Quick Tips
* Evaluate your sources. Don't assume everything you find is true, accurate or timely.
* Keep track of the sources you find so you can document them accurately in your papers.
* If you don't get results using one approach, try another. Do not assume that nothing exists on the topic.
* Not everything is in the computer.
* Ask for help from a librarian if you get stuck or confused.
* Don't put all of your research off until the last possible moment. It won't be much fun.
Finding Aquarium Science articles
If you cannot find enough information in books or encyclopedias, try finding relevant articles by using article databases. The catalogue lists the titles of the journals we own, but not the individual articles. These databases are useful for aquarium science. You can often link to the full text of the article by clicking on the WebBridge or the PDF icon.
* Academic Search Premiere
* This is a broad index to articles in all subjects. It has many of the general science journals. It is available through the Community College as well as OSU.
* Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts
* This index provides abstracts of the international literature dealing with the science, technology and management of marine, freshwater and brackish environments.
* Agricola
* Data provided by the U.S. National Agriculture Library comprises the most comprehensive coverage of agriculture literature, and the aquarium trade is a growing part of agriculture.
* Fish and Fisheries Review
Coverage includes studies of individual species, diseases and parasites, economics, genetics, habitats, management practices and techniques, natural history and general research.
Many of the aquarium science journals that you typically refer to are not indexed in the databases mentioned above. Well-written, reliable and freely available aquarium science journals include ReefKeeping and Advanced Aquarist . You can access other useful magazines through the OSU Libraries subscriptions. These include Practical Fishkeeping (SF456 .P71), Freshwater and Marine Aquarium (SF456 .F7) and Tropical Fish Hobbyist (SF457 .T76).
Aquarium Science Introduction
If you get lost or overwhelmed, contact Janet Webster, the librarian at the Hatfield Marine Science Center 's Guin Library (867-0108, janet.webster@oregonstate.edu)), or Kathleen Searles , the librarian at the Oregon Coast Community College (574-7126, ksearles@occc.cc.or.us).
Finding Books
Books
You have to start somewhere and it's simplest to start with what's nearest. In this case, that is the OSU Libraries collection at the Guin Library. Search the OSU Libraries catalogue to find books, conference proceedings, government documents and reports that OSU owns. You can also search the OCCC Library catalogue for material. You can search either by author, title or subject either by browsing or using keywords.
Useful subjects for aquarium science include these:
* Aquarium fishes
* Aquariums plants
* Marine animals - diseases
* Ornamental fish trade
Aquarium Science web resources
* AquaNIC (Aquaculture Network Information Center)
* National Agriculture Library
* Fishing for Information (United Kingdom site)
Sources of basic information on aquatic species are found on a variety of web sites. Here are two that are particularly good for taxonomic information.
* Fishbase is produced by WorldFish with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. It's an excellent source for basic information on fishes of the world.
* UBio is simply a way to find the scientific name or names for an animal. It combines many lists of names so name changes and controversies are revealed. It is a project of the Woods Hole Ocenographic Institute.
