Research Guides: ANT 201: Concepts &amp; Methods in Biological Anthropology: Finding Books and Articles

Create a Search Strategy

Try different keywords and search terms using different databases and catalogs. Every database is different so some keywords and search terms work for one database but not for another.
Expand your search:
- Include synonyms and plural/singular forms of keywords. Separate synonyms by OR. Separate the synonyms from the rest of the words by using parentheses.
- Use truncation symbols (or wildcard symbols) to include variations of your search terms (e.g. scien$ will search for sciences, scientific, scientfically, etc.).
Narrow your search:
- Combining different concepts/search terms with AND
- Use the limit functions of the database. These are often located on the left side of the results page, or look in the database's Help menu to discover the limit functions it offers. Possibilities include limiting by date, language, type of article, etc.
Keep a record of which search terms worked and in which databases. This can keep you from repeating your steps.
Did you find an article you really like? Then, read the cited references (a.k.a. bibliography, end notes, footnotes) to find similar articles. This can bias your project by focusing on only one side of an issue so use caution with this method.
Ask for help. Ask a librarian for search tips. Also, use the help screens in the databases for instructions and tips.

Comprehensive or Multidisciplinary Databases

Web of Science
A great place to start for biological anthropology and related topics. Multidisciplinary database covering the top journals in science, social science, and the arts & humanities.
Scopus (SciVerse Scopus)
Among the largest databases of peer-reviewed literature. Scopus covers scientific, technical, medical, social sciences content, as well as some arts & humanities.
PubMed
A service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 14 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full-text articles and other related resources.
Anthropology Plus
It indexes articles and essays in over 2500 journals and edited works on all aspects of anthropology and archaeology, including art history, demography, economics, geography, geology, genetics, psychology, religion and sociology.

More Databases

JSTOR
Provides searchable full-text access to backfiles (usually does not include issues of journals published within the last 5 years) of key scholarly journals in many fields including African American studies, African studies, anthropology, archaeology, Asian studies, business, classical studies, ecology, economics, education, finance, general science, geography, history, history of science, language and literature, Latin American studies, mathematics, Middle East studies, philosophy, political science, population studies, Slavic studies, sociology, and statistics.

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Indexes scholarly journals in the social sciences, business, humanities, general science, multi-cultural studies, and education as well as major daily newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Christian Science Monitor.
Access broad ranging resources that include full-text journals, monographs, reports, conference proceedings, and video content from the Associated Press, etc.

Google Scholar
Sociological Abstracts
A much larger database than Anthropology Plus and a great place to search for articles related to cultural anthropology.
Anthrosource
An index of journals from the American Anthropological Association (AAA).

Biomedical and Health Databases

PubMed
A service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 14 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full-text articles and other related resources.
MEDLINE
The National Library of Medicine's database indexing literature in biomedicine, medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and preclinical sciences.
CINAHL
Covers the literature related to nursing and allied health disciplines.
Embase
Indexes international biomedical journals covering public health, toxicology, pharmacology, drug research, health policy and management, psychiatry, psychology, biomedical engineering, alternative medicine, and environmental health.
BioMed Central
Publishes peer-reviewed scientific journals rapidly and makes them freely available online. Includes biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, genomics, medicine, microbiology, nursing, and public health.
BIOSIS Previews
Provides comprehensive coverage of the world's published biological and biomedical research including biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, veterinary medicine, biotechnology, environmental studies, biochemistry, biophysics, and bioengineering. Indexes journal articles, technical reports, meetings, reviews, and books.
Global Health (CABI)
Index for articles related to health, health policy, biomedicine.

Animal Behavior and Ecology

Animal Behavior Abstracts
Indexes journals relevant to animal behavior covering such subjects as neurophysiology, behavioral ecology, genetics, applied ethology, and the biology of taxonomic groups, including summaries of both field and laboratory inquiries.
Web of Science
A great place to start for biological anthropology and related topics. Multidisciplinary database covering the top journals in science, social science, and the arts & humanities.
PubMed
A service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 14 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full-text articles and other related resources.
PsychINFO (EBSCO)
PsycINFO provides systematic coverage of the psychological literature from the 1800s to the present. More than 2.7 million records. Updated weekly. 99% of the citations are from peer-reviewed journals.
Ecology Abstracts
Indexes ecology research across a wide range of disciplines. Ecology Abstracts focuses on how organisms interact with their environments and with other organisms. Included are relevant papers on evolutionary biology, economics, and systems analysis as they relate to ecosystems or the environment.
Zoological Record
Provides coverage of zoological and animal science literature covering all research from biochemistry to veterinary medicine.
PrimateLit
Use with caution. Not updated since 2010. Indexes scientific literature on nonhuman primates. Includes articles, books, abstracts, technical reports, dissertations, book chapters, etc.

ANT 201: Concepts & Methods in Biological Anthropology

What is a scholarly journal?

Create a Search Strategy

Comprehensive or Multidisciplinary Databases

Biomedical and Health Databases

Animal Behavior and Ecology