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Library Tutorials: Tutorials

University Libraries tutorials about using library resources, evaluating information, plagiarism, and more. All tutorials and links on this guide open in a new tab / window.

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Types of tutorials: View Legend

  •     Applied Learning
  •     Interactive Guide
  •     Text-Based Guide
  •     Video-Based Guide
  •     Tutorial Series

Featured Resources

Featured Resources

Cite It Right!

Opening slide for Cite It Right.

This interactive tutorial guides learners through the process of citing scholarly articles for academic research. Learners can choose to practice using APA, Chicago, or MLA citation styles, with step-by-step guidance tailored to each format. Learners will discover how to identify the necessary citation elements, properly format references, and avoid common citation errors.

Jargon Blaster

Opening slide for Jargon Blaster in the style of an 8-bit video game.

In this interactive module, the user learns about library jargon by playing as the University's beloved mascot, Smokey. In the game, a villain has pixelated Knoxville's landmarks, and Smokey needs to work his way through an 8-bit version of the city, answering questions about library jargon to save the day.

Using the University Libraries: A Volunteer Experience

Explore the beta version of this tutorial, offering an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure demonstration of the many ways you can navigate the University Libraries' resources and services.
The tutorial will officially go live in Spring 2024. We value your input and welcome any feedback to enhance the learning experience.

Cite It Right!

This interactive tutorial guides learners through the process of citing scholarly articles for academic research. Learners can choose to practice using APA, Chicago, or MLA citation styles, with step-by-step guidance tailored to each format. Learners will discover how to identify the necessary citation elements, properly format references, and avoid common citation errors.

Jargon Blaster

In this interactive module, the user learns about library jargon by playing as the University's beloved mascot, Smokey. In the game, a villain has pixelated Knoxville's landmarks, and Smokey needs to work his way through an 8-bit version of the city, answering questions about library jargon to save the day.

Using the University Libraries: A Volunteer Experience

This interactive, choose-your-own-adventure tutorial demonstrates the many ways users can navigate the University Libraries' resources and services. Throughout the tutorial, users are presented with options that guide their journey. The user can choose to (virtually) visit a specific branch library, online options, or a combination of both. The choices that are made will determine what library services or resources the user interacts with.

Research Basics

Tutorials in this category focus on learning and enhancing research skills.

These tutorials are listed based on our proposed research process. An Alphanumeric version of the Research Database list is also available.

Mind Map  

This video walks users through creating a basic mind map to find a topic for an assignment.


The Information Cycle  

This video looks at the timeline of information and how this can affect your ability to find scholarly sources.


General Search Tips and Strategies  

This guide provides tips and strategies for the research process. It includes keyboard shortcuts, search tips, and search strategies.


Finding Books and More  

This interactive guide will walk you through using the University Libraries' OneSearch to look for books and other materials.


Finding Articles  

This interactive guide will walk you through finding and accessing articles using the University Libraries' OneSearch and the database Academic Search Complete.


Primary Versus Secondary Sources  

This interactive module provides scenarios and explanations about how to differentiate between primary and secondary sources.


Evaluating Sources  

This tutorial has three sections that explore what makes a source reliable and how we know we can trust a source. Users can expect to grow critical thinking skills. You'll evaluate information and determine if it's trustworthy through various strategies.


Citing Your Sources and Creative Works  

This interactive module provides scenarios and explanations about how to cite sources.


Cite It Right!  

This interactive tutorial guides learners through the process of citing scholarly articles for academic research. Learners can choose to practice using APA, Chicago, or MLA citation styles, with step-by-step guidance tailored to each format. Learners will discover how to identify the necessary citation elements, properly format references, and avoid common citation errors.

 

Alphanumeric List

Click on the collapsible panel to open and close it.


 

Databases & Research Tools

Tutorials in this category will discuss accessing and using databases as well as other tools and apps that support the research process.

CINAHL    
(Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature)

This video series guides users through using the database CINAHL, which is a comprehensive database for the literature of nursing and provides extensive coverage of allied health.


Connecting Google Scholar and the University Libraries  

This video will walk you through connecting your University Libraries account and Google Scholar.


