Music Education: Research Toolkit
Access and Browse Content
When embarking on a research project, there are several tools that can help you to access materials more easily and organize what you find.
Google Scholar
By linking Google Scholar to the University of Iowa library subscriptions, you are able to access full-text versions of articles, theses, books, journal articles, and more from the academic publishers and databases to which our libraries subscribe.
Should I use Google Scholar?
There are pros and cons for using Google Scholar to generate comprehensive research.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| You will generate a wide list of results. | Results are not subject to any review processes. |
| It's free to search. | Many results will be behind a paywall. |
| It's easy to use. | The initial search can be easy, but locating full-text can be labor-intensive.* |
Do NOT pay to access these articles or books. Instead, utilize the steps below to *link your Google Scholar searches to the University of Iowa Libraries. This will allow you to see what content generated from your searches is already available to you through the University of Iowa Libraries. If we do not have immediate access to an article or a book, you can use our Interlibrary Loan Request service to request a copy.
Browzine
Browzine is a free app that lets you stay on-top of latest research in your field. With your HawkID, you will be able to access thousands of journals provided by UI Libraries. The app makes it easy to scroll through articles and follow what is being published related to your studies, which particularly helpful ahead of thesis defense. There are Browzine links embedded in InfoHawk+ records for many journals.
LibKey Nomad
LibKey Nomad: Tired of logging into proxy servers while researching? The LibKey Nomad browser extension will take you directly to the PDF or full-text page so you can access information faster and determine if a source is relevant to your project much more efficiently! LibKey Nomad can also connect with Browzine for fast access to the most current research. Find out more at this library FAQ.
Organize Research
It's a good idea to keep track of your citations/sources while you're researching so it's easy to reference them in your paper and bibliography.
Most databases will have citation generators. ALWAYS PROOF what you get from a citation generator, as mistakes will creep in. One citation generator I really like is ZoteroBib, or Zbib. It's free, easy to use, and not all cluttered up with adds and pop-ups like other citation websites. For a basic college paper, it's a great places to stash citations and export them to a document. For a demo, see the video.
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ZoteroBibAdd a source, paste or type its URL, ISBN, DOI, PMID, arXiv ID, or title into the search box above to generate a citation in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and many other styles.
