General Biology Web Resources

This section describes selected sources that are relevant to biology in general, with no attempt to be comprehensive. These titles were chosen as especially appropriate for undergraduates needing an introduction to the field, or for anyone requiring sources covering the broad spectrum of the biological sciences. In addition, we have added a number of resources that are useful for new graduate students, including books on how to fit in to a lab, how to publish a paper, and so on. Knowledge of most of the publications annotated in this chapter is helpful in effectively utilizing the more specialized chapters that follow. Arrangement is by topic, presenting publications that acquaint readers to the field of biology from the viewpoint of the history of the life sciences, mathematical and statistical sources, and pertinent techniques, just to name a few of the sections that follow. These general sources may be used as a base upon which to expand or define more specific subjects, to open up the literature as a beginning, not an end.

Founded 1848. This the largest general scientific organization representing all fields of science. Membership includes 143,000 individuals and 296 scientific societies, professional organizations, and state and city academies. Objectives are to further the work of scientists to facilitate cooperation among them, to foster scientific freedom and responsibility, to improve the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfare, to advance education in science, and to increase public understanding and appreciation of the importance and promise of the methods of science in human progress. Publications include Science, Science Books and Films, Science Education News, symposium volumes, and general reference works. The Web site provides information about AAAS, news about science and society, science education, careers, media, awards, science books and films, and more.

Founded 1947. 6,000 members. This is a professional member organization and federation of biological associations, laboratories and museums whose members have an interest in the life sciences. Publications: BioScience, brochures, and a membership directory. The Web site includes information about AIBS, publications, an online membership directory, classified ads and employment, outreach and education, and online registration for meetings. AIBS member societies are participating in the electronic publishing venture, BioOne (see Introduction).

Founded 1963. 1,350 members. An international organization of persons who are interested in tropical biology, seeking to coordinate existing information and provide new information about the plants and animals (including humans) of the tropics. Affiliated with AIBS. Publications: Biotropica; Tropinet. The Web page provides links to both of these publications, and information about meetings, membership directory, staff, etc.

Founded 1904. 1,200 members. Research scientists in private and state applied biology institutes and universities in 60 countries interested in furthering development in the field of applied biology. Publications: Annals of Applied Biology.

Founded 1957. 12 members. Biological societies representing 3,000 biologists and professionals in related fields. Promotes the advancement of the biological sciences and biology education; seeks to insure the development of a forward-looking science and technology policy for Canada. Publications: CFBS Newsletter; membership directory. The Web page links to information about the society, members, grants and awards, publications, the annual meeting, and so forth.

Council of Science Editors. c/o Drohan Management Group, 11250 Roger Bacon Dr., Ste.8, Reston, VA 20190-5202. Phone: (703)437-4377. E-mail: CSE@CouncilScienceEditors.org.

Founded 1957. 1,289 members. Active and former editors of primary and secondary journals in the life sciences and those in scientific publishing and editing consider all aspects of communication in the life sciences with emphasis on publication, especially in primary journals and retrieval in secondary media. Publications: CBE Views, membership directory, Scientific Style and Format, and assorted brochures and pamphlets. Formerly Council of Biology Editors.

Founded 1912. 40,000 members in 10 member societies. Member societies include American Physiological Society, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, American Society for Investigative Pathology, American Society for Nutritional Sciences, American Association of Immunologists, American Society for Cell Biology, Biophysical Society, American Association of Anatomists, and The Protein Society. Publishes the FASEB Journal, a directory of members, and a newsletter. The Web page has links to the member societies, public affairs, career resources, meetings and conferences, membership directories, publications, and employment opportunities.

Institute of Biology. 20 Queensberry Place, London, Greater London SW7 2DZ, England.

Founded 1950. 17,000 members. The purpose of this group is to advance education and research in biology. Conducts educational programs and presents awards. Publications: Biologist, the Journal of Biological Education, and occasional publications. The Web page provides links to information about IOB, education and training, news, publications, the IOB shop, membership, affiliated societies, and UK branches.

