Biology

This guide is designed to help students learn how to use K-State Libraries' many resources for studying and learning biology.

Library Research Guide

Biology Courses

Watching another instructor teach the topics you are learning can be helpful. Check the lists below to see if there is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) related to what you are learning.

EdX - Biology Courses
EdX hosts MOOCs from universities and colleges around the world. Courses are free but certificates or programs have fees.
Coursera - Biology Courses
Coursera hosts free courses from universities and colleges around the world. Coursera also offers certificates for a fee.
Class Central - Biology Courses
Class Central is a database for finding MOOCs. It links to MOOCs from other sites including EdX and Coursera.

Books on Learning

Sometimes we learn to succeed in school without actually learning. This makes college, especially upper level courses challenging since they are designed to use what you've learned in previous courses. The books below will help you learn how make your learning more productive by adapting your learning processes and environment.

Teach Yourself How to Learn by Saundra Yancy McGuire; Mark McDaniel (Foreword by); Stephanie McGuire (As told to) "Any student can use simple, straightforward strategies to start making A's in their courses and enjoy a lifetime of deep, effective learning." In a conversational tone with stories of past students, Saundra McGuire introduces concepts like Bloom's Taxonomy (to illuminate the difference between studying and learning) and fixed and growth mindsetsrelays what brain science has to tell us about rest, nutrition and exerciseand shares highly specific learning strategies including how to read a textbook, manage time and take tests.
ISBN: 1620367556
Publication Date: 2018-01-10
Bandwidth Recovery by Cia Verschelden; Lynn Pasquerella (Foreword by) This book is written for instructors, advisors, and others who have an interest in creating learning environments where all students have a chance to succeed. Learning about your bandwidth and how to recover it could help with your studies and research. Cia Verschelden presents strategies for promoting a growth mindset and self-efficacy, for developing supports that build upon students' values and prior knowledge and for creating learning environments both in and out of the classroom so students can feel a sense of belonging and community.
ISBN: 9781620366066
Publication Date: 2017-08-11

Tips and Tools

Planning your semester

Use the Rubric - Instructors use rubrics to assess learning. If your assignment has a rubric, read it carefully and plan your work accordingly.
Use a Calendar - There are plenty of free scheduling apps online, but using your K-State account (Outlook email and calendar) makes it easy to book collaboration spaces in the library and schedule Zoom meetings and study dates.
Break down tasks - Turn your big assignments into smaller tasks, make yourself due dates for those, and put them on your calendar. Try out some of the tools below.
Make an appointment with a tutor, librarian, or the Writing Center - We are trained to help you with your assignments, exam preparation, research, and writing. You don't have to know everything or anything about your assignment or research topic to make an appointment. Learn more about academic support in the next section.

Academic Success Tools
This page has tools for time management, communication, reading and note-taking, study and test-taking, motivation, and finals prep. There's a survey at the bottom of the page if you're not sure where to start.

Learning in general

Learn about learning - We aren't usually taught to learn but the learning process is studied by educators, instructors, and researchers so there's a lot to learn about learning. Check out the Books on Learning box on this page to get started.
Find and watch other lectures - If course content isn't clear, find a lecture or explanation on YouTube or look for a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Use the links in the Courses box on this page to get started.

Support for Biology Students

Academic support

The Writing Center and tutoring services at K-State focus on the success of learning and writing processes as a whole, not just the end result. So make an appointment if you don't understand your notes and when you get started on a project or as you're developing ideas, working through an assignment, or finishing a report.

Academic Achievement Center
The University's Academic Achievement Center has free tutoring service for all students at K-State.
Other Tutoring at K-State
The Academic Achievement Center maintains this list of other tutoring programs available at K-State.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center provides feedback at any stage of the writing process to enable students to gain awareness of writing strategies; improve writing assignments or non-academic writing; and increase their sense of competence, confidence, and ownership in writing.

Student clubs and organizations

Biology clubs and organizations are a great way to meet students with shared interests, as well as professional biologists in an informal setting, and also serve as an excellent way to find out about career opportunities and what it takes to make a career in your area of interest. They support your learning by connecting you with a community of undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in or have taken the courses you are taking.

K-State Clubs and Organizations
Sign in to find ways to get involved, events, and news about student involvement at K-State.
K-State Student Organizations Related to Biology
A list of biology clubs and organizations at K-State.
Alpha Epsilon Delta
A national honor society for students interested in careers in health care professions, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy, and others. The Kansas Alpha chapter of AED at K-State is for students who are interested in health careers, and an honor society for students who have met certain criteria. Members participate in meetings twice a month, perform community service, and learn from guest speakers. For more information, email aed@k-state.edu or call (785) 532-6900.

Biology Courses

Watching another instructor teach the topics you are learning can be helpful. Check the lists below to see if there is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) related to what you are learning.

EdX - Biology Courses
EdX hosts MOOCs from universities and colleges around the world. Courses are free but certificates or programs have fees.
Coursera - Biology Courses
Coursera hosts free courses from universities and colleges around the world. Coursera also offers certificates for a fee.
Class Central - Biology Courses
Class Central is a database for finding MOOCs. It links to MOOCs from other sites including EdX and Coursera.

Books on Learning

Teach Yourself How to Learn by Saundra Yancy McGuire; Mark McDaniel (Foreword by); Stephanie McGuire (As told to) "Any student can use simple, straightforward strategies to start making A's in their courses and enjoy a lifetime of deep, effective learning." In a conversational tone with stories of past students, Saundra McGuire introduces concepts like Bloom's Taxonomy (to illuminate the difference between studying and learning) and fixed and growth mindsetsrelays what brain science has to tell us about rest, nutrition and exerciseand shares highly specific learning strategies including how to read a textbook, manage time and take tests.
ISBN: 1620367556
Publication Date: 2018-01-10
Bandwidth Recovery by Cia Verschelden; Lynn Pasquerella (Foreword by) This book is written for instructors, advisors, and others who have an interest in creating learning environments where all students have a chance to succeed. Learning about your bandwidth and how to recover it could help with your studies and research. Cia Verschelden presents strategies for promoting a growth mindset and self-efficacy, for developing supports that build upon students' values and prior knowledge and for creating learning environments both in and out of the classroom so students can feel a sense of belonging and community.
ISBN: 9781620366066
Publication Date: 2017-08-11