EndNote Basics    

This series of guides provides tips and strategies for using the citation management software EndNote.


ERIC    
(Educational Resources Information Center)

This video series guides users through using the database ERIC, which is a database for journal articles and documents in all areas of education.


JSTOR    

This video series guides users through using the database JSTOR, which includes selected scholarly journals and articles in humanities, social sciences, and sciences.


LibKey Nomad  

This video will walk you through connecting LibKey Nomad to your UT Library account, which will provide faster access to articles that use the software.


PowerNotes  

This video guides users through downloading and using the PowerNotes extension, which is an academic research tool.


PsycINFO    

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database PsycINFO, which is a database for journal articles, books, and dissertations in all areas of psychology.


PubMed    

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database PubMed, which is a database for biomedicine.


Scopus    

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database Scopus, which is a multidisciplinary database covering peer-reviewed literature in science, engineering, medicine, and social sciences (including some arts & humanities).


Visible Body    

This video series guides users through using the courseware Visible Body, which is a comprehensive 3D atlas of the human body.


Web of Science    

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database Web of Science, which is a multidisciplinary index covering journal articles and conference proceedings in sciences, social sciences, and humanities.


WorldCat    

This video series guides users through using the database WorldCat, which is a record of materials cataloged in libraries around the world.

 


 

About the University Libraries

Tutorials in this category contain information specific to the University Libraries.

Jargon Blaster  

In this interactive module, the user learns about library jargon by playing as the University's beloved mascot, Smokey. In the game, a villain has pixelated Knoxville's landmarks, and Smokey needs to work his way through an 8-bit version of the city, answering questions about library jargon to save the day. (A shorter, question-only version of Jargon Blaster Opens in a new window. is also available.)


Using the University Libraries: A Volunteer Experience  

This interactive, choose-your-own-adventure tutorial demonstrates the many ways users can navigate the University Libraries' resources and services. Throughout the tutorial, users are presented with options that guide their journey. The user can choose to (virtually) visit a specific branch library, online options, or a combination of both. The choices that are made will determine what library services or resources the user interacts with.


Connect Socially. Engage Anywhere.

Share in the UT Libraries experience - and stay up to date with current news and events - all on social media.

 


 

Additional Information

 

Submit a Tutorial Suggestion

Tutorial Suggestion Form Opens in a new window.

Use this form to suggest a tutorial or guide for the UTK University Libraries.

Please note - we will prioritize suggestions based on existing project requests and academic needs.


Report a Tutorial Issue

Report a Tutorial Issue Form Opens in a new window.

Help us keep our tutorials up to date and working correctly! If you find a link that is broken, incorrect information, a video missing captions, or anything else wrong in one of our tutorials, please let us know!


Instructors...

Want to add a tutorial to your Canvas course?

Review our instructions about Adding Resources to a Canvas Module. Opens in a new window.


UTK Librarians...

***New in this version of the Tutorial site - All of the tutorials have been created as widgets, which makes adding them to your own LibGuide a snap!***

Interested in adding a tutorial to your own LibGuide?

Learn about Mapping Tutorial Widgets in LibGuides. Opens in a new window.


Generative AI...

Special thanks to ChatGPT Opens in a new window. for providing valuable assistance in refining and structuring the learning objectives for several tutorials on this site.

 


 

Icon Legend

 

 Applied Learning

These tutorials walk users through a concept, such as information literacy. Users will answer questions based on the information along the way. They may have a variety of formats within them - including text, videos, animations, etc.

 Interactive Guide

These tutorials walk users through a process, such as using an app, database, or research tool. Users are asked to complete requested actions along the way. These guides may have a variety of formats within them - including text, videos, and questions.

 Text-Based Guide

These tutorials will be text-based, such as PDFs or web sites.

 Video-Based Guide

These tutorials are video-based. They may contain a series of videos or just one.

 Tutorial Series

Tutorials marked as "Tutorial Series" are broken into multiple parts.

Return to Top

 


 

Research Basics

Mind Map

This video walks users through creating a basic mind map to find a topic for an assignment.

The Information Cycle

This video looks at the timeline of information and how this can affect your ability to find scholarly sources.