Founded 1919. 117 member societies. This is an organization of national societies and international associations and commissions engaged in the study of biological sciences. Their aims are to promote the study of biological sciences; to initiate, facilitate, and coordinate research and other scientific activities; to ensure the discussion and dissemination of the results of cooperative research; to promote the organization of international conferences; and to assist in the publication of their reports. Publications: Biology International; the Proceedings of the IUBS General Assembly; a directory. The Web page links to IUBS information about programs, biodiversity data, young scientists, women in biology, and developing countries.

Founded 1884. 1,500 members. Marine biologists, botanists, and scientists encourage cooperation among members; disseminates information on latest research; studies living resources of the seas. Publications: Journal of the Marine Biological Association. The Web page provides access to MBA information, research, biodiversity initiative, education, communication, membership, and other sites of interest.

Founded 1741. 1,600 members. Honorary organization dedicated to the furtherance of science and engineering. Members are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing contributions. Founded by an act of Congress to serve as official adviser to the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Publishes Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Biographical Memoirs. The very extensive Web site provides information on the Academy, news bulletins, numerous online reports created by the Academy, and links to the National Academy Press. Nearly 2,000 books published by the press can be viewed for free on their Web site.

Founded 1972. 125 members. Educational institutions, museums, and government agencies (which maintain permanent collections in systematics biology) aim to foster the care, management, preservation, and improvement of systematics collections and to facilitate their use in science and society. Publishes ASC Newsletter. The Web page contains information about ASC and its resources; news of special interests to members. Formerly the Association of Systematics Collections (ASC).

Founded 1923. 2,150 members. Experimental biologists, students, universities, scientific institutions involved in disseminating information on recent advances in experimental biological research. Publications: Journal of Experimental Botany; The Plant Journal; proceedings of symposia. The Web page provides information about the Society, their membership, publications, meetings, education, travel grants, news, jobs, and online access to B.U.G.S.: Biology Undergraduate Stuff, which is basically a news site about careers, learning resources, competitions, societies, etc.

Founded 1903. 1,500 members and 3 regional groups actively engaged in research in experimental biology and experimental medicine. Publication: Experimental Biology and Medicine (formerly Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine). The Web site links to SEBM governance, meetings, chapters, membership, travel grants.

Founded 1948. The society represents 1,550 scientists interested in classification of animals or other aspects of taxonomy or systematics. They promote the study of animals, invertebrate and vertebrate, living and fossilized, and all aspects of systematic zoology. The society publishes Systematic Biology. The Web page provides information about the Society, their journal, and announcements.

Tropical Biology Association. c/o Ms. Rosie Trevelyan, Dept. of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St. Cambridge CB1 3EJ, England. Phone: 44 1223336619.

Founded 1994. 37 members. The Association aims to meet the challenge of biodiversity conservation by establishing an informed, well-motivated community of tropical biologists based both in Europe and in tropical countries

Bibliographies

The following bibliographies, catalogs, and book review indexes may be used to verify book titles, to update and evaluate editions, and to provide purchas-ing and avail-ability information for books, microforms, serials, and other materials. General bibliographies for current and retrospective journal articles are discussed in the chapter on abstracts and indexes.

AcqWeb. Vanderbilt University.

AcqWeb is a major source of publisher information. It is designed for librarians, but contains vast numbers of links that would be of interest to other people, such as their lists of Web book reviews, out of print book sellers, and reference resources.

Books in Print. 1948- . New York: Bowker. Annual. $550.00. ISSN 0068-0214. Available electronically.

This is the major source of bibliographic information on books currently published and in-print in the U. S. Scientific, technical, medical, scholarly, and popular works, as well as children's books, are included. Also, see Scientific and Technical Books & Serials in Print, annotated later in this section. The database is available online, on CD-ROM, and on the Web. Some sections of the Web version are available at no charge, such as publisher's homepages and publisher highlights. The main database is only available on a subscription basis.

Library of Congress Online Catalog. Washington, DC: Library of Congress.

A database of approximately 12 million records representing books, serials, computer files, manuscripts, cartographic materials, music, sound recordings, and visual materials in the Library's collections. The WorldCat database covers more books and other materials but is available only by subscription, so searching the Library of Congress or a major university catalog is a good alternative for finding books about a subject or confirming bibliographic details if WorldCat is not available.

