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ENG 210--Writing for the Sciences

RESEARCH

INTRODUCTION

TO

PROFESSOR SARAH COHN

REFERENCE & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN

February 20, 2024

AGENDA

Why library?

Types of sources

Keywords & search strategies

Navigating library databases

Getting help

TODAY'S

What is a database?

What do you expect to find in a library database?

What are the benefits of using a library database?

What are the drawbacks of using a library database?

Article Analysis

tinyurl.com/science2024

  • Read the two article excerpts at the link.

  • Add comments with things you notice about each.

    • Writing style

    • Content

    • Language

    • Audience

    • Use as a source in a paper

SOURCES

SCHOLARLY &

AKA Peer Reviewed AKA Academic Sources

POPULAR

Scholarly Source

Journal: Virulence

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Authors: faculty members at universities

Audience: usually other researchers, students, & faculty. Generally not for average reader

Abstract: short description of the article. Read first to determine if you want to read the whole thing

Keywords: use to build further database searches

Popular Source

Audience: general public

Content: human interest hook, photos, little or no specialized language

Citations: links within the text

Newspaper: NYT

Authors: Journalist

TERMS

SEARCH

AKA KEYWORDS

what is your main topic?

what are the specifics?

what are different ways to describe your ideas?

How does climate change impact frogs?

Climate Change

  • Water availability
  • Disease
  • Water temperature
  • Air temperature

Impact

  • Ecology
  • Habitat
  • Aquaculture
  • Physiology
  • Reproduction
  • Life cycle
  • Development

Frogs

  • Amphibians
  • Tadpoles
  • Genus & Species
  • Location

DATABASES

LIBRARY

PubMed

PsycINFO

Environmental Studies

BioOne

Science Direct

General Science FT

Nature

Science Magazine

OneSearch

Subject Specific

Multi-

Disciplinary

library.ccny.cuny.edu

OneSearch box

Databases link

  • Access to all 250+ databases at CCNY
  • Alphabetical or filter by subject
  • Log in with your CityMail info
  • Simple search bar option
  • Meta-search
    • Searches multiple databases at once
  • Log in with your CUNY single login info

but not all of them!

HELP

GETTING

Professor Sarah Cohn

Reference & Instruction Librarian

scohn@ccny.cuny.edu

Reference Desk

Monday-Thursday 10am-7pm

Friday 1pm-3pm

library.ccny.cuny.edu/researchtoolkit

Research Toolkit

library.ccny.cuny.edu/chat

STRATEGIES

SEARCH

use AND to connect terms

disease AND climate change AND alpine tree frog

tadpoles AND development AND climate change AND australia

combining different terms = different results

use OR to connect synonyms

frog OR tadpole AND disease AND climate change

use "..." for phrases or names

"climate change"

"alpine tree frog"