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Select Research Skill:

Beginning Your Research

Before You Start

Anatomy of a Scholarly Article

NCSU Web Page

How to...understand scholarly article structure

Concept Map: Plan Your Research

Video: 01:30

How to...organize & generate search terms

Developing Research Topics and Questions

Video: 10:07

How to...create research topics and questions

Intro to Research Methods

Interactive Guide

How to...define and choose research methods

Manage Citations: Zotero

Videos: Est. 20 Mins.

How to...manage your citations using Zotero

Peer Review Process

Interactive Guide: Est. 10 Mins.

How to...describe and locate peer reviewed articles

Primary & Secondary Sources

Instructional Guide

How to...identify primary & secondary sources

Types of Sources

Instructional Guide

How to...identify popular, scholarly, or trade sources

Finding Resources

Accessing Full Text With Mason Search

Video: 02:24

How to...access the full text of online resources @Mason

Begin the Research Process

Video: 04:26

How to...brainstorm research topics & select source types

Doing a Simple Mason Search

Video: 02:34

How to...find sources @Mason

Doing an Advanced Mason Search

Video: 02:52

How to...find & filter sources @Mason & beyond

Find Accessible Media @Mason

Step-by-Step Guide

How to...find accessible media using Mason Search

Find DVDs & VHS

Video: 01:34

How to...find physical media @Mason

Find Full Text from Citations

Step-by-Step Guide

How to...read citations & get full text @Mason

Find Rare Books in Special Collections

Video: 01:43

How to...find sources in Special Collections @Mason

Find Sources FAST!

Instructional Guide

How to...use citation mining to optimize your research

Finding Tests & Measures for Research

Video: 05:17

How to...evaluate tests for quantitative research

Interpreting Citations

Step-by-Step Guide

How to...read MLA & APA citations to identify sources

Library Database Search Strategies

Video: 05:01

How to...pick keywords & use Boolean Operators

Managing Mason Search Results

Video: 02:33

How to...save, export & access sources @Mason

Evaluating Sources

Evaluating Sources: The CRAAP Test

Video: 04:59

How to...use guidelines to analyze sources

Information Lifecycle

Interactive Guide: Est. 10 Mins.

How to...understand the way information is published & analyzed over time

Wrapping Up Your Research

Creating a Research Poster With SP@RC

Video: 04:09

How to...format & create a research poster using a template

Library Services

Contact & Meet with Your Subject Librarian

Instructional Guide

How to...get support from your subject librarian

Find Items @Fenwick

Instructional Guide

How to...locate an item @Fenwick using a call number

Fix It!

Step-by-Step Guide

How to...troubleshoot online library resources

How Items are organized @Mason

Instructional Guide

How to...read a Library of Congress call number

My Mason Library Account

Video: 02:55

How to...borrow/renew items & check fines

Request Interlibrary Loan @Mason

Video: 02:47

How to...request items not owned by Mason

Using Google Scholar @Mason

Step-by-Step Guide

How to...link Google Scholar to Mason resources

Additional Questions & Help

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