• IDA Research Guide Overview
  • Locating your targets.
  • Obtaining medical school catalogs.
  • Using the World Wide Web to find information.
  • Obtaining CRISP Abstracts.
  • Using the Gopher system.
  • The Department of Defense web site.
  • Freedom of Information Act requests.
  • Obtaining USDA Annual reports.
  • Obtaining USDA Inspection reports.
  • Investigating your targets with Medline.
  • Medline on the World Wide Web.
  • Contacting the National Institute of Health.
  • Other important documents.
  • Reviewing journal articals, grants and other documents.
  • Obtaining professional opinions.
  • Writing a brochure or fact sheet.
  • Regulatory and animal care guides.
  • Attending IACUC meetings.
  • Conclusion.

    Research guide resources:

  • Organizations.
  • Common NIH Grant Designations.
  • Sample CRISP Abstract and Indexing Terms.
  • Sample DOD Abstract
  • Sample FOIA letter.
  • Sample Necropsy Report.







    		• Attending IACUC meetings

    Gaining access to these meetings is very important; because IACUCs reviewand approve all research involving animals, you can obtain information aboutprojects before they are even funded. This is why many institutions refusepublic access.
    Contact the institution(s) and ask permission to attend theirmeetings.
    Call first; if they refuse, write a certified letter to the presidentof the institution, and save any correspondence you receive.
    You shouldalso keep careful notes of any telephone conversations you have with representativesof the institution.
    Gaining access is easier if your state has an Open Meetingslaw, but that is no guarantee; many groups have been forced to file expensivelawsuits.

    PAWS in Washington State successfully sued; groups in other stateshave lost similar cases. ALDF can give you advice about how to gain accessto IACUC meetings.