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Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Learning Commons Services

The Franklin University Learning Commons offers a number of services free to students, including:

  • Grammarly
    • As a Franklin student, you can access Grammarly for free! You'll need to create an account using your Franklin credentials. 
  • Online Writing Review
    • Finished that paper? Submit it to the online writing review to check for grammar and APA accuracy (and more!). 
      • Pro Tip: The Online Writing Review will return your paper, with edits, in 24-48 hours, so don't submit something at the last minute! 
  • Research Coaching Appointments
    • Meet with a Franklin librarian one-on-one to get help finding resources, refining your research efforts, and or using library resources. Appointments are held via Zoom, and last one hour each. 
      • Pro Tip: Weekend hours are available! Saturday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST. 
  • Tutoring Appointments
    • Meet one-on-one with a tutor for help on a specific subject. Appointments can be in person or online, depending on the tutor's schedule.  
  • Workshops
    • The Learning Commons offers workshops for specific courses each semester. Workshops are a great way to learn some quick tips and tricks for researching for a specific course. View the workshop schedule to see what is currently offered. 

Research Guides

The Franklin Library team has created a number of research guides that you may find helpful. Below is a brief list of research guides that you may find helpful as you complete your MPA courses and assignments. A complete list of the library's resource guides can be found by clicking on "Research Guides" from the library's main page


  • APA Citation Style
    • Provides guidelines and examples on citing resources in APA format. 
      • Pro Tip: this guide kindly includes a direct link to The Concise APA Handbook: 7th edition (eBook), which can be easily searched for specific examples using the "search within this book" box. 

  • Evaluating Resources
    • Provides tips on determining what type of article you have (scholarly, trade, etc.). Also provides tips and examples on evaluating the quality and bias of any given article, as well as tips on how to read and understand scholarly articles. 
  • Google(ology)
    • Provides tips and tricks on using Google Scholar. 
  • How to search the library
    • Provides search strategies when researching through the Franklin University Library. 
  • LibKey
    • Provides information on how to download and use LibKey, a browser plug-in (free through Franklin University). LibKey will highlight articles/resources found when searching on Google Scholar that can be accessed for free through Franklin University.
      • Pro Tip: LibKey is highly recommended for students who search on Google Scholar. 
  • Literature Review
    • Defines and gives examples of literature reviews. 
  • RefWorks
    • Provides information on creating and using a RefWorks account (free through Franklin University). RefWorks is an online tool that helps you save and organize articles. RefWorks can also help create bibliographies and APA citations. 
      • Pro Tip: double check any and all citations you create through RefWorks! They're not always 100% correct. Save yourself points and double check! 
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