News & Events

New Year, New Research

Advancements are happening all the time. Researchers, scholars, and thinkers are always creating, finding, and sharing new things. The constant churn of new information can be overwhelming. Between news reports, academic advances, scholarly articles, and social commentary there is always something to consider.

You don't need to keep up with everything, but it can be valuable to be aware of the latest changes and advances in your field. 

Here are some recommendations for keeping current with the latest research:

• Follow Key Journals - In every field of study, there are a few key journals. You can subscribe directly to to these titles or access many of them through the library (for free!). Many of these journals can alert you when a new issue is published (or you can bookmark their website). When a new release comes out, skim the title of contents and see what jumps out at you. And definitely read the items you find interesting.
• Bookmark Websites - Create a folder in your preferred browser and bookmark the important websites in your field. These can be organizations, associations, institutions, or any other place or group that does work in your area of interest. Most of these websites have email newsletters or blogs you can follow to stay up-to-date.
• Email Alerts - On top of the email alerts from journals and websites, you can set up news alerts from certain websites like Google. Just add in the key terms you're interested, set your schedule, and watch the news come to you. 
• Social Media - Follow key scholars, organizations, and journals in your chosen field. X is great for this but you can also try Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram. Generally hot off the presses information makes it through social media quickly. Social media is also fantastic for following conference hashtags. 
• Newsletters - It seems like everyone has a newsletter these days. That can work in your favor. Find the key researchers and writers in your field (a quick Google search can help) and sign up! 
• Attend Conferences, Webinars, and Workshops - Scholars and researchers like to share. These live events (often with recordings) can offer great access to the latest developments in a field. Since the pandemic, virtual conferences and learning opportunities are even more prevalent. You can often find session recordings on YouTube or Vimeo.

Not sure where to start? The library can help! Our research guides (we have one for every program at UDC) have already curated some places and materials for you to look at.