. Wiley, c1994. 600 p.
Valley Reference QL618 .N4 1994 c.2
List of common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada
by C. Richard Robins ... [et al.] (Committee on Names of Fishes). Bethesda, Md. (5410 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda 20014) 4th ed: American Fisheries Society, 1980. 174 p
Special publication / American Fisheries Society ; no. 12
All species of known freshwater fish of the United States and Canada are covered as well as species along the continental shelf to a depth of 200 meters.
Valley Reference SH1 .A49 no.12
Amphibians and Reptiles
Amphibians and reptiles of the Pacific northwest.
Ronald A. Nussbaum, Edmund D. Brodie, Jr. and Robert M. Storm. Moscow, Idaho, University Press of Idaho, 1983. 322 p.
Valley Reference QL653.N95 N87 1983
A complete guide to scientific and common names of reptiles and amphibians of the world.
Norman Frank and Erica Ramus. Pottsville, PA : N G Pub. Inc.,,1995. 377 p.
Valley Reference QL645 .F731 1995
Mammals
Mammals of North America
Roland W. Keys and Don E. Wilson
Valley Reference QL715 .K38 2002
Mammals of the Pacific Northwest: from the coast to the high Cascades.
Chris Maser. Corvallis : Oregon State University Press, 1998. 406 p.
Valley Reference QL201 .M37 1998 c.4
Land Mammals of Oregon
B.J. Verts. Berkeley : University of California Press, 1998. 668 p.
Valley Reference QL719 .O7 V474 1998 c.5
Mammalian species
[New York] : American Society of Mammalogists, 1969-
Will eventually encompass species accounts for all species of mammals.
Valley Reference QL700 .M3
National Audubon Society field guide to North American mammals
John O.Whitaker, Jr. 2nd ed., fully rev. New York : Knopf : Distributed by Random House, c1996. 937 p.
Descriptions include common and scientific name, description, similar species, breeding, sign, habitat, range and information on natural history.
Valley Reference QL715 .W49 1996
Walker's mammals of the world.
Baltimore : 6th ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999. 2 v.
Comprehensive account of recent genera of mammals arranged by taxonomic classification.
Valley Reference QL703 .W222 1999
Style guides
Scientific style and format : the CBE manual for authors, editors, and publishers.
Style Manual Committee, Council of Biology Editors. Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1994. 6th ed. 825 p.
Valley Reference T11 .S386 1994 c.3
Other Useful Internet Sites
OSU Department of Zoology
http://zoology.science.oregonstate.edu/
Societies and Organizations
American Fisheries Society
http://www.fisheries.org/
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
http://www.asih.org/
American Society of Mammalogists
http://www.mammalsociety.org/
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
http://www.sicb.org/
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
http://www.ssarherps/
Taxonomy
UCMP Hall of Mammals
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/mammal.html
An extensive online taxonomy of mammals hosted by University of California, Berkeley
General Internet Sites
Virtual Library - Developmental Biology
http://sdb.bio.purdue.edu/Other/VL_DB.html
Other Useful Subject Research Guides
Return to the Alphabetical or Subject index of the Subject Research Guides.