List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus. 1960- . Bethesda, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine. Annual. $38.00. ISSN 0093-3821.

This serials list provides information on the 3,419 journals indexed in the print Index Medicus. It is also available in PDF format from NLM.

List of Serials Indexed for Online Users. 2000- . Bethesda, MD: The National Library of Medicine. Annual.

This serials list has long been a popular reference tool. It covers 9,334 serial titles, including 4,302 titles currently indexed for MEDLINE. It was published in print format from 1983 to 1999, but is now available only in PDF format from the NLM site. The List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus, above, covers only journals indexed in the print title, so the online version covers a broader range of serial types and subjects.

Zoological Record Serial Sources. 1988- . Philadelphia, PA: BIOSIS. Annual. $70.00 (paper). ISSN 1041-4657.

This journal list is similar to the BIOSIS Serial Sources, and is equally useful for verifying journals. It covers 4,500 current titles and 5,500 archival titles. The Zoological Record Serial List of current titles is also available on the Web.

Classification, Nomenclature, and Systematics

Enzyme Nomenclature. International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Nomenclature Committee.

The Web version of Enzyme Nomenclature 1992, including all of the supplements (see below). The Web site provides general information on enzyme nomenclature, links to information about pathways, and suggestions on how to propose new enzymes and changes in the nomenclature.

Index to Organism Names. Philadelphia: BIOSIS.

Provides basic information on nomenclature and hierarchy for plant and animal names. Currently, the database includes bacteria, algae, mosses, fungi, and animals.

Maddison, D. R. and W. P. Maddison. 1998. The Tree of Life: A Multi-Authored, Distributed Internet Project Containing Information About Phylogeny and Biodiversity.
Intended to provide a means for finding information on all taxa of living organisms. The project is unfinished, of course, but provides a good starting point for exploring the natural world.

NCBI Taxonomy Homepage. Bethseda, MD: NCBI, 2000- .

As of January 1, 2001, 87,994 species were represented in the GenBank database of gene sequences. This page was created to make public the names of organisms with sequences in GenBank and is not itself a taxonomic authority. However, it is a useful guide to best practice and contains many links to other taxonomic resources.

Species 2000. International Union of Biological Sciences.

"Species 2000 has the objective of enumerating all known species of plants, animals, fungi and microbes on Earth as the baseline dataset for studies of global biodiversity." Eighteen organizations have formed a federation to combine existing taxonomic databases.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Britannica.com. Chicago, IL: Britannica.com, 1999- .

This formerly free site provided access to the full text of the grand old Encyclopaedia Britannica, plus links to Web sites, news items, and the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. It is no longer free, however.

Directories

For more information about specific societies, consult the Associations section of this chapter and the multivolume Encyclopedia of Associations. Also, check out specific societies or subjects on the Web. Many associations include membership directories on their Web sites.

Directory of Scholarly Electronic Journals and Academic Discussion Lists. Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries, Office of Scholarly Communication, 2000- . Irregular. $95.00. ISSN 1524-2439.

Lists over 3,900 peer-reviewed journal titles available electronically, and over 4,600 e-conferences. Available online with print subscription, or with online-only subscription. Back issues are freely available on the Web. Formerly: Directory of Electronic Journals, Newsletters, and Academic Discussion Lists.

Field Station Directory. Organization of Biological Field Stations.

Lists about 180 biological field stations in North and Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, including location, environment, facilities, and ongoing research and educational programs.

Field Guides

There are a large number of excellent field guides available. Rather than providing a comprehensive list, this section annotates some of the more popular field guide series. For more information, consult specific chapters depending on subject matter, i. e., see the plant biology chapter for botanical identification manuals.

Schmidt, Diane. International Field Guides. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois, 1999- .

Companion to the print guide to North American field guides listed above. Over 1,500 field guides from all parts of the world are described. Most are in English, though some are in other languages.

