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A1.3 · Locate relevant print and electronic research sources

Learn to locate relevant print and electronic research sources through clear examples and targeted practice.

Ontario Grade 11 Biology

Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration

Ontario Grade 11 Biology — A1.3: Locate relevant print and electronic research sources

In SNC2D, you practised asking questions about science and using information to investigate them. This lesson builds on that skill. Imagine you want to learn how sleep habits may affect concentration in teenagers. A quick search might return personal stories, advertisements, news articles, and research papers. They are not all equally useful for answering your question. A research source is a place where information can be found, such as a book, journal article, or government webpage. The goal here is to locate sources that are relevant to a biology question. You are not being asked to prove a conclusion or conduct an experiment.

What you will learn

Turn a biology question into search terms that can locate useful sources.
Find relevant print and electronic sources using library tools and trusted websites.
Check whether a source matches the question and provides enough information to identify it.

1. From a biology question to search terms

Start with the question, not with a random search. A focused question makes it easier to decide which information you need. For example: “What does research report about sleep duration and concentration in teenagers?” This question identifies a topic (sleep), a possible relationship (sleep duration and concentration), and a group (teenagers).

A search term is a key word or short phrase used to find information. Pull out the main ideas in your question. In this case, useful terms include sleep, concentration, adolescents, and teenagers. Try related words as well. A source may use “adolescents” rather than “teenagers.” Combining terms can narrow a search; changing a term can uncover sources that use different wording.

A broad search such as “biology” is unlikely to find sources that answer this particular question. A search for “sleep concentration teenagers” is more focused. If results are still too broad, add a useful detail, such as “school” or “research.” If there are very few results, remove a detail or try a related term. The purpose is to locate possible sources, then inspect them.

Identify the main topic and group in the question.
Use more than one search term, including reasonable synonyms.
Adjust the terms if the results are too broad or too narrow.

2. Where to look: print and electronic sources

A print source is information published in a physical format, such as a book or printed journal. An electronic source is accessed on a screen, such as an online book, article, catalogue, or webpage. A library catalogue is a searchable list of materials held by a library. It can help you find a print book or an electronic copy.

Use a school or public library catalogue to look for books on a topic. Search the title or subject terms, then note where the item is available. To find journal articles, use research databases offered by a library or school. A database is an organized collection of records that can be searched. Some databases provide the full article; others show a summary and details that help you locate it.

Electronic sources also include pages from universities and public agencies. For example, a government health agency may provide general information, while a research article may describe a particular study. Search results can include both useful and unsuitable material. A result appearing near the top of a list does not, by itself, show that it answers your question.

Check who created the source, what question or topic it covers, and when it was published or updated. These checks help you judge whether it is useful for your purpose. A source can be trustworthy but still not relevant: a reliable page about adult sleep may not answer a question specifically about teenagers.

Use library catalogues for books and library databases for articles.
Search electronic sources as well as print materials when appropriate.
Check the source itself; search-result position is not evidence of relevance.

3. A simple source-finding model

Use the sequence below as a practical model. First, state the question in your own words. Next, choose search terms for its main ideas. Then search a catalogue, database, or suitable website. Finally, inspect the results and keep only sources that match the question and provide enough identifying information.

The source details help you find the item again and distinguish it from other results. For a book, record details such as its title, author, publisher, and publication year when available. For an article, look for its title, author, journal name, publication date, and database or webpage where you found it. For a webpage, record its title, organization or author, date if shown, and web address. Follow your teacher’s required citation format when asked to prepare a reference.

A citation is a set of details that identifies a source. At this stage, the important skill is locating the source and capturing enough information to retrieve it. Do not assume that a title alone is enough: similar titles may refer to different works. Also distinguish a source’s reported observation from an explanation offered by its author. Locating a source does not automatically establish that every claim in it is correct.

Move from question to terms, search location, results, and source details.
Record enough information to locate the source again.
Finding a source is not the same as confirming every claim it makes.

4. Use the question to choose among results

Consider a student asking about sleep and concentration in teenagers. Search results might include a page about sleep in adults, a news story about a school sleep survey, and an article about sleep and attention in adolescents. Each result may mention sleep, but only some closely match the age group and topic in the question.

A source’s format does not decide its usefulness on its own. A book can provide clear background, while an article may address a narrower research question. A government webpage may be useful for an overview. Ask what the source actually covers before deciding to keep it. If the details are unclear, search the title or use a library service to locate more information.

There are limits to a search. Search tools may not show every source, and access to a full article may require a library. A short summary may not include all details from the full source. If a promising item is unavailable, use its identifying details to ask a librarian or teacher for help, or search for another relevant source. Do not fill gaps by guessing what an unseen source says.

Match the source to the topic and group named in the question.
Choose sources for their fit, not only for their format or search position.
If access is limited, seek help or locate another source rather than guessing.

Search location and what it can help you find

Search location	Useful for	What to check
Library catalogue	Print books and electronic books held by a library	Title, author, format, and availability
Library or school database	Records for research articles and sometimes full articles	Article topic, author, publication details, and access
University or public-agency website	Electronic information on a stated topic	Who published it, what it covers, and its date

Worked example

Example 1: Improve a broad search

A student wants sources about how sleep duration relates to concentration in teenagers. The first search is “sleep.” What should the student try next?

