Research Tools and Services Discovery

Get your SAT prep off to a great start with these study and test-taking strategies from Vince Kotchian, a test prep coach who has been helping prepare students for the SAT for the last eight years. In this course, he'll walk you through the best practices, as well as tips and tricks, for acing the SAT. He'll review the format and scoring of the test, show you how to write a great essay, review questions from the Math and Writing sections, and introduce strategies for tackling the Critical Reading section of the SAT.

Lynda.com is a powerful tool in the classroom. It can supplement teaching and allow students to explore concepts at their own pace. In corporate environments, it integrates seamlessly with many learning management systems. And with over 12,000 courses to choose from, you'll never run out of high-quality, up-to-date training material. In this course, Aaron Quigley and Matt Fishbach, members of Lynda.com's Education + Elearning team, cover the best practices for teaching with Lynda.com. Topics include maximizing teaching time by integrating Lynda.com with a flipped classroom, creating a culture of learning, and even holding students accountable. Plus, learn how to use playlists to organize and assign training, and integrate Lynda.com with the most popular AICC-compliant learning management systems.

Use the knowledge checks and Lynda.com's built-in note-taking tool to practice what you've learned and remember ideas for your own teaching practice.

Office 365 is a collection of online services and popular desktop applications, connected by powerful collaboration features. In this course, discover how to leverage these collaboration tools to maximize team productivity in Office 365 Business or Enterprise. Nick Brazzi kicks off the course by helping you understand Office 365 Groups and SharePoint. Next, he discusses several applications included in Office 365 that facilitate group communication. Nick covers co-authoring documents in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, working with shared calendars in Outlook, holding online meetings with Skype for Business, sharing files via OneDrive and SharePoint, collaborating with colleagues in Teams, and more.

Lynda.com is a PMI Registered Education Provider. This course qualifies for professional development units (PDUs). To view the activity and PDU details for this course, click here.

The PMI Registered Education Provider logo is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

When it comes to making money in songwriting, writing great songs is only part of the equation. In this course, author Garrick Chow introduces you to all of the major organizations, rights, and procedures that songwriters have to deal with in the music business. First, he'll start with understanding performance and mechanical rights, covering topics such as split letters, copyright, performance rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP and SESAC, SoundExchange, Harry Fox, master recording licenses, and synch licenses.

The second half of the course is geared toward the DIY musician. Garrick discusses ways to self-distribute and promote your music with TuneCore, CDBaby, Topspin, Bandcamp, and ReverbNation. Plus, learn the importance of websites, social promotion, and music placement, as well as making music videos, signing with a record label, and building a solid team.

"What if?" Erik Natzke, generative artist and principle designer at Adobe, uses this question to constantly test what is possible at the intersection of art and technology. In this Creative Spark, Erik explains his quest to build tools that improve people's ability to be creative—and to make them forget they're using a tool to begin with. By combining interactivity, remote collaboration, touch input, and gestures with the real-world behavior of paper, ink, and brushes, he hopes to build applications that lead to a more organic, playful, and inspiring creative experience.

Larry Crane is the recording engineer behind some of the most popular and critically acclaimed music of the last 20 years. But in the beginning of his career, no one was writing about the kind of music he wanted to make—low-budget, artfully made records. Founding Tape Op magazine and his own music studio allowed him to both produce these kinds of records and teach others about recording. In this Creative Spark, Larry retraces his self-taught, largely trial-and-error path in the music industry, and shares what he learned along the way.

Nowhere is data science more relevant than finance. Tracking the movement of money around the globe is one of the primary tasks for today's analysts. In this course, find out how algorithms, automation, big data applications, and machine learning are changing the nature of economics, banking, and finance. Data scientist and professor Barton Poulson provides a nontechnical overview of both the successful and problematic applications of data science to these fields. Learn how data science affects the way stocks are bought and sold, how loan applications are processed, and even how fraud is detected now that financial information is exchanged online at such a massive scale. Discover how social media influences economic trends, and why data scientists need to be especially careful to keep ethics in mind and false assumptions in check when dealing with financial data.

Marketing is changing right in front of our eyes, and that transformation is being led by data. Modern marketers have to understand data and analysis like never before, and be able to work with data scientists in multidisciplinary settings. Similarly, professionals with data science training need to learn how to maximize their contributions when working with marketing and sales specialists.

In this course, discover how to gain valuable insights from large data sets using specific languages and tools. Follow Chris DallaVilla as he walks through how to use R, Python, and Tableau to perform data modeling and assess performance. As Chris dives into these concepts, he shares specific case studies that come directly from his own work with clients. Plus, he shares three essential—and practical—best practices for data-driven marketing that you can use to bolster your organization's marketing performance.

