ANT 340 - Primate Behavior

Introduction | Reference Sources | Indexes & Databases | Internet Resources | Writing the Paper

For further research assistance, please contact Tim Lynch tlynch@usm.maine.edu; (780-5344), Research and Instructional Services Librarian; Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine. Please also use the Ask a Librarian service

The key to all your library research is your USM Card. On that card is your Library Barcode beginning (2502. . .) This card will gain you access to remote databases, Interlibrary Loan, request items from other libraries in Maine and will allow you to check-out books from the University of Maine Library System. This card must be activated by the Circulation staff at one of our libraries before you may use it.

To start us off, lets begin by learning how to search the catalog and databases at USM:

Keyword, Title, Author, and Subject

Currently search strategies are catagorized by four types of searches: Keyword; Title; Author; and Subject. Keyword searches use "key words" from areas of the book or document record, like the title and the abstract, and match the exact instructions of your search (See Basic Search below). Title searches are performed by entering the exact wording of the title minus initial articles like A, And or The. Author searches are performed by entering the Last name of the author followed by a comma and the first letter or first name of the person or entity responsible for the content of the work.

Subject searches are altogether different. A subject search (See Subject Headings Below) is an attempt to find a collection of works determined to be in the same subject area. The Library of Congress creates these Subject Headings and new works are either matched to an existing Subject Heading or new Subject Headings are created. The best way to use a Subject Heading is to find a book, using a Keyword search, (See above) that very closely fits your topic, then look to the bottom of the record for the Subject Headings that belong to that book. Using the blank Subject search on its own is possible, but will probably not give you the information you are looking for, unless you know exactly the right Subject Headings to use.

If you do not know the exact Subject Heading describing the topic you need, try doing a keyword search using other word(s) related to that topic and then click on the Subject Heading links found within the relevant records to find additional, useful resources.

The following is a listing of selected Subject Headings relating to ANT 340. Each Subject Heading is hotlinked directly to URSUS.

As you can see many subjects could follow this formula--Look for others in URSUS

URSUS
In order to find books, journal titles, videos, government documents and other materials owned by the University of Maine system you will need to consult URSUS, the online catalog. Because journal article citations are not included in URSUS, you will need to use a discipline-specific index to find this information (see Resources by Subject).

Basic Search

Searching Using AND and OR: (This process can be used in most any database including URSUS and journal indexes and databases)

1. State your topic in one sentence. (Ex. I'm looking for information about courtship behavior in Chimpanzees)
2. Separate important terms. (Ex. courtship AND behavior AND Chimpanzees)
3. Did you find enough information? If not continue. . . .
4. Add IMPORTANT synonyms and related terms that you would find in the professional literature. (courtship OR mating OR sex) AND (behavior OR behaviour OR socializing) AND Chimpanzees OR Chimps
5. Truncate terms to get plural as well as singular form. Ex. (courtship OR mating OR sex*) AND (behav* OR socializ*) AND (Chimp* OR ape*)

Advanced Search (Default)

AND and OR searching can also be accomplished by filling in the search boxes using the AND connector in the Advanced search mode. Make sure and place all the OR terms (ie synonyms) together in the same box with the word OR between them. Then also place the AND terms in the same box, connected with the word AND

To obtain materials not located at USM, but within the University of Maine System, you will need to click on the black Request button on the URSUS screen and enter your name and barcode number (found under the barcode on your USM Card). Your barcode will need to be activated at the Circulation Desk on the first floor. Remember also to choose a location for the item to be delivered. Items requested in this manner require 3 to 5 days for delivery.

If the item is not available through the University of Maine System (URSUS) or Maine InfoNet you can request it via Interlibrary Loan (Illiad).
Books requested by interlibrary loan may take a week to 10 days to arrive. Articles requested by interlibrary loan usually arrive in under 3 days!

Off-Campus (remote) connection to databases: Use your name and library barcode number (2502. . . . ) available from your student ID to access Indexes and databases from home. Indexes and Databases that can be accessed remotely will have a small yellow "remote access" icon next to the Index or database. If you are having trouble, try using the state funded Marvel Databases. Enter personal information including ZIP Code.

Dictionary of Anthropology
Gor. Reference GN 307 .D485 1997

Encyclopedia of Endangered Species
Gor. Reference QH 75 .E49 1994 [2 vols]

Encyclopedia of Human Evolution and Prehistory
Gor. Reference GN 281 .E53 1988

History of Physical Anthropology: An Encycopedia
Gor. Reference GN 50.3 .H57 1997 [2 vols]

All of the University of Southern Maine's Databases can be accessed from the homepage of the USM Library. Notice , overlap of subject matter will occur in these databases, this listing indicates a recommended first choice of databases for searches for journal articles, conference proceedings and reports in that field of information. Always remember to check general and related databases as well.

See "i" icons and Information/Help screens located on the USM Library Homepage and its links for more information about each database. To access the following databases choose Indexes and Databases from the USM Library Homepage.

Because databases serve the primary function of accessing Journal Articles. Knowlege of the important journals of a field is important. The following is a selected list of journals from which one would expect to find excellent information:

American Journal of Physical Anthropology
American Journal of Primatology
Folia Primatologica
International Journal of Primatology
Journal of Human Evolution
Primates

Primary Databases

Academic Search Premier
Provides full text for nearly 4,000 scholarly publications of which 3,100 are peer reviewed. Academic areas of study include: social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, and ethnic studies.

Wildlife and Ecology Studies Worldwide
Includes over 345,000 citations to the literature on mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians found in journals, conference proceedings, monographs, theses and dissertations, and government reports. Database includes Wildlife Review Abstracts, which was published through 1995 by the National Biological Service. Searching is by keyword, subject, and author as well as by taxonomic and geographic identifiers. Abstracts are available for publications added to the database since September 1996. 8,000 records added annually. Updated quarterly. This database subscription is funded, in part, by the Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine. (UMaine students, faculty and staff only.)

Other Databases

IngentaConnect
Index to the tables of contents of 17,000 English language periodicals. Covers all disciplines. Updated daily. NOTE: Full text access available ONLY with subscriptions to individual titles. Check your library for holdings.

Science Citation Index, Expanded
Comprehensive multidisciplinary coverage of approximately 5,800 of the world's leading scientific and technical journals. Provides cited reference searching, with which users can navigate forward, backward, and through the literature, searching multi-disciplines to uncover information relative to their research.

SCOPUS
SCOPUS provides coverage in the sciences and social sciences through abstracts and cited references from over 14,000 journals and from more than 4000 international publishers. Subjects covered include chemistry, biology, environmental sciences, mathematics, physics, engineering, health and life sciences, social sciences, psychology and economics. SCOPUS also provides citation analysis (back to 1996). With registration for a personal account, SCOPUS can provide saved search functionality and email alerts. NOTE: THIS DATABASE IS AVAILABLE ON EXTENDED TRIAL.

Jane Goodall Institute
This site serves as a gateway to a plethora of sites dealing with apes, other primates and issues about same. Explore often!

Students should follow the methods and tips described in the following documents Anthro 340 - Primate Behavior Final Research Paper and Geography-Anthropology Research Paper Format

Plagerism

Plagiarism-The Do's and Dont's: Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism (University of California-Davis)

Plagiarism: What it is and How to Recognize and Avoid it (Indiana University)

Created by: Tim Lynch
Created on: 02.2.2006
Last Updated: 02.04.2006