Once you've determined your topic - it's time to dig in and discover just what it's all about... In the sciences, a great place to start is with general subject-based reference encyclopedias and credible online resources. You will want to "get a feel" for how your topic is studied, what sub-disciplines (great source for keywords!) focus on it, and a Wikipedia-like comprehension of its nature.
Using the WSU Libraries Catalog, search for biological science reference resources to find entries and information on your topic. There are multiple ways to do this: subject searches, title searches and advanced keyword searching. Below is a list of suggested titles in the catalog you may want to utilize:
SmartSearch Advanced Search - this multi-disciplinary discovery tool searches through many databases at once [*note: filter by source type "Reference"]
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Ethology : what animals do and why by 
Plant Life by 
Plant Cell Biology by
Plant Cell Biology, volume 160 in "Methods in Cell Biology", includes chapters on modern experimental procedures and applications developed for research in the broad area of plant cell biology. Topics covered in this volume include techniques for imaging and analyzing membrane dynamics and movement across membranes; cell wall composition, structure and mechanics; cytoskeleton dynamics and organization; cell development; ion channel physiology; cell mechanics; and methods related to quantifying cell morphogenesis.- Provide in-depth procedures and application notes from selected experts who developed the methods- Each chapter will include figures and movies as appropriate to explain complex techniques- Chapters will include caveats of techniques and future prospects
Routledge handbook of urban biodiversity by
This handbook provides a state-of-the-art, comprehensive overview of the expanding field of urban biodiversity. The field of urban biodiversity has emerged from within the broad discipline of urban ecology in the past two decades and is now a significant field in its own right. In view of this, the Routledge Handbook of Urban Biodiversity presents a thorough treatment of this field detailing the history of urban biodiversity, theoretical foundations, current state of knowledge, and application of that knowledge.
An interactive encyclopedia of life-forms worldwide.
Animal Diversity Web (ADW) is an online resource of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan
An interactive reference work covering animal species worldwide.
Includes a Guide to Animal Names and Nomenclature Glossary, as well as access to digital resources for scientific researchers.
Contains animated and computer-enhanced images of living cells and organisms that are useful for education and medical research.
CSHL is a private, non-profit institution with research programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, genomics, and bioinformatics and a broad educational mission. Links to a variety of research and education resources.
Holds information on such current environmental research areas as: air science, climate change, ecosystems, health science, land and waste cleanup, pesticides, toxic substances, sustainable practices, and water science.
From the national Acadmies. Free access to books, reports, and additional resources on evolution education and research.
A searchable database of field guides for plants, animals, and other objects in North America and around the world.
A compilation of the Internet Pubic Libary (IPL) and the Librarian's Internet Index (LII) websites, provides browsable, reliable subject-specific websites. here set to search for Internet sites focusing on Life Sciences.
Information hub for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Users can access articles, reports, bibliographies, and laws & regulations.
he PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. Hosted by the USDA.
Provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on plants and animals that have been globally evaluated to determine the relative risk of extinction, the main purpose of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List being to catalogue and highlight those plants and animals that are facing a higher risk of global extinction.
By Nature Publishing Group. Focuses on cell biology, including the topics of evolution, gene expression, and the rich complexity of cellular processes shared by living organisms. Scitable also offers resources for the student scientist, with advice about effective science communication and career paths.
CITING SOURCES IN CSE/CBE STYLE
Chapter in Edited Volume (Encyclopedias, Textbooks):
Chapter or other part of a book, same author(s)
Gawande A. 2010. The checklist manifesto: how to get things right. New York (NY): Metropolitan Books. Chapter 3, The end of the master builder; p. 48–71.
Chapter or other part of a book, different authors
Rapley R. 2010. Recombinant DNA and genetic analysis. In: Wilson K, Walker J, editors. Principles and techniques of biochemistry and molecular biology. 7th ed. New York (NY): Cambridge University Press. p. 195–262.
Wikipedia Articles:
Wikipedia contributors. Brassica rapa [Internet]. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; 2015 Dec 22, 01:53 UTC [cited 2015 Dec 29]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brassica_rapa&oldid=696274353.
Internet Resources:
Format for end reference:
Title of Homepage. Date of publication. Edition. Place of publication: publisher; [date updated; date accessed]. Notes.
If no date of publication can be determined, use a copyright date (if available), preceded by “c”. Include the URL in the notes.
APSnet: plant pathology online. c1994–2005. St Paul (MN): American Phytopathological Association; [accessed 2005 Jun 20]. http://www.apsnet.org/.
