Guides, tutorials, and webinars

The research process is a method for exploring and examining resources related to a particular topic. It encompasses a range of activities that can be divided into distinct but iterative steps. The guides presented under the categories below can help you navigate through every stage of the research process.

Planning your research

The guides below can help you as you begin to carry out research in AU Library’s collections. Here are some tips:

When you’re just getting started:

  • Think about what sort of and how much information is needed.
  • Review the requirements of the assignment.
  • Gather background information on the topic.

When you’re ready to develop a search strategy:

  • State the topic in the form of a research question.
  • Break the research question down into concepts and determine appropriate search terms. Think about related terms and synonyms for your concepts.
  • Construct search statements.
  • Prepare an action plan for seeking out the information you need. Consider where would be the best places to search given what you need, what is your timeline, and how will you keep track of your searches and the sources you want to review or use?

AU Library’s Guide to the Research Process

This tutorial walks you through the steps involved in the research process.

Faculty of Graduate Studies Digital Literacy Tutorial Repository

This repository contains a set of video- and text-based tutorials on aspects of digital and information literacy that are highly relevant to students at the graduate level.

Glossary of Library Terms and Phrases

This glossary will help you understand the terminology that librarians use.

Research Data Management Guide

This guide presents introductory information on research data management and resources for data management plans.

Search like a pro

Learn basic and advanced search strategies to make the most of your searches in various databases.

OER Student Guide

Learn more about how to create your own Open Educational Resources, how to use Creative Commons licenses, and how to find OER to adopt.

Finding and accessing research materials

The tutorials and guides on this page will show you how to begin carrying out searches using a variety of search tools and collections. When you’re carrying out your research, remember to:

  • Use tools such as library catalogues, journal databases, and the Internet.
  • Scan your results, read abstracts as you go, and save items you want to review later or use.
  • Modify your search strategy as needed. Change your search terms, add more specific or less specific ones, and consider trying other search tools.
  • Manage the information sources you located during this phase.

AU Library Catalogue (AUCAT) Tutorial

Learn how to search the catalogue to find books, ebooks, and other items, and to request materials and renew borrowed items.

Database Searching Guide

Within this guide you will find suggestions on how best to search databases like ABI/Inform, ProQuest, and JSTOR.

Discover Research Guide

This compact guide is about the first search tool found on our homepage, the DISCOVER search box. Included in this guide is a general video tutorial and text on how to search for a specific item, narrow results, access resources, cite, and organize sources.

Ebook FAQs

This guide will provide you with information on using AU Library ebooks, as well as links to e-book platform support pages and tutorials.

Google Scholar Research Guide

Use Google Scholar effectively through basic and advanced searching. Find out how to locate AU Library links through Google Scholar along with article citation ranking and more.

Interlibrary Loans

This guide goes over when to place an interlibrary loan request, how to go about requesting an interlibrary loan, and what to expect.

Internet Searching Research Guide

This guide teaches strategies for searching the Internet and provides a list of tools that can be used.

Limiting AUCAT Search Results To E-Books

When searching through our catalogue, you may wonder how to limit your results. Find answers through this short video.

Tips for Searching (Boolean Search Guide)

This guide provides the early steps for any search. Make sure you bookmark it!

ProQuest Research Guide

This guide will walk you through what ProQuest is and when and how to use it for your research. 

Evaluating your sources

Whether you are using scholarly sources, news pieces, or websites, you need to be aware of the bias these sources may have and be able to evaluate where they are getting their information.

Remember to:

  • Think critically about your results. Evaluate the quality of your sources and determine if they are relevant for your topic.
  • Repeat previous steps as needed to gather more information and fill in gaps.

AU Library's Guide to the Research Process: Evaluating Your Results

Learn how to evaluate the results of your searches to determine if they are reliable and appropriate for your project.

Internet Searching: Evaluating Web Information

This page provides criteria and strategies for thinking critically about and fact-checking the information you find online.

Peer-Review Research Guide

In this guide we explain what peer-review is, how to find peer-reviewed articles, how to check if an article is peer-reviewed, and how books fit in.

Primary Sources: Primary Research, Primary Documents

In this course, we’ll talk about what primary sources are and how to find them in history and science courses. We will also talk about they they interact with peer-reviewing.

Wikipedia Research Guide

One can begin with Wikipedia but do not stop there! Learn how to use WIkipedia to start your research and to evaluate article quality.

Writing, citing, and scholarly communications

Throughout your academic and professional career, it’s important to use information ethically and to cite your sources! You can also share your work with others in a variety of channels, including academic journals, conferences, and in class. Below are guides to help you cite your sources and share your work.

Academic Integrity

For more information on plagiarism, please see AU's Academic Misconduct Policy and watch the Academic Integrity guide.

AU Library's Guide to Citation Style

This guide from AU Library provides information on APA, Chicago/Turabian, MLA, and many other citation styles.

Citation Management Tools: Mendeley and Zotero

This guide provides you with information about how to use the popular citation management tools Mendeley and Zotero.

Creative Commons and Open Resources Guide

This guide explains Creative Commons and open resources. It provides links to Creative Commons and open collections that may be useful when creating your assignments.

Open Access Resources

Open Access is a movement about free access to journals, ebooks, and repositories. This guide provides a list of selected open access sources and information about international open access initiatives.

Predatory Journals and Predatory Conferences

When publishing your article(s) be careful to do some checking before you give your work away. Beware, there are some publishers or conference organizers who can cause more damage than good to your reputation.

Writing Resources

The kind of writing you will do in your courses and programs at AU may vary by discipline. On this page you will find selected resources, offered by AU and beyond AU, to help you improve your writing.

Guides by subject area or topic

Subject guides

Here you can find research guides by discipline area. Generally there are suggested databases to search, journal titles to view, and unique concepts to learn in each.

Special topics

AU Library also provides guides on topics of interest to the AU community.

Anti-Racism Resources

This guide was prepared by AU Library during the Black Lives Matter protests. We aim to add resources as we find them that will be beneficial to anyone looking to educate themselves or learn more about the movement.

Freedom to Read Week Challenged Books

This guide provides information on Freedom to Read Week, and books in AU Catalog that have been challenged.

Pandemic Support Guide

Need support through the pandemic? This guide aims to help get you through self-isolation, having your kids at home, and keeping up with the news.

Open Education Guide

Open learning at Athabasca University: Learn about Open Access, Open Educational Resources, Open Data, and other Open resources

Literature reviews: How to

This course will not only clarify what a literature review is and teach you how to research and prepare, it will also deconstruct and elucidate the overall structure, from abstract to introduction, background to methodology, and results to discussion and conclusion.

Accessibility/Disability Resource Guide

This guide is intended to help bridge the gap between students with disabilities and accessibility. As well, this guide provides a basis for allies wishing to become more educated on relevant topics relating to disability.

Webinars

AU Librarians and staff offer live webinars on a regular basis, on a variety of topics including searching in the Library, media literacy, citation management, and more. Find our upcoming webinars on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

View recordings of past webinars and check out tutorial videos on AU Library’s YouTube channel. Videos include automatic subtitles that are edited after initial upload.To jump ahead to particular chapters on YouTube select "show more" in the description of each video.

Updated November 15, 2024 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)