Biological Sciences Databases

The following are suggested databases to get you started. You can also try:
All Databases | Other Subjects

Most Useful

Database Name
BioOne

A collection of over 70 full-text bioscience research journals including scholarly journals and bulletins of the American Institute of Biological Sciences and similar organizations.

Dates of coverage: 1998 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
BIOSIS Citation Index

Index to articles from biological and biomedical journals.

Dates of coverage: 1969 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
Google Scholar

Google Scholar searches academic publishers, professional societies and pre-print archives. When you enter via Search It, a Find It link will display with full text and other services listed. If you are using it directly, be sure to add the Washington State University Libraries to your Settings (use the lefthand hamburger menu) to be able to access articles available at the WSU Libraries.

Dates of coverage: Coverage varies.
Content Type: scholarly articles
Web of Science (ISI)

Multidisciplinary database that includes Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index.

Dates of coverage: 1980 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles

Also Useful

Database Name
Academic Search Complete

Multidisciplinary database that indexes journals from a wide range of subject areas, including literature, history, ethnic studies, computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, and medical sciences. Includes many fulltext articles. 

Dates of coverage: Coverage varies.
Content Type: scholarly articles
Agricola (EBSCO)

Index of over 3.5 million items covering all aspects of agriculture, forestry, and animal science. Includes records of books, serials, audiovisual, and other materials. 

Dates of coverage: 1970 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
American Society for Microbiology

Index of 11 journals from the American Society of Microbiology. Covers topics from molecular and cellular biology to biomedical research and technology. Full text available from 1995 to the present. 

Dates of coverage: 1992 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
Blackwell Science Journals/Synergy

Now called Wiley Online Library. Access to over 1,600 journals, 200 reference works and 21,000 online books. Subjects include: Business, Finance & Management; Chemistry; Computer Science; Earth Science; Education; Engineering; Law; Life and Medical Sciences; Mathematics and Statistics; Physics; Psychology.

Dates of coverage: Coverage varies.
Content Type: reference source, scholarly articles
Fish, Fisheries & Aquatic Biodiversity Worldwide

Index to the world literature dealing with fish and fish culture and all aspects of ichtyology and fisheries.

Dates of coverage: 1971 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
GeoRef

Index to nearly 2 million articles, books and government documents about geology and earth sciences. (North American Geology is indexed beginning in 1785.)

Dates of coverage: Coverage varies.
Content Type:
PubMed (MEDLINE)

Index to articles from over 3,600 journals about medicine, health, allied health and biology. Includes access to some full-text articles.

Dates of coverage: 1951 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
Sage Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods includes books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by academics from across the social sciences, including the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online from any scholarly publisher. Provides access to SAGE Research Methods Datasets, SAGE Research Methods Cases, and SAGE Research Methods Video as well.

Dates of coverage: Coverage varies.
Content Type: data, ebooks, films, reference source, scholarly articles
Science Direct

Index to hundreds of journals from a wide range of subject areas, including science, computer science, medicine, education, business and social science.

Dates of coverage: 1993 - present
Content Type: scholarly articles
Wiley Online Library

Access to over 1,600 journals, 200 reference works and 21,000 online books. Subjects include: Business, Finance & Management; Chemistry; Computer Science; Earth Science; Education; Engineering; Law; Life and Medical Sciences; Mathematics and Statistics; Physics; Psychology

Dates of coverage: Coverage varies.
Content Type: ebooks, reference source, scholarly articles