#howdoi | Research Resources
The Humanities Institute is dedicated to facilitating and encouraging scholars in the humanities and arts to getting research done. Humanities research and projects are often complicated because they involve interacting with data/information and human participants to conduct studies.
HI offers two humanities-focused features to help with doing research:
- The #howdoi series, which interviews humanities scholars and experts who have experience conducting research to learn of their strategies and approaches; and
- Research Resources, which collects useful tools used at different levels of research experience (undergraduate students, grad students, and faculty) in one place.
Research Resource Tools:
For Faculty Members: Faculty members can access various research tools to support their work. These resources include specialized databases, academic journals, and citation management software. Faculty can also benefit from grant writing assistance, collaborative research communication tools, and institutional repositories for publishing their work.
For Graduate Students: Graduate students can access research tools that aid their thesis and dissertation work. These include access to academic databases, e-journals, digital libraries, and dedicated study spaces. Graduate students can utilize reference management software and online databases. Workshops and training sessions on research methodologies, data analysis, and academic writing are also available.
For Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students can explore a variety of research tools to assist with their coursework and independent projects. These resources include access to online databases and e-books. They can attend research skills workshops and seek guidance from librarians and academic advisors.
- FACULTY RESEARCH TOOLS
- GRADUATE STUDENT RESOURCE TOOLS
- UNDERGRADATE RESEARCH TOOLS
- Tab Option 4
- Tab Option 5
Please find a list of research resources categorized by type, primarily aimed at faculty. Note that these resources are available to everyone, not just faculty. If you have used any tools not listed here, please email us at HI@humanitiesinstitute.utexas.edu to have them included.
Type of Resource | Discipline | Name | Description | URL | Notes |
Citation Organization | Various | Zotero | Citation manager and generator, available through UT libraries | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/c.php?g=539686&p=3694904 | Link leads to other UT Libraries recommended citation managers, including Zotero |
Communications | Various | Slack | Team communication app with possibility for multiple group channels, private channels for faculty and graduate students, and more | https://slack.com/ | Also potential subscription; free account allows access to only one channel |
Communications | Various | Microsoft Teams | UT Office 365 messaging system | https://office365.austin.utexas.edu/ | Not all graduate or undergraduate students will necessarily have an Outlook account set up |
Communications | Various | Discord | Encrypted messaging system with multichannel communications abilities | https://discord.com/ | Students, especially undergraduates, may already have a personal discord for other interests and hobbies. |
External Comms | Various | Mailchimp | External mailing list database and circulator | https://mailchimp.com/ | Starting subscription rate of $20/mo for a 500-person mailing list |
Project Management | Various | Asana | Multiuse team management tool, with scheduling, to-do lists, etc | https://asana.com/ | Best for small teams -- does require subscription starting at $10.99/mo |
Project Management | Various | Trello | Project development and timeline tool, with unique "boards" for sharing and coworking | https://trello.com/home | Free accounts available, premium account ($10/mo) features admin capabilities |
Project Management | Various | Smartsheet | Data-driven team workflow site, with image, guideline, and group tracking software | https://www.smartsheet.com/ | Subscription billed per user, starting at $9/mo (but billed annually) |
Scheduling | Various | When2Meet | Free website to gather possible group or one-on-one availability | https://www.when2meet.com/ | Not necessarily mobile device-friendly |
Scheduling | Various | Google Calendar | UT Gmail linked service, able to send invites and keep track of RSVPs to events and meetings | https://calendar.google.com/ | |
Scheduling | Various | Microsoft Calendar | Share availability and regular schedule, such as office hours and recurring team meetings | https://office365.austin.utexas.edu/ | Not all graduate or undergraduate students will necessarily have an Outlook account set up |
Please find a list of research resources categorized by type, primarily aimed at graduate students. Note that these resources are available to everyone, not just graduate students. If you have used any tools not listed here, please email us at HI@humanitiesinstitute.utexas.edu to have them included.
