Staff Picks: Bioethics Resources

One of the things which impresses me the most about reference resources is when a single source meets a multiple need. Two such titles are the five-volume set Encyclopedia of Bioethics (call number ref QH 322 E52) and the Bibliography of Bioethics (call number ref QH 332 B5) which is now up to volume 31. These are great resources for a variety of needs, from Freshman English papers to graduate research in a variety of subject fields.

Both titles explore the faceted range of topics when biology and ethics intersect: Euthanasia, Abortion, withholding medical treatment, fetal tissue research, AIDS, Animal experimentation, assisted suicide, human experimentation, and many more. Each title covers these topics in a thorough and neutral point-of-view manner

In the Encyclopedia one finds articles which discuss such topics from multiple points of view (medical, ethical, religious, legal, and moral). The Bibliography is equally inclusive and comprehensive and presents the bibliographic information about significant recent developments in each of the areas covered.

These are great places to start on a topic and can be either the only resource consulted, or the spring-board to much more extensive coverage. Both books are located in the main reference collection of the library.

Adrien Taylor, Reference Librarian