Identify the missing focus
The word “sleep” is too broad. It does not identify concentration or the group of interest. Add terms that represent those parts of the question.
Try focused terms and alternatives
Search with “sleep concentration teenagers.” If few useful results appear, replace “teenagers” with “adolescents,” a related term that sources may use. If results are still broad, add a relevant detail such as “school.”
Inspect results before keeping them
Open promising results and check whether they address both sleep and concentration in teenagers or adolescents. A result that only discusses adult sleep does not closely match the question.

Answer: Use a focused search such as “sleep concentration teenagers,” then try “adolescents” if needed. Keep results that match the topic and age group.

Check: The revised search includes the central relationship and the group. The student still needs to inspect each source rather than treating every search result as relevant.

Worked example

Example 2: Locate a suitable kind of source

A student needs a book for background on cells and a research article about a specific biology question. Which search locations should the student try?

Find the book
Search a school or public library catalogue using a topic such as “cells.” The catalogue can show whether the library has a print book or an electronic copy.
Find the article
Search a library or school research database with terms from the specific question. A database helps locate article records, and it may provide the full article or only a summary.
Check the match and details
Confirm that the book covers the needed background and that the article addresses the specific question. Record identifying details, such as titles, authors, and publication information, so both sources can be found again.

Answer: Use a library catalogue to find the book and a library or school research database to find the article. Inspect each result and record its identifying details.

Check: The search location is matched to the source being sought, but neither location guarantees that every result is useful.

Worked example

Example 3: Choose between two search results

A question asks what research reports about concentration in teenagers. Result A is a general webpage about adult sleep. Result B is an article whose title and summary concern attention in adolescents. Which result is the better match to inspect first?

Compare the question with each result
The question names concentration and teenagers. Result A concerns adults and sleep generally, so it does not closely match the stated group. Result B concerns attention in adolescents, a term often used for teenagers, so it appears more closely related.
Inspect the promising result
Open Result B or its full record. Check whether it actually addresses the question and note its author, title, publication information, and where it can be accessed. A title and summary can guide the search, but they may not show everything in the full article.
Keep the decision within the evidence
Result B is the better match to inspect first, but that does not prove its findings or show that it answers every part of the question. The student has identified a promising source, not a final conclusion.

Answer: Inspect Result B first because its topic and group more closely match the question. Check the full source details before deciding whether to use it.

Check: Relevance is judged by how well the source matches the question. A promising match still needs to be checked.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Using a very broad term and keeping the first result.

Correction: Add terms that identify the topic and group, then inspect results for a close match.

Assuming that a source is relevant because it is electronic or appears near the top of search results.

Correction: Check what the source covers and whether it addresses the question.

Recording only a webpage title or assuming that a summary tells the full story.

Correction: Record identifying details and locate the full source when possible. Do not guess what an unavailable source contains.

Lesson summary

Begin with a focused biology question and identify its main ideas.
Use search terms and related words that match the topic and group.
Use library catalogues for books, databases for article records, and suitable electronic websites.
Inspect results for relevance and record enough details to find each source again.
Locating a source is an important first step; it does not by itself confirm every claim in that source.

Check your understanding

Question 1

A question is about a biology topic in teenagers. Which search is the best starting point?

“biology”
A set of terms naming the topic and “teenagers” or “adolescents”
The title of an unrelated popular article
No search terms; use the first result shown

Show answer and explanation

A set of terms naming the topic and “teenagers” or “adolescents”

Terms that name the topic and group are more likely to locate relevant sources. Results still need to be inspected.

Question 2

What can a library catalogue help you do?

Find books and check whether a library has a print or electronic copy
Prove that every search result is accurate
Replace the need to inspect a source
Guarantee full access to every research article

Show answer and explanation

Find books and check whether a library has a print or electronic copy

A catalogue lists library materials and can show their format and availability. It does not guarantee access to every source or confirm every claim.

Question 3

A source mentions the right topic but is about a different group from the question. What is the best next step?

Keep it without checking because it shares a topic word
Check whether another result matches both the topic and the group more closely
Assume the source applies equally to every group
Use its title as proof of an answer

Show answer and explanation

Check whether another result matches both the topic and the group more closely

A useful source should fit the question, including its stated group. A shared topic word alone is not enough.

Key terms

Research source: A place where information can be found, such as a book, article, or webpage.
Search term: A key word or phrase entered to find information.
Library catalogue: A searchable list of materials held by a library.
Database: An organized collection of records that can be searched.
Citation: Details that identify a source and help a reader locate it.

Continue through SBI3U

View the complete SBI3U Ontario Grade 11 Biology curriculum and lessons

About this lesson and its review

Published by DoAssignment. This reviewed lesson follows Ontario Grade 11 Biology (SBI3U), expectation A1.3. It is a study resource, not an official curriculum publication.

Before publication, content is checked for structure, mathematical or chemical notation, calculations, course boundaries, and readability. Errors can still occur, so corrections are welcomed.

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