Music, theater, dance, and film may not seem like data-driven businesses, but they can benefit from data science just as much as ecommerce or finance. Join data science professor, researcher, and consultant Barton Poulson as he explores the fascinating ways in which the media and entertainment industries around us are affected—and have been substantially changed—by ubiquitous data and the science of data and analytics.

This course is a nontechnical overview that helps creative organizations use the principles of data science in practical ways. It's required viewing for those working in media, but is also appealing to anyone interested in how technology affects the world around us. Learn how to use data science to assess your target audience, optimize pricing and scheduling for events and digital products, identify piracy, protect your intellectual property, reward employees, and maximize your ROI. Incorporating some simple analytics can lead to broader audiences and richer experiences for your next creative endeavor.

A passion for sports can turn an ordinarily math-averse individual into an amateur statistician, ready to back up their pick for best clutch hitter with hard data. If your fascination with sports has piqued an interest in data and statistics, getting a general understanding of data science can help you gain striking insights into your favorite players and teams. In this brief course, data scientist and professor Barton Poulson explores the profound ways in which data science affects the world of sports and sports management, as well as the larger effect it has on audiences and associated industries. And while the topics he dives into can be complex, Barton takes a nontechnical approach in this course, ensuring that sports fans of many technical backgrounds can glean insights from his instruction. He covers how the principles of data science can help with the measurement of athletic performance, as well as ticket pricing, coaching players, and more.

Music conferences are a great place for songwriters to build relationships, learn about industry trends, and find publishers for their songs. In this course, professional songwriter Cliff Goldmacher shares his insights on the best practices for getting the most out of attending a music conference. He covers four dos and four don'ts that will make sure you leave the conference with new ideas, new opportunities, and new contacts.

Follow along in the development of Bert Monroy's latest artwork, Amsterdam Mist! This course, the final volume in the series, focuses on the vehicles, boats, and many, many bicycles in this incredible painting, which was created over twenty-two painstaking months with Photoshop CC. Bert shows how to create cars with decorative hubcaps, transparent windshields, and realistic license plates; decommissioned boats, draped in tarps; and three different bicycle models, which he ended up using over four dozen times in the finished painting.

Jim Citrin tells stories about purposeful leaders, experiences, and insights he has observed in his career.

Follow along in the development of Bert Monroy's latest artwork, Amsterdam Mist! This course, the second volume in the series, focuses on the natural elements in this incredible painting, created over twenty-two painstaking months with Photoshop CC. Learn how Bert rendered the trees lining the canal—the branches, bark, and remaining leaves—as well as the reflections and ripples on the surface of the canal waters. Then see how he added a sense of depth and realism to the fog in the scene, with layers. Watch and learn how to apply these techniques to your own artwork.

PreViz, or previsualization, harnesses the power of visual preplanning in envisioning and designing products and workflows before prototyping begins. In industries as diverse as special effects, photography, and business modeling, leaders are using previsualization as a design-thinking tool to plan, build, and responsibly execute projects.

In this course, author and designer Dane Howard asks DesignworksUSA, a global design firm for the BMW Group, to share their insight and expertise in previsualizing successful design concepts. DesignworksUSA showcases previsualization in the context of automobile design and creation, including framing the creative conversation before the project starts, using previsualization to better manage development resources, and capturing the energy and essence of an automotive program.

In this installment of The Power of PreViz, Dane Howard explores video as a tool for telling a story about where your projects are going. By making concepts a reality early in the process, video can be used to identify key creative opportunities as well as potential trouble spots. Earlier he followed creative professionals at BMW and One & Co; here he investigates the process at Sandwich Video, and how previsualization helps founder Adam Lisagor make his incredible short films for innovative companies like eBay.

This course was created and produced by Dane Howard and Richard Koci Hernandez. We're honored to host this content in our library.

Welcome to New York! In his The Traveling Photographer series, David Hobby has traveled around the world in search of photographic opportunities, cultural variety, and interesting people. In this stop he visits New York, with a unique goal: to assemble a collection of themed, iconic images. It's a great project to undertake when visiting a place, especially one that you've already photographed. Along the way, David shares his usual array of tips for getting around, finding inexpensive food and lodging, and locating interesting photographic vantage points. You'll leave the course with a cookbook of curated photo experiences that will help you take iconic pictures of the Big Apple, and—a bonus in one of the most expensive cities in the world—they're practically all free.

