Locating your primary source using your secondary source:

Tips on completing the assignment for BIOL 1051

By: Jeanne Hoover

Locate your secondary source:

Look in print or online magazines or newspapers. Most websites like CNN have a Science/Technology section.

Find an article that interests you.

Print or save a copy of it to refer to later

I used BBC News –Science and Environment Section

You have your Secondary Source, now what?

Read the article and highlight keywords Look for the name of the journal where the

primary source is published

Look for the names of the primary source article’s authors (if you want that original article).

Look for some key phrases that explain the study This will help you find the exact article OR locate a

different article on a similar topic.

Move to the next slide to see an example from BBC News:

Here are some key ideas to take away from the article:

Primary source is published in Scientific Reports

The study is about a new hybrid grass

The hybrid grass is part lollium perenne and festuca pratensis

Co-author is Kit Macleod

The grass helps reduce run-off

Choose a few keywords to use as search terms.

Here is the full-text of the primary source article

Recap: Find a secondary source through news or magazine

websites. You can also use a database and limit your search results to magazines.

Highlight keywords or ideas from the article

Highlight any author names or publication titles

Use your search terms in an appropriate database to locate the following: The original article (primary source) that your secondary

source talks about

An original article (primary source) on a similar topic