Below you'll find video, text, and do-it-yourself tutorials! If you're interested in customizations or have any questions about the materials, feel free to contact us!
Get Started
Learn the library basics by watching these short videos!
Website Tour VideoVideo: Learn some of the basics of what our library home page has to offer including search options, resources, and ways to contact us
Start Searching with MavScholar VideoVideo: MavScholar is a simple way to search for articles and books at the same time, across all subjects. This short video shows how to use the research tool.
MavScholar Search Tips VideoVideo: Quickly learn how to use MavScholar's search features to limit your search peer-reviewed articles, books, current information and more
Understanding Research Concepts
Apply strategies to resolve information challenges
Interactive Tutorials
Is this Fake News?This tutorial will help you discover what fake news looks like and how to discern it.
Beyond Fake News: Identifying Problems within Evolving TechnologiesInteractive DIY Tutorial: This tutorial collection will help you gain an understanding of the complexity of "fake news." Each module will help you understand problems related to fake news and other types of misinformation.
Confirmation Bias 2.0Interactive DIY Tutorial: This tutorial will make you aware of and help you discern your own confirmation biases.
Academic Writer (APA)This link opens in a new windowA tool used to improve writing skills while writing in APA Style as well as a robust digital library of interactive lessons & samples, a suite of formatting tools, and resources to check your paper.
Some sections of Academic Writer require you to create a free Academic Writer account even after logging in with your StarID. Use the links below to view resources without an Academic Writer account or to go directly to sections that save your work using the free account.
Saving lesson progress and viewing earned certificates
Videos
Evaluating Web ResourcesVideo: This video helps you determine if a website is reliable and whether the source is appropriate for assignments.
Identifying Scholarly InformationVideo: This video explains what makes a source “scholarly,” how these sources differ from more popular information, and how to identify scholarly characteristics.
Narrowing Your Research TopicVideo: This tutorial offers an overview of how to narrow a topic when researching. The video offers a few examples of how to find subtopics, including limiting sources and focusing on different aspects of a topic. We use the MavScholar database and the topic of E-cigarettes as an example.
Supporting Your Topic with Scholarly SourcesVideo: This tutorial is designed to help students deal with difficult and specific research. Namely, we will be looking at how to work those specific articles into a basic research project, even when the article doesn’t entirely match your topic.
Using Library DatabasesVideo: In this video students will learn about library databases, how they are different from Google, and how to access the complete contents of fee-based information.
Reading Scholarly Articles for ResearchActivity or Assignment: Use this tutorial to understand and describe a scholarly article of your choice. You can email your answers at the end of the tutorial.
Videos
An Overview of ArticlesVideo: This video introduces students to what an article is and where it’s found, also the different types of articles available for research.
Finding Articles by TopicVideo: This tutorial will help students search for articles on various topics through MSU’s MavScholar and various article databases.
Using Google ScholarVideo: This video helps students learn Google Scholar’s search features and how to access fee-based information by connecting Scholar to MSU’s library services.
Reading Scholarly ArticlesVideo: This video discusses why scholarly articles are so difficult to read and provides students with tips for to approach reading scholarly articles.
Requesting an Interlibrary LoanVideo: This video will walk you through the process of requesting materials from other libraries through our Interlibrary Loan service. You’ll learn how to request items on the Library Services website, and learn how and when to return materials.
Renewing Books & Other MaterialsThis video will show you how to access your “My Library Account,” and renew materials online through the Library Services Website.
Find Books or eBooks
Search for, check out & renew books and other library items
Interactive Tutorials
Finding Books and eBooksInteractive DIY Tutorial: This tutorial will help users find books and ebooks.
Searching for Books in Memorial LibraryVideo: Books are an important resource for any project. This tutorial will help you use the Library's website to search for books, access ebooks, and explain the information on the website.
Finding Books in Memorial Library: Step 2Video: Locate and check out books from Memorial Library at Minnesota State University, Mankato using the call number and location information from the previous video.
Renewing Books & Other MaterialsVideo: This video will show you how to access your “My Library Account,” and renew materials online through the Library Services Website.
Requesting an Interlibrary LoanVideo: This video will walk you through the process of requesting materials from other libraries through our Interlibrary Loan service. You’ll learn how to request items on the Library Services website, and learn how and when to return materials.
For Online & Extended Campus Students
Watch these videos show you how to access library resources off-campus
Library Services for Online & Off-Campus Users VideoVideo: This video is intended to help our online and off-campus users at Minnesota State University, Mankato access library resources. See also our Online & Off-Campus User guide. NOTE: not all video links appear when viewed on mobile devices
Citing Sources
Cite sources to appropriately communicate ideas
Interactive Tutorials
Avoiding Plagiarism TutorialUsing text and interactive questions, learn to define and identify plagiarism. You can download or print a certificate of completion at the end.
APA 7th Ed.: Formatting TutorialLearn how to format your APA style paper. Create a free Academic Writer account and earn a certificate after viewing the information.
APA 7th Ed. In-Text Citation Interactive TutorialLearn how to cite within the body of your APA style paper. Create a free Academic Writer account and earn a certificate after viewing the information.
APA 7th Ed: Reference List TutorialLearn how create a reference list in your APA style paper. See also Reference Elements to learn how to create individual APA citations. Create a free Academic Writer account and earn a certificate after viewing the information.
Videos
What is a Citation & Why do we Cite?Video: Citations are an important aspect of research. This video will briefly cover what a citation is, when it’s used, and why we use it.