The Current Issues in A&P Essay asks you to explore the relevance of anatomy and physiology to a current health topic. You'll do this by reading and discussing at least two recent articles from a reputable source on an assigned topic. For this assignment, we're defining a reputable source as an article from a peer-reviewed journal. Start by locating background information on your assigned topic and finding a perspective or aspect of the topic you'd like to discuss. Some websites and library databases that provide background information are listed below. Next, use one of the article databases listed below to find relevant peer-reviewed articles. Consult your course content for complete assignment instructions and requirements, which may vary by instructor.
You may want to use a broad internet search, a social media post, or a Wikipedia article to identify a perspective on the topic. These are not one of your two reputable sources, but can be helpful as you start your research.
If you can't find much on your topic, think of synonyms or other words to describe the same condition. Different sources may use different terms to describe the same concept.
One strategy for narrowing a Google search is to limit the results to a specific domain such as .gov or .edu. This strategy is useful for locating results from public health agencies or university websites. Here's the format for that search:
search term(s) site:.gov OR search terms(s) site:.edu
See these search results for an example of this technique.
The library's JEWL Search is one place to locate peer-reviewed journal articles. See the video on this page for a short demonstration.
1. Enter your keywords/topics.
2. On the search results page, use the filters underneath the search bar at the top of the screen to limit your results:
What is the JEWL Search at Walker Library, and what is it good for? Watch this and find out why it's a great place to start your research. More about JEWL Search (length: 1:10)
Learn about using Google Scholar to find sources for assignments, and also how to set up library links so you don't have to pay for articles.
Watch at YouTube (02:06)
