MICROBIO 360 - Writing in Microbiology

The U.S. government has thousands of useful publications and websites.

See the Guide (like this one) on Government Information - there is a tab just for Science.

One example: U.S. Geological Survey page, Microbiology and the Environment.

Another: Bad Bug Book - basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins from

- Food & Drug Administration,

- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention,

- USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and

- National Institutes of Health.

All these agencies have great websites too.

Bergey's Manual® of Systematic Bacteriology
Five volumes, for identifying bacteria, added electronically as they are published, and older editions in paper. Link goes to list of available electronic volumes.

Britannica Online
The classic general encyclopedia, a good starting point for all kinds of research. Includes a thesaurus and links to BBC and NYT for current news.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
A collection of several hundred current subject encyclopedias, searchable simultaneously. One specific encyclopedia:

   World of Microbiology and Immunology. Brenda Wilmoth Lerner & K. Lee Lerner, eds.

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia
Online version of the illustrated zoology encyclopedia. Includes microflora. Current.

Microbes at Work : From Wastes to Resources
The role of microorganisms in the digestion process: waste treatment, composting, production of biogas.

Links are to the Library catalog records. Find these books in the Reference Collection of the Sciences and Engineering Library (SEL) in Lederle GRC.

Bergey's manual of determinative bacteriology 9th ed.
UM Science Reference / QR81 .A5 1994
Standard reference for classification of bacteria

Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology 2nd ed.
UM Science / QR81 .B46 2001 (volumes released 2001-2012)
Library has: 1-2:A-C, 3; 5:A-B

Collins Web-linked dictionary of biology
UM Science Ref QH302.5 .H34 2006
Emphasis on cellular and evolutionary biology. Contains an appendix with links to biology history, careers, etc.

A Dictionary of Biology
UM Science Ref QH302.5 .D54 2004
Short definitions with some line drawings.

Encyclopedia of life sciences
UM Science Ref QH302.5 .E525 2002
Twenty-volume set from the Nature Publishing Group.