Type of Resource | Discipline | Name | Description | URL |
Archival Work | Literatures (various) | Newberry Library Paleography | The Newberry Library in Chicago, IL hosts various paleography workshops on classical and modern languages | https://www.newberry.org/research/research-centers/renaissance-studies/paleography |
Archival Work | Various | Measuring Worth | Online currency exchange calculator, for relative purchasing power across centuries | https://www.measuringworth.com/ |
Facility | Various | ADV Podcasting Room | Reservable space for podcast projects and other audio work | https://moody.utexas.edu/about/facilities/room/dmc-4206a-adv-podcasting-room |
Facility | various | Graduate Landing Spot | Private rooms and kitchenette available to graduate students in the PCL | https://www.lib.utexas.edu/study-spaces-technology/spaces/graduate-landing-spot |
Online Database | Various | MLA Directory of Periodicals | Database of scholarly journals including regularly updated editorial board info and number of articles accepted | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/db/249 |
Online Database | Various | Humanities Journal Wiki | Community-led database of active scholarly journals, with self-reported experiences in publishing | https://humanitiesjournals.fandom.com/wiki/Humanities_Journals_Wiki |
Professional Community | Literatures (various) | Modern Language Association | Flagship Literary Association, with a major annual onference -- membership includes an updated MLA citation guide | https://www.mla.org/ |
Professional Community | Literatures, English (early modern) | Shakespeare Association of America | Primary Shakespearean professional organization, with an annual conference primarily featuring seminars and workshops | https://shakespeareassociation.org/ |
Professional Community | Literatures, 19th c. | Nineteenth-Century Studies Association | Multidisciplinary academic society focused on the long 19th-century | https://ncsaweb.net/ |
Professional Community | Literatures, English (early modern) | Folger Shakespeare Library Scholarly Programs | Scholarly programming of various lengths to support archival research, dissertation writing, and academic publishing | https://www.folger.edu/research/the-folger-institute/scholarly-programs/current-and-upcoming-folger-institute-scholarly-programs/ |
Professional Community | Rhetoric and Writing | Rhetoric Society of America | Professional organization hosting annual conference and graduate workshops | https://rhetoricsociety.org/conferences/ |
Transcription service | Various | Otter.AI | Transcribe zoom meetings and other audio into text/script | https://otter.ai/ |
Please find a list of research resources categorized by type, primarily aimed at undergraduate students. Note that these resources are available to everyone, not just undergraduate students. If you have used any tools not listed here, please email us at HI@humanitiesinstitute.utexas.edu to have them included.
Type of Resource | Discipline | Name | Description | URL |
Center | Various | Office of Undergraduate Research | Research advising and support office, offering presentation workshops, funding/fellowship search programing, and more | https://undergradcollege.utexas.edu/our/ |
Center | Various | Texas Global | Advising on study and research abroad opportunities | https://global.utexas.edu/abroad/programs/research |
Citation Guide | Various | Purdue OWL | Online resource with descriptions and guides to create citations in MLA, Chicago Manual, APA | https://owl.purdue.edu/ |
Consultation | Various | University Writing Center | Campus resource offering in-person and online writing consultations across styles and forms, as well as classroom presentations and workshops | https://uwc.utexas.edu/ |
Online Database | Various | MLA International Bibliography | A multidisciplinary search engine for locating scholarly articles, books, and more | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/db/250 |
Online Database | English, early modern | Early English Books Online | Digitized versions of early printed books, taken and adapted from microfilm | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/db/119 |
Online Database | English, early modern | BBC Shakespeare Plays | Online access to recorded versions of all of Shakespeare's plays | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/db/686 |
Online Database | Theater/Performance Studies | Broadway on Demand collection | Online access to recorded Broadway productions | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/brod |
Online Database | Art (various) | Blanton Collections Database | Online database of current holdings at Blanton Museum | https://blanton.emuseum.com/collections |
Online Database | Film Studies | Screen Studies: Global Film and Media Collection | Online database of international film and television | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/db/gfm |
Research Guide | Various | UT Libraries Subject Guides | Curated resource lists for various disciplines, with links to journals, citation guides, physical and digital archives, etc. | https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/ |
Research Organization | Various | Council on Undergraduate Research | Professional organization providing support to undergraduates and faculty, with guides on thesis writing, conferences, and more | https://www.cur.org/membership-community/divisions/arts-humanities-division/ |
Special Collections | Various | Harry Ransom Center | UT's special collections library, with its own research guides and digital archives including an online orientation video | https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/ |