Research

None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.

How this was put together

If you only read a few

Email the first or corresponding author of a paper to request a free copy.
Researchers are often willing and happy to share their work via email.
- Some researchers may be too busy to respond for weeks or never.
- Older authors might not check their email regularly.
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Search Google Scholar for a paper title and click 'All x versions' to look for links prefaced with '[PDF]' for direct free access.
Google Scholar has a feature that can tell you where to access the paper freely online.
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- Include 'filetype:pdf' in your Google search to find direct PDF links for academic papers.3
Use interlibrary loan via a local public or university library to borrow articles from other institutions.
Libraries can often retrieve articles from other libraries, typically digitally within 24 hours, at no cost and without copyright issues.
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Research counter-arguments to strengthen your own views rather than just trying to defeat the opponent.
Arguing helps strengthen views by forcing you to research your thoughts and their counter-arguments.
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Have younger children use Simple Wikipedia to make research projects more accessible.
It makes great topics easier to access for young students.
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Use the 'link' operator in Google search to find websites linking to a specific page.
It is useful for viewing discussions regarding that page.
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If an author does not respond to a request for a paper, send polite follow-up emails.
Emails can be seen while multitasking, forgotten, and buried.
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- If one author does not respond to an email request for a paper, try emailing another author listed on the paper.2
Treat online comments as data points to identify patterns and test theories, rather than absolute truths.
It allows you to research relevant experiences by noticing repeating findings.
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When emailing an author for a paper, explain why you want it and offer to share your conclusions afterward.
Explaining your interest and offering feedback can increase the chance of a positive reply; appealing to vanity may also help.
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Continue using your old university account for a period after graduation before it is deleted.
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