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BIO650 Malaria: Exploring Bioinformatics and Next Generation Sequencing

Introduction

Welcome to the Library! For your project, you'll be researching scientific, peer-reviewed studies using library resources to produce a paper. The sources you use for your project need to be cited using the APA style. The goal of this guide is to help you through each step of the process.

Anopheles

Definitions

Empirical Studies--

  • Are primary source pieces of peer-reviewed research where original data have been collected, analyzed, and interpreted  
  • Follow a specific format, often with subheadings labeled Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and References

Abstracts--

  • A concise paragraph or distinct section at the beginning of a research article that concisely summarizes the sections (methods, results, conclusion) of a scientific study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summaries--

  • A written piece of work that contextualizes an academic article. It is a restatement of the main points of the study, informed by a critical reading of it.

Finding Resources in Bioinformatics

Library Catalog Search

Interlibrary Loan

If you would like the library to get an article for you that is not available full-text in one of our databases, fill out this request form.  It will take approximately 7 to 10 days for the library to receive the article, so make sure you allow ample time.

Google Scholar Search

When searching Google Scholar, make sure you choose journal articles, not books or other papers.  Most often you will find the abstracts of articles, rather than the full text. You will then need to search our "Journal Title Finder" to see if we have access to the journal that the article originated from. If not, then submit an ILL form to get it from another library.

Google Scholar Search

Citing Sources

What is Plagiarism and How Can I Avoid It?

When we conduct research, we continually engage with other people's ideas and incorporate them into our own research results.  It is unlawful to use other people's ideas or writing and state them as your own. Plagiarism is using others' ideas and words without stating the creator of that information.

SOME THINGS TO AVOID:

  • copying/pasting sentences into your paper without formally quoting/citing it.
  • using any facts, images, graphs, etc., without indicating where it came from.
  • directly paraphrasing another person's spoken or written words.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING:

  • Critically reading the texts, graphs, etc., and putting your thoughts and analysis into your own words.
  • CITATIONS: When you choose to use someone else's words, photos, etc., be sure to use quotation marks and/or cite the author/creator in your text and on your Reference/Bibliography page.

APA Style Samples

Where to get APA Citation examples!

A sample full citation for a bibliography or "Reference" page:

James, E. R., Wen, Y., Overby, J., Pluchino, K., McTighe, S., Matheny, S., Eappen, A., Hoffman, S. L., & Billingsley, P. F. (2022). Cryopreservation of anopheles stephensi embryos. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 43–43. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04113-x

To use this article as an "in text" citation:

(James and Wen, et. al., 2022)

NoodleTools

Log into NoodleBib, an online tool for generating citations in the APA, Chicago, or MLA styles, as well as notecards.


 

 

Tips for Evaluating Web Resources

Tips to Evaluate Online Sources

1)  Authorship

  • Who wrote the page? Can you verify the author's credentials?
  • Is the author's contact information on the page? Does it actually work?
  • What organization established the page? In other words, who established the website that this page is hosted on?

TIPS:

  1. The author's name or a copyright (©) should appear near the top or bottom of the page.
  2. Look for some form of contact information for the author.
  3. Look at the domain (.edu,.org, .gov) to verify the hosting organization's credentials.

 

2)  Accuracy 

  • What is the purpose of the document? Why was it created?
  • Who is the target audience?
  • Is the author qualified to write on the topic?

TIPS:

  1. Look for an "About this site" type of link.
  2. Look for any information on the Author's credentials.
  3. Are there any links to sources? Citations? 
  4. Is the organization that hosts the website credible?

3)  Currency

  • When was the information updated?
  • When was it originally produced?
  • How current are the links to other sites/information?

TIPS:

  1. Is the information out of date?
  2. Is there a date of publication at the top or bottom of the page?
  3. Are any of the links dead or re-directed to unrelated information?

4)  Objectivity

  • Is the author being balanced and fair in the treatment of the topic or is he/she biased or overly emotional? 

TIPS:

  1. What, if any, opinions are expressed by the author?
  2. Try to identify any conflicts of interest.  Are any advertisements clearly separate in subject from the author's topic?
  3. What facts does the author present?  What facts are NOT presented?