General Search Tips and Strategies

This guide provides tips and strategies for the research process. It includes keyboard shortcuts, search tips, and search strategies.

Finding Books and More

This interactive guide will walk you through using the University Libraries' OneSearch to look for books and other materials.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Finding Articles

This interactive guide will walk you through finding and accessing articles using the University Libraries' OneSearch and the database Academic Search Complete.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Primary Versus Secondary Sources

This interactive module provides scenarios and explanations about how to differentiate between primary and secondary sources.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Evaluating Sources

This tutorial has three sections that explore what makes a source reliable and how we know we can trust a source. Users can expect to grow critical thinking skills. You'll evaluate information and determine if it's trustworthy through various strategies.

Citing Your Sources and Creative Works

This interactive module provides scenarios and explanations about how to cite sources.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Cite It Right!

This interactive tutorial guides learners through the process of citing scholarly articles for academic research. Learners can choose to practice using APA, Chicago, or MLA citation styles, with step-by-step guidance tailored to each format. Learners will discover how to identify the necessary citation elements, properly format references, and avoid common citation errors.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Databases & Research Tools

CINAHL

(Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
This video series guides users through using the database CINAHL, which is a comprehensive database for the literature of nursing and provides extensive coverage of allied health.

Connecting Google Scholar and the University Libraries

This video will walk you through connecting your University Libraries account and Google Scholar.

EndNote Basics

This series of guides provides tips and strategies for using the citation management software EndNote.

ERIC

This video series guides users through using the database ERIC, which is a database for journal articles and documents in all areas of education.

JSTOR

This video series guides users through using the database JSTOR, which includes selected scholarly journals and articles in humanities, social sciences, and sciences.

LibKey Nomad

This video will walk you through connecting LibKey Nomad to your UT Library account, which will provide faster access to articles that use the software.

PowerNotes

This video guides users through downloading and using the PowerNotes extension, which is an academic research tool.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

PsycINFO

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database PsycINFO, which is a database for journal articles, books, and dissertations in all areas of psychology.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

PubMed

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database PubMed, which is a database for biomedicine.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Scopus

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database Scopus, which is a multidisciplinary database covering peer-reviewed literature in science, engineering, medicine, and social sciences (including some arts & humanities).

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Visible Body

This video series guides users through using the courseware Visible Body, which is a comprehensive 3D atlas of the human body.

Web of Science

This interactive series of guides walks users through using the database Web of Science, which is a multidisciplinary index covering journal articles and conference proceedings in sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

WorldCat

This video series guides users through using the database WorldCat, which is a record of materials cataloged in libraries around the world.

About the University Libraries

Jargon Blaster

In this interactive module, the user learns about library jargon by playing as the University's beloved mascot, Smokey. In the game, a villain has pixelated Knoxville's landmarks, and Smokey needs to work his way through an 8-bit version of the city, answering questions about library jargon to save the day. (A shorter, question-only version of Jargon Blaster is also available.)

Tutorial works best on desktop/laptop or tablet.

Pendergrass Library CYOA

Choose Your Own Adventure Game
Please note, this tutorial will be retired at the end of 2023. After that time, the URL will redirect users to a re-envisioned version of the tutorial. Please update any links you have in your course content to the new version: https://tiny.utk.edu/using-university-libraries (Currently in beta testing)
This interactive guide works like a choose your own adventure game that shows you around Pendergrass Library.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Using the University Libraries CYOA

Choose Your Own Adventure Game
Please note, this tutorial will be retired at the end of 2023. After that time, the URL will redirect users to a re-envisioned version of the tutorial. Please update any links you have in your course content to the new version: https://tiny.utk.edu/using-university-libraries (Currently in beta testing)
This interactive guide works like a choose your own adventure game that shows you around Hodges Library.

This tutorial works best on a desktop/laptop or tablet.

Using the University Libraries: A Volunteer Experience *Beta Test

Explore the beta version of this tutorial, offering an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure demonstration of the many ways you can navigate the University Libraries' resources and services.

The tutorial will officially go live in Spring 2024. We value your input and welcome any feedback to enhance the learning experience.

Tutorial works best on desktop/laptop or tablet.