Research Help
Find everything you need here to help you with the research process. Discover why booking a research consultation is one of the best things you can do before you begin the paper that’s worth 50 per cent of your grade. And explore Innis librarian Kate Johnson’s Top Tips to make the research process practically painless, as well as advice on using a citation manager.
Research consultations
What a research consultation can do for you
- Find better sources – and more of them – than you might have discovered on your own – and with less time and effort
- Learn about how to conduct better overall searches
- Discover how the Innis College Library – and U of T Libraries – can help you to improve your papers, and maybe your marks!
- Learn more about how to navigate library resources, spaces, and services
A research consultation can also assist you with literature reviews/annotated bibliography support, helping you to identify the right search tools and sources, as well as focusing and evaluating your analysis.
You can also book a consultation if you need help with citation support. Innis librarian Kate Johnson will assist you in selecting citation styles and citation tools (e.g., web-based or citation management software).
Depending on your needs, your session could be up one hour long and take place in person or online.
Citation managers
What is a citation manager, and why do I need one?
When you write an academic paper, it’s important to cite your sources to show how your argument or thesis is developed and supported. Citation management software helps you to build your own personalized research database – great for organizing your citations and keeping research and references easily accessible.
You can collect information such as books, articles, webpages, videos, and more – including the author, title, publisher, date, format, etc. – in a citation style that you specify and that easily formats in-text citations or bibliographies.
Which citation manager should I use?
There are several free managers to choose from, including Zotero, EndNote, and ProQuest RefWorks.
Best citation managers for Cinema Studies Institute topics
U of T recommends several citation managers for film-genre research.
Kate the librarian’s top research tips
1. Get started with the right guide
Not sure how to get started on general library research, or course-specific research? Check out the list of our Innis College Library Getting Started PDF guides.
1. Learn about course reserves
Check U of T’s course reserves system for online and print resources to support your course work.
2. Learn how Boolean operators can narrow your search
Improve online searches with Boolean operators (quotation marks, asterisk, AND, OR, NOT). For example, if you search media AND violence, only results that contain both media and violence will appear.
3. Book an online research consultation
4. Manage your work with an Assignment Calculator
Break down your assignments into manageable steps, find useful resources, and get reminders of due dates with this handy Assignment Calculator.
4. Hone your library research skills at your own pace
Explore U of T Library’s six online research skills modules, covering everything from search tools and techniques to evaluating sources.
5. Use the U of T Scan and Deliver service
Need a print journal article scanned? We can do that, and deliver it to your inbox! Learn more about Scan and Deliver.
6. Discover curbside pick-up
Select borrowed materials can be picked up from various U of T libraries. Learn more about UTL Curbside Pickup Service. Innis College Library is providing retrieval service for items from our Stacks Location and Writing & Rhetoric Collection, with pick-up at Robarts Library.
More helpful research resources
Explore U of T’s library network
Find more course-specific research guides, phone and email help, and info on booking a research consultation through the U of T Libraries system.
Two minutes to better research
Develop your search skills by watching U of T Libraries’ “How To…” (in two minutes or less) YouTube videos that include tips and tricks for finding e-books and e-journal articles.
Ask a question in real time
Want to chat online from anywhere with a librarian? Have a question about a research topic, an article, or a library service? Ask Chat can help.