Research 101

Your starter-kit for college-level research at Kennedy Library. Advance your research skills with the self-guided tutorials and videos below.

Research 101 Tutorial

Research 101 Tutorial
Do you have a research assignment and don’t know where to start? The Research 101 Tutorial will take you through the steps of the research process in three self-guided lessons: Begin Research, Understand Information Sources, and Find Sources. There are 10 Knowledge Check Questions for you to test your own understanding. You have unlimited attempts to answer. At the end of the tutorial you can print out the results to share with your Instructor. (Latest tutorial update: September 2019)

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Use the menu on the left side to navigate freely within the tutorial. There are ten Knowledge Check questions throughout the tutorial for your own self-assessment. If you need to re-try the questions after finishing the tutorial, restarting the tutorial won't reset the questions. Please clear your browser cache to do so. Any problems? Email kbussert@calpoly.edu for assistance.

NOTE: If you need to re-try the questions after finishing the tutorial, restarting the tutorial won't reset the questions. Please clear your browser cache to do so. More information about "getting credit" for completing the tutorial.

Canvas Module: "Starting Your Research: Ethics, Information Sources, and Evaluation"

In this all-inclusive module, you'll find pages that cover a wide variety of topics related to doing research in Kennedy Library, from the ethics of research to the nuts and bolts of searching and citing, to accessing library resources virtually and more.

For Instructors - Upload from Canvas Commons

Starting Your Research: Ethics, Information Sources, and Evaluation
For instructors, feel free to use any or all of this module in your own Canvas shells. We have published these pages to the Canvas Commons, for your use. NOTE: If this link doesn't work, go to the Canvas Commons and do a search for the module.

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What's the difference with the Research 101 Tutorial? The Research 101 Tutorial covers the search process in-depth, while the Canvas Module emphasizes research ethics and the evaluation of information sources.

For Students - Self-Enroll

Self-enroll in the Course
If the module is not available through one of your courses, you can view the module by self-enrolling in the course, "Kennedy Library Research Modules."

Library Research Workshops - Registration

Kennedy Library's Research Workshops are live, synchronous Zoom workshops designed for students taking GE Area A: Communication Courses (English 134, 145, 149, and COMS 101, 102, 145). Students will learn how to search Kennedy Library’s databases strategically, ask questions, and hone their research skills by completing an in-class activity where they find and evaluate an information source on their chosen topic.

We also offer workshops on Finding & Using Images and Introduction to Data Visualization. These are scheduled by your professors during specific weeks of the quarter.

Workshop Calendar & Registration
Workshops are offered on set dates and times throughout the Fall quarter. Sign-up for the desired workshop on our instruction calendar. After signing up for a workshop, you will receive the Zoom meeting link.