Tutorials & Tipsheets

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1. Tutorials

   1. How to Do Research

      • For a complete set of tutorials on how to do research from the Mundt Library, use these videos. Written for DSU students, the video tutorials explain basic concepts and provide instructions for using information services and databases to search for information on the Mundt Library web site.

      • For suggestions about which research databases to use for your research, use the links on the Library homepage for "Where do I start?" and "Research Databases by Subject", and/or use the "Course & Subject Research Guides" dropdown menu near the top of the home page (and this page).

      • To begin searching immediately in a specific database, use the direct links to research databases listed alphabetically in the "Database Quicklinks" dropdown menu near the top of the Library Homepage.

      • If your questions are still unanswered, Ask a Librarian for assistance.

   2. Software training tutorials

      The lock symbol indicates that access is restricted to students, faculty and staff of Dakota State University (that is, when off-campus, you will need to use your DSU library ID and password for login).

      • Lynda.com
        Location: Lynda
        Access: Limited to five (5) concurrent DSU users.
        Description: lynda.com provides web-based software training. The Online Training Library® courses include video tutorials on such subjects as Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Office, digital photography, Web design, digital video, and many others.

2. Research Guides for Courses and Subjects

   1. List of All Research Guides

      • Browse a list of the Library's research guides, browse guides by subject or tag, or search by subject: Mundt Library Research Guides
        The guides provide resources and advice for finding and evaluating material for specific subjects and specific courses.

3. Tipsheets

   1. Citing Sources

      • Citing Electronic and Print Documents: Some Helpful Resources -- provides links to style sheets for the MLA (Modern Language Association) citation style, the APA (American Psychological Association) citation style, for citing legal documents, and more.

      • EndNote Web & EndNote Desktop -- provides instructions for using EndNote Web and EndNote desktop

   2. Copyright

      • Copyright Basics for Educators -- provides tools to help educators, information about copyright, and links to other copyright information sources.

   3. EndNoteWeb

      • EndNote Web and EndNote Desktop instructions

   4. Evaluating Information

      • Evaluating Information Sources -- describes criteria for evaluating the quality of the information sources you find during research.

      • Evaluating Magazines and Journals -- describes criteria for deciding whether a periodical is popular, substantial news/general interest, technical/trade, or scholarly.

   5. Online Search Techniques

      • Brief Guide to Search Techniques -- these search tips work in most library databases. See "Search Techniques Summary Table" below for exceptions.

        1. Use quotation marks (“ ”) to search for exact phrases (that is, two words must be side-by-side in the article):
           "missouri river"

        2. To find articles in which the words appear but do not have to be side-by-side, connect the words with AND:
           darwin and evolution

        3. The asterisk (*) is used for right-hand truncation to get multiple word endings. For example, to retrieve articles with the words educate, educates, educator, educators, education, educational, type:
           educat*

      • Search Techniques for Research Databases -- defines and gives examples of the search techniques

      • Search Techniques Summary Table -- summary table of which techniques are used in each information service (database) accessible via the Mundt Library.

   6. Process for Solving Information Problems

      • Information Seeking in a Nutshell -- provides a brief overview of the process for solving information problems

      • Resource Tip Sheet -- offers a table listing common information needs, suggested resources to find the information, and videos describing how to use various library services/resources