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DIY Tutorials

Watch these videos at your own pace to learn more about library topics, research skills, and resources.

Library Basics

Discover why the Virtual Private Network (VPN) is important for your library research and where you can locate VPN download information.
Looking for a collaborative meeting space? Collaborative Work Rooms can be reserved through the EMS Room Reservation System. (2:23)
Welcome aboard! Discover how the UC Merced Library supports your academic success by joining us for this unexpected tour of the library.  Prepare for both likely and unlikely events as you begin...

Research Skills: Introductory

Discover how to use the Get It at UC button to access the full-text of articles or books whether immediately or through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). (2:59)
In this interactive tutorial, you will practice searching for information in the PubMed database. 
This tutorial series includes eight sections:Information Privilege & Accessing InformationUnderstanding the Information CycleDeveloping a Research QuestionFinding & Selecting...

Research Skills: Advanced

Learn how CREDO Reference can help you locate important background information on a variety of topics. (3:11)
Use an article's citations trails to find more information related to your research. Look for citation trails in Web of Science, Google Scholar, and UC Library Search.
Credo Reference is a collection of searchable online reference books including specialized encyclopedias.  This is an excellent resource for readable, background information.  This tutorial...

Resources & Tools

Through this tutorial you will learn how to access Sociological Abstracts to successfully limit results and access the full-text of articles and generate ASA citations.  
Learn how to use Zotero to organize your research, make citations in many styles, annotate, and use the plug-ins to connect Zotero directly to Microsoft Word and GoogleDocs. (50:00)Originally...
Google can be easy to use, but do you know how to take advantage of its search capabilities? This tutorial will teach you fundamental Google search strategies for academic and personal use.