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Resources in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology


EEB 100: Starting Your Research

  1. Pick a Topic That Interests You
    • Go broad: start by selecting a large, broad topic.
    • Brainstorm other words related to your main topic. Related words might help you limit your search by organism, geographic region, time period, and more.
    • Remember that an organism's scientific name can help you target your search. Locate these by using taxonomic guides and specialized encyclopedias.
    • Use your textbook or specialized encyclopedias to browse topic ideas.

  2. Locate Information
    • To locate peer-reviewed journal articles, search a database that indexes journal articles. Select appropriate databases based on the subject of your topic.
    • Search databases for your brainstormed words. Review the results and look in titles, abstracts, and subject terms to identify other words to add to your search or to refine your search.
      *Hint: Depending on the database, subject terms can be called "subject headings," "descriptors," "major concepts," "concept codes," or "index terms."
    • Try searching again, either adding new terms, or combining terms in a different way. Continue doing this until you have located the articles you want.
    • To locate secondary sources, you may need to use multiple sources. Review articles can be located using article databases. [Tip: Want to know more about the difference between primary and secondary sources? If so, click here for a tutorial on this topic.]
    • Books and encyclopedias can provide background information. Search the UCLA Library Catalog for these types of materials. For information on how to search the catalog by subject, see Finding Books by Subject Using the UCLA Library Catalog.
  3. Evaluate Your Results
    • Are you finding the articles you need? If not, continue searching using different keywords or combinations.
  4. Locate Journal Articles
    • To learn how to use UC-eLinks to access the online and print copies of articles, see the UC-eLinks how-to guide.
  5. Read The Information
    • This step takes the most time. Carefully read all the information you have located. Remember, it is called "research" because you might need to re-do your searches and locate more information in order to complete your assignment.

  6. Analyze/Synthesize and Create New Information
    • After reading the information you collected, use it to support your ideas in your writing.
    • Avoid plagiarism by citing a source if you quote their exact words, summarize their ideas, or paraphrase their ideas. Remember to cite in two places: in the text of your paper and in a bibliography at the end.

    7. Confused? Need Help?
    • Contact a reference librarian - email, phone, chat, in-person
    • Schedule a one-on-one consultation with a librarian.


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