5 Free Tools to Make Your Research Easier

Posted November 9, 2026 in JMU Libraries News

1. Research Guides

Kickstart your next scholarly project with one of our Research Guides! These pages on the Libraries website can help you find key databases, tools, and other resources for research on a specific subject. They are created by our liaison librarians – subject-matter research experts who are available to meet with students and faculty! Watch this brief tutorial video to learn more: 

2. AI Tools for Research

While it’s important to understand generative AI before using it for research, there are tools specifically designed for research that incorporate generative AI. JMU Libraries provides institutional access to Scopus AI and Consensus for those interested in literature searching. Learn more in our AI Tools for Research guide.

3. Our Citing Sources Guide

For students who are new to citing sources, our Citing Sources Guide provides the information needed to get comfortable with citing in APA, Chicago, MLA, and more.

4. Zotero

Zotero is a free, easy tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and collaborate on research. Zotero connects easily with Microsoft Word and Google Docs so you can insert citations directly in your text and automatically generate a list of references. Download Zotero or create an account on their website to get started.

5. The LibKey Nomad extension

Tired of hitting paywalls for articles you get for free through JMU? LibKey Nomad is a handy browser extension (for Chrome, Safari, etc.)! Whenever you try to open a scholarly article online, it pops up a link to the best version available through JMU. Here is a short video that shows how it works. Once you download the LibKey Nomad extension, you’ll wonder how you ever did research without it!

Questions?

Ask the Library! We’re here to help.