Guides to Internet Resources

The Internet is a superstore of information, from directo-ries to genetic sequence databases. There are electronic catalogs, newsgroups, mailing lists, and electronic journals, just to name a few categories that biologists will find interesting. There are innumerable yellow pages-type print directories to Web resources, which of course are out-of-date by the time they are typeset. Check your local bookstore or library to find one that suits your needs. Follow-ing is a list of directories to use as starting points for exploring the rapidly evolving, ever-growing electronic information highway.

AltWeb: Alternatives to Animal Testing. Johns Hopkins University.

Designed to foster the replacement of animal testing with other, more acceptable methods. A collaboration of a number of research organizations, developed by the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at Johns Hopkins. Provides links to resources in three broad categories, Science and Regulation, Educational Resources, and General Information.

Argus Clearinghouse. Argus Associates, Inc.

Contains annotated links to many Web resources for the biological sciences. This site does not index as many Web sites as other directories such as the WWW Virtual Library, but each entry has been judged on such criteria as design and organization.

Bioethics.net: Where the World Finds Bioethics. Philadelphia, PA: Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania, 2000- .

Contains a wide variety of material on bioethics issues, for both beginners and more advanced users. There are lists of conferences, news items, homework help, and many links arranged by subject.

BioMedNet. Elsevier Science.

This site requires free registration to access many of its features. It includes several free databases (including MEDLINE, SwissProt, and a Mouse Knockout database), the science news magazine HMS Beagle, and an annotated list of Web Links.

BioScience Research Tool. Durham, NH: Biochemie.net.

"This web site provides you with hundreds of advanced online tools and resources, selected by BioScientists for BioScientists." It is arranged by subject, and includes journals, societies, databases, and much more.

Britannica.com.

No longer free.

Humphries, Julian. Biodiversity and Biological Collections Web Server. New Orleans, LA: University of New Orleans, 1995- .

"Devoted to information of interest to systematists and other biologists of the organismic kind." Covers everything from microorganisms to plants to animals, and includes links to societies, directories, journals, and other Web sites.

INFOMINE: Biological, Agricultural, and Medical Sciences. Riverside, CA: University of California-Riverside.

INFOMINE is a scholarly Internet resource collection. It provides links to resources such as online subject guides, databases, and textbooks, as well as newsgroups, directories, archives, and indexes. Some resources, such as electronic journals, are only available for UC-Riverside affiliates, but most are universally available.

Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science. Cleveland, OH: Case Western Reserve University, 1995- .

Provides links to a number of useful resources dealing with ethical issues in science. The biology links include material on the use of animals in research, laboratory safety, and more general ethical issues.

UniGuide: Academic Guide to the Internet. Aldea Communications, 1998- .

"Academic Guide to the Internet," from Aldea Communications. This directory is arranged by broad categories. Lists conferences, directories, grants, libraries, newsgroups, video conferences, and Web databases, journals, and software. Each guide is reviewed by librarians and content experts. Formerly called the InterNIC Academic Guide to the Internet.

WWW Virtual Library: Bioscience. WWW Virtual Library, 1994- .

Arranged by subject category, this venerable guide has been around since the dawn of the Web and is supported by a number of societies. The subject categories may be very narrow (plant parasitic nematodes) or broad (cell biology), and vary in quality, currency, and size. This is a good starting point for almost any subject.

yourDictionary.com. yourDictionary.com, Inc., 2001.

This site lists specialized Web dictionaries and encyclopedias, including dictionaries covering subjects such as anatomy, dinosaurs, carnivorous plants, and medicinal herbs.

Guides to the Literature

Wiggins, Gary. Chemical Information Sources. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991. 352 p. (McGraw-Hill Series in Advanced Chemistry). $84.50. ISBN 0079099394.

A well-known comprehensive guide to the literature of chemistry, covering both print and online resources. Updated on the Web at the Cheminfo site.

Handbooks

Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association, 1999.

Covers citing e-mail communications, Web sites and specific Web documents, and electronic documents retrieved from an electronic database or full-text resource. The APA style is similar to most scientific styles and provides good guidelines for citing electronic resources.

Knowing How to Practice Safe Science. Chevy Chase, MD: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1998.

This free online course provides information on laboratory safety. A final exam is available if the entire course is completed. The site also offers links to other laboratory safety resources.

