CHAPTER 



3 



The Biological Literature 



Progress in science builds upon previous progress in science, which, of 

 course, is possible only because written records have been maintained 

 for centuries. Scientific achievement depends only partly on brilliant 

 experimental work and astute observation; the formulation of useful 

 explanations depends upon the interlacing of current work with the 

 observations and interpretations of the past. 



Since a research program becomes meaningful only if it is interrelated 

 with all the previous work on the subject, the need for maintaining per- 

 manent records is obvious. The "biological literature" comprises all that 

 has been written on biological subjects in the last several hundred years. 

 All this writing can be subdivided into two general types: (1) primary 

 publication describing the original observations, and (2) secondary pub- 

 lication which summarizes, describes, or discusses these first reports. Al- 

 most all the primary reports now appear in periodical or serial publica- 

 tions, or "journals." Secondary discussions and summaries are consider- 

 ably more varied. 



Laboratory records 



A part of biological literature not generally accessible includes orig- 

 inal laboratory records and notebooks. Everyone who performs experi- 

 ments in the laboratory has an obligation to keep records of what was 

 done and what happened. 



The form in which these laboratory records is kept is a matter of 



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