Research Video Tips

Basic

These short (<5 minute) videos can help you get going with library research. These videos have soundtracks. Captioning is available--just click the CC button at the bottom of the viewer.

• Research: Where to start?
  (3:34) Academic research is different from other types of information seeking. Learn where to locate the best information on your research topic.
• Choosing the right database
  (1:54) Which of the 300+ databases available to you through the UMass Amherst Libraries is the best one for your search? This video will help you figure it out.
• Looking for articles
  (4:03) Learn how to make the most of the Libraries' databases to find the best articles on your topic.
• Thinking like a database
  (4:11) Have you ever typed a search into a database only to see the dreaded words “no results found”? This video will teach you to think like a database and pull out the best articles on your topic.

Advanced

• What's a peer-reviewed or refereed journal?
  Learn what peer review is and why it matters when you're evaluating information.
• What articles are prominent in my field?
  2-minute video on using "Web of Science" to find highly-cited articles.

Last Edited: 31 August 2009