Walker, Janice R. and Todd W. Taylor. The Columbia Guide to Online Style. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998. 218 p. $37.00, $18.50 (paper). ISBN 0231107889, 0231107897 (paper).

A very highly regarded guide to citing e-mail and discussion group messages, Web pages, and numerous other electronic sources. Much of the information in the guide is also freely available on the Web.

Histories

Nobel e-museum. Stockholm: The Nobel Foundation, 2000.

This is the official site of the Nobel Foundation, and includes lists of all Nobel laureates, with biographical information, press releases, and discussion of the importance of the laureates' work.

Methods and Techniques

Technical Tips Online. Cambridge, UK: Elsevier Trends Journals, 1995- .

Provides "peer-reviewed Technical Tips (novel methods or significant improvements on existing methods), Core Protocols (invited from experienced laboratories) and Application Notes (information from Companies about specific products)." Accessible from BioMedNet, which requires free registration.

Periodicals

This section lists journals and accompanying serials that are of use to the general biologist. For general subject specific periodicals, see the section to which they pertain.. For subject specific journals, refer to the particular subject chapter. Some of the most valuable aids in verifying or identifying serial titles are the lists of serials indexed by database publishers. Annotations for some of the most important serials lists, corresponding to the most prominent databases for biologists, (eg. MEDLINE) may be found above, in the Bibliographies section.

Frontiers in Bioscience: A World Wide Journal and Virtual Library. v. 1- , 1996- Tampa, FL: Frontiers in Bioscience Publications. Annual. Free. ISSN 1093-9946.

Frontiers in Bioscience is a non-profit organization created by scientists for scientists for fostering international scientific communication and for providing scientists, physicians and patients with a diverse array of information, tools and techniques. The primary site is located in the USA with mirror sites in Israel, France, and China. It is dedicated to fostering science, education and peer-reviewed research in biochemistry, microbiology, parasitology, virology, immunology, biotechnology, and bioinformatics.

Nature. v. 1- , 1869- . New York: Nature America. Weekly. $835.00. ISSN 0028-0836. Available electronically.

One of the highest ranking general scientific journals, Nature reports a large component of current biological research. Recently broken into several additional subject specific journals, it accepts research articles, review articles, and brief reports of research. It also summarizes news and comment of interest for a wide scholarly audience; reviews of significant books are included. Highlights from the print journal are available at the Nature Web site.

New Scientist. v. 52- , 1971- . London: New Science Publications. Weekly. $145.00. ISSN 0262-4079. Available electronically.

General science, British periodical publishing science and technology news, commentary, feature articles, and book reviews. Selected news and feature articles are available for free at the magazine's Web site. Formerly New Scientist and Science Journal.

Science. v. 1- , 1880- . Washington, DC: American Association for the Advancement of Science. Weekly. $340.00. ISSN 0036-8075. Available electronically.

Prestigious general scientific journal with a majority of biological articles reporting original research, news, comments, book reviews, and special sections for grants, laboratory aids, etc. At the Web site there is access to content highlights; and you can find daily coverage of science and science policy by the Science news team.

Science News. v. 89- , 1966- . Washington, DC: Science Service. Weekly. $54.00. ISSN 0036-8423. Available electronically.

A weekly news magazine which covers the entire spectrum of sciences. Selected articles are available for free. Formerly Science News Letter.

Reviews of the Literature

Scientific American. v. 1- , 1845- . New York: Scientific American. Monthly. $39.95. ISSN 0036-8733. Available electronically.

Scholarly review articles written for the educated layperson; also includes news, comments, games, and book reviews. Selected articles and news items are available for free.

Go to:

	Main Page
	Introduction to the Biological Literature
	Subject Access to the Biological Literature
	Abstracts and Indexes
	Biochemistry and Biophysics
	Molecular and Cellular Biology
	Genetics, Biotechnology, and Developmental Biology
	Microbiology and Immunology
	Ecology, Evolution, and Animal Behavior
	Plant Biology
	Anatomy and Physiology
	Entomology
	Zoology

Biology Library Homepage
School of Life Sciences | The Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Please send your comments on this page to Diane Schmidt.
12-07-01 DCS