Typical questions

• • I need to research natural selection.

• • Where can I find a renal blood flow diagram?

Starting points

• • Biology is a large field of study and can include the study of plant and animal organisms, as well as human - so it is necessary to ask what is required!

• • Students may need access to Latin dictionaries and advice on interpreting graphs and preparing quantitative data. Other common queries relate to finding diagrams and images. Relevant chapters in this book include: Dictionaries and Encyclopedias; Journal Articles (Science sub-section) and Medicine and Nursing (Images sub-section).

Recommended resources

Key organisations

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [Specialist]

bbsrc.ukri.org

Leading UK funding agency supporting research and innovation. Find details of cutting edge research, conference listings and advice on how to apply for funding. Explore the links to find specialist biology data-sharing websites supported by the BBSRC.

Royal Society of Biology

www.rsb.org.uk

Leading voice of biology in the UK. Advises the government on policy, provides professional development for scientists and supports biology education for the public. Website has news stories, conference and events lists, free online policy papers and a large section with educational resources for teachers.

International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS)

www.iubs.org

Established in 1919. Covers all fields of biology. Its website is a good source of information on international conferences. Also includes details about its publications.

Study guides

ActionBioscience [Basic]

www.actionbioscience.org

Educational resource created by the American Institute of Biological Sciences. Includes articles, free posters and resources for teachers at secondary school and undergraduate level. Topics covered include biodiversity, evolution and genomics.

ARKive [Basic]

www.arkive.org

An initiative of non-profit organisation Wildscreen, which provides free access to stunning photographs and online films about endangered animals and plants. Each entry has a fact file and links to further reading. The site has lesson plans for teachers and online games for children.

Catalogue of Life

www. catalogueoflife.org

Comprehensive and authoritative global index of species. Includes scientifically accepted names, taxonomic hierarchies and distribution maps.

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) [Basic]

eol.org

Free online source supported by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. Entries are being added on global species of flora and fauna and biodiversity. Articles contain maps, multimedia and references to further reading.