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BIOL 460 (Westerkamp)

This guide links you to resources and tips to support BIOL 460 research.

ScienceDirect Advanced Search

Select advanced search option in ScienceDirect

  • Select the Advanced Search option on the ScienceDirect landing page

ScienceDirect Advanced Search Features

  • In ScienceDirect, the advanced search does not have separate rows for distinct search concepts. Link distinct concepts with an uppercase AND.  Make sure you enclose each distinct search concept within parenthesis. Link synonyms for a concept with an uppercase OR.
  • Access Science Direct help including search tutorials from "Search tips" link
  • Consider adding a date range for articles of interest.
  • Click Search when you are ready

What to do with ScienceDirect search results

Options you have on the ScienceDirect search results page

  • See your results number in the upper, left portion of the screen.
  • You can apply Filters to refine your search from the options on the left side of the page (under Refine by)
  • Adjust sort option (relevance or date sort) in the upper, right of the screen & change per page results display at the bottom of the page
  • Click on titles that look interesting to view the abstract and link to full text for an article

Use the Article type filter to locate primary or secondary sources

Using Article type filter in ScienceDirect to get primary or secondary source results.

  • Use the Article type filter to get only primary or secondary sources (whichever is of interest)
  • To get only primary sources, select options like Research articles, Case Reports, etc. 
  • To get only secondary sources, select options like Review articles, etc.
  • You will still want to read the abstract and skim the article to make sure you have an original primary research article of interest.
  • To see all article type options, select the Show more dropdown

What to do at the article level display and collecting a citation

Options for navigating at item level result in ScienceDirect

  • See Jump to navigation on left side of the screen to go to certain article sections
  • See the option to View PDF at the top of the page. Tip-*You will sometimes see a "Get Access" link instead of a PDF option. In that case, select "Ferris Full Text" and follow prompts for to request the item through ILLiad Interlibrary Loan.
  • Click on the Cite link for options to collect your citation.
  • Tip-*At the results level, you can collect multiple citations by checking boxes next to titles of interest and clicking on Export (directions below for Export options).

Collect your citation after clicking on the Cite link at the article level in ScienceDirect.

  • After clicking on the Cite link, you will see options to collect your citation
  • Select Export citation to RIS if you use Zotero
  • Otherwise, use Export a citation to text to export a citation to Notepad. Tip-*You will need to format the citation in your citation style of interest.