The Libraries offer much more than study spaces and books. Check out more resources for research and support here!
Getting Started
Resources Available During COVID-19 Closure
The UMN Libraries may be closed due to COVID-19, but we are here to help with your research online!
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U Libraries resources for undergraduates during COVID-19Our buildings may be closed, but you can connect virtually to our librarians and staff and access millions of books and many services and resources online.
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Emergency online access to Libraries print collection (HathiTrust)Emergency full-text, online access to millions of books from our print collection is temporarily available! Look for the HathiTrust link in search results.
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Schedule a virtual consultation with a librarianConsultations are generally available Monday - Friday and are intended for personalized, in-depth support primarily for University of Minnesota faculty, instructors, graduate and undergraduate students and staff. We will contact you within two working days to schedule and/or confirm the consultation. Generally, for virtual appointments, you'll be given a Zoom or other meeting link at least one hour ahead of the scheduled meeting.
Prepare and plan for your classes
Getting ready for your semester ahead can mean many things - like figuring out your textbooks and readings, to making a fancy bullet journal sort of schedule in a calendar to using an app to figure out everything you need to get done.
Your classes at the University will require more time than your school in the past -- now is a good time to level up those skills around "time management."
Here is a great tutorial from Effective U to help you do that.
- Citation Managers (e.g. Zotero, EndNote Online, etc.)Citation managers are software packages used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to: import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources; save links to pdfs and other documents; format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles; and include your own notes.
- Assignment CalculatorEnter in the due date for your research project (paper, speech, lab report) and get a suggested timeline for completing with links to the resources to help you succeed in each step.
Getting started - finding background info on topic
Finding Background Information
These online sources can help you to choose and refine your topic. They will also provide you with the background information and keywords and search terms.
- CQ ResearcherCQ Researcher provides in-depth coverage of important issues of the day. Reports are written by experienced journalists, footnoted, and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. Shorter "Hot Topics" articles provide a solid introduction to subjects in demand.
- Opposing Viewpoints in ContextFind articles on current issues, including viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, magazine and newspaper articles.
- Public AgendaThis free site provided extensive information on current and controversial issues such as abortion and legal gaming, the family, education etc. Each segment has an overview, facts and trends, different perspectives, links to news stories, and results of public opinion polls.
Search for Sources:
- Academic Search PremierA great place to start your research on any topic, search multidisciplinary, scholarly research articles. This database provides access to scholarly and peer reviewed journals, popular magazines and other resources. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- Google Scholar (Setup connection to get to PDFs)Use Google Scholar to find articles from academic publishers, professional societies, research institutes, and scholarly repositories from colleges and universities. If you are using from off-campus access, change the "Library Settings" to University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Look for the "FindIt@U of M Twin Cities" links in your Google Scholar search results to access full text and PDFs. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- Ethnic NewsWatchEthnic NewsWatch is a current resource of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press from 1990, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives.
Also check out:
- ScopusSearch for information from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Covers the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
- New York Times (1980 to present) This link opens in a new windowFull-text coverage of the New York Times to present day. Does not include photos, illustrations, ads, wire stories, or other page-image level access. (via ProQuest Newsstream)
- Minneapolis Star Tribune (1986 to present) This link opens in a new windowFull-text articles from the recent issues of the Star Tribune. Does not include wire stories, ads, photos, or other non-textual article content from the paper. (via ProQuest Newsstream). Note: There is a one-day embargo on content.
Academic Success Centers & SMART Learning Commons (peer tutoring and more)
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Academic Success Centers
The Academic success centers website provides you with a variety of services to help you succeed at the University. Find peer tutors for your courses in SMART and MCAE, academic skills coaching, or get support with writing, research, or media projects.
These services are designed to:
- Boost your confidence as a student
- Help you stay on top of your coursework
- Offer a deeper understanding of the content
- Connect you to peers who know tips and tricks for various courses
- Teach you effective study strategies and time management
Last Updated: Aug 22, 2024 12:40 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/LASK1001