Traveling is a time of discovery, shared experiences, and bonding with family and friends. Travel is also a time to experiment and grow as a photographer. In this course, the first in a series about traveling to major tourist destinations such as Hong Kong and Paris, photojournalist and Strobist.com founder David Hobby shows you how to photograph your journey like a professional, without dispelling any of the magic of the experience.

You'll learn to plan effectively, choose the right gear, interact with the people you meet, take photographs efficiently, and—most importantly—create the mental space and time to actually enjoy your journey. David visits some nearby interesting destinations, proving that a great travel experience is not always about a far-flung destination. Along the way, you'll learn how to "decode" any city as a true traveling photographer.

Ready to explore more exotic locales? Check out The Traveling Photographer: Hong Kong.

Time management is a valuable skill for professionals in any industry—but it's particularly crucial for marketers, who must make deadlines while grappling with campaign changes and other interruptions. In this course, join instructor Ian Lurie as he shares how marketers can better manage their time. Ian takes you through using a file and folder structure and breaking down your tasks to improve focus. He also shares popular techniques and software tools that can help you manage your workflow. Upon completing this course, you'll have a set of tools and techniques that can help you save time and work more efficiently.

Learn how to use the robust calendar and task management capabilities of Outlook for Mac 2016 to manage your work. Author Gini Courter explains how to use Outlook as a full-fledged time management system: for scheduling appointments, tracking and delegating tasks, and finding and organizing your high-priority items. She also shows how to schedule recurring meetings and tasks, and use flags to follow up on important items and quick to-dos. Plus, learn how to set Outlook preferences and options to support your work styles. With these tips and techniques, you'll spend less time planning your schedule, and more time working on what matters most.

Working from home is a wonderful opportunity, but time management can be a challenge. With so many demands on your time and attention, it's a tricky balancing act to stay productive. In this course, bestselling author and productivity expert Dave Crenshaw offers best practices for anyone who works full-time or occasionally from home. Dave begins by showing how to set up a dedicated workspace for maximum productivity, including tips on setting up your computer to ensure you stay focused. Then Dave walks through how to craft your daily schedule for peak productivity and plan meaningful breaks to avoid burnout. He explains how to collaborate with remote coworkers, including how to use virtual meetings productively. Finally, Dave offers advice for working parents and other caregivers who might be balancing professional and personal responsibilities in the home.

We increasingly pattern our work lives after our computers. But human beings are not meant to run at high speeds, continuously, for long periods of time. We're at our best when we move rhythmically between spending and renewing energy—a reality that companies must embrace to fuel sustainable engagement and high performance.

In this course, thought leader Tony Schwartz shares his tested and unique framework for fueling productivity through energy management. He explains how to tap into your potential by regularly renewing your four core energy needs: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. By learning how to more skillfully manage each dimension of energy, you can bolster your own productivity, and enhance your success as a manager by tapping into the true potential of your employees.

Lynda.com is a PMI Registered Education Provider. This course qualifies for professional development units (PDUs). To view the activity and PDU details for this course, click here.

The PMI Registered Education Provider logo is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

Got a room with a view? Make the most of it: set up your camera to shoot a time-lapse movie. It's a great way to capture the unfolding of time when you're on a vacation or business trip, or to capture the drama of passing storms on a rainy day.

In this course, Richard Harrington details the steps behind shooting great time-lapses from a window, including how to avoid window reflections and glare. The course also includes gear and file-format advice as well as tips for assembling the shots into a finished movie.

This course was created by RHED Pixel. We're honored to host this training in our library

While Gulp, Grunt, and Bower are great tools, Node.js offers an alternative for implementing build processes: npm and your package.json file. npm (node package manager) is all about creating custom scripts for common development and production tasks. You can write npm scripts to process and compress code, create services, minify images, and automate all sorts of build tasks. This course shows you how. Join Ray Villalobos as he walks through the advantages—and few disadvantages—of working with npm scripts and the steps for scripting different development and build tasks. Even if you don't use npm for your own processes, many Node.js packages come with npm scripts built in. This is a great course to help you understand how they work.

The tintype was one of the earliest forms of photography—but it's alive and well today. A passionate group of photographers has embraced tintypes and other historical processes for their unique look and for the sheer pleasure of engaging in handmade photography.

Photographer and educator Tim Grey visits with Geoffrey Berliner, a master of analog photography and the owner of what might be the world's largest collection of vintage lenses. Berlinger is the executive director of the Penumbra Foundation, a New York–based nonprofit that conducts workshops on numerous historical photo processes. Learn how modern tintype portraits are made at Penumbra Studios, using vintage cameras and lenses, fresh plates, and raw chemicals.