Subject Guides: Biology: Methods & protocols

Selected Resources - Methods & Protocols

Below are some suggestions of resources to help you get started. Try Scholar OneSearch or reach out to a librarian for more!

Nature Protocols
An online resource for authoritative, peer-reviewed protocols and an interactive Protocols Network. The two create a dynamic forum for scientists to upload and comment on protocols.
Nature Methods
Nature Methods is a science methodology journal publishing laboratory techniques and methods papers in the life sciences and areas of chemistry relevant to the life sciences.
Nature Reviews Methods Primer
Nature Reviews Methods Primers is an online-only journal publishing high-quality Primer articles covering analytical, applied, statistical, theoretical and computational methods used in the life and physical sciences.
Methods in Cell Biology
A book series on research methods in cell biology.
Methods in Enzymology
A book series on research methods in enzymology.
C. elegans: Methods and applications
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SAGE Research Methods
SAGE Research Methods is an online collection of information that supports beginning and advanced researchers looking for the best methods to use in their research.
Tissue Engineering, Methods, Part C
Presents procedures and protocols of research methods that will be adopted by the tissue engineering community as research is translated into clinical applications to help the field to grow and mature.
Molecular cloning : a laboratory manual
This book has been made temporarily available electronically through HathiTrust.
Basic Cell Culture Protocols
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Plant bioinformatics: Methods and protocols
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An introduction to methods & models in ecology, evolution, & conservation biology
This book introduces undergraduate students to quantitative models and methods in ecology, behavioral ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation.
Auditory and vestibular research: Methods and protocols
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Finding methods & protocols

Methods and protocols can be surprisingly tricky to locate. Whether looking for protocols in Scholar OneSearch, or a database like Web of Science, you'll likely have the most luck by searching for your topic and/or organism, plus a term like 'method', 'protocol', or other synonym.

Featured resource: JoVE

JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) is a science video resource that includes a variety of resources for use in the classroom and in the lab. It has two components:

Science Education Video Collection: Teaching-focused videos including concept animations, ‘scientist in action’ videos to see concepts applied, and lab manual videos that cover preparation procedures for common labs
Video Journal: A peer-reviewed video methods journal, consisting of video demonstrations and detailed text protocols of new and standard methods in physical and life sciences. Students and researchers can see the details of experiments and concepts, in addition to text-based descriptions.

Below are a few links to components of JoVE relevant for Biology:

Websites with methods & protocols

Company websites can be good resources for basic protocols. Some examples:

Some other websites with protocols include: