How to Explore Mindscape Content on Applied Science Commons

How to Explore Mindscape Content on Applied Science Commons

Learn how to explore Mindscape Commons content on the new Applied Science Commons platform.  See how to find immersive videos in mental health, counseling, and psychology; build custom lists; follow topics; and track new resources.

1. Get started by creating and logging into your User Account

Visit Applied Science Commons to begin exploring.

Because you’re already authenticated through your institution, you can start browsing content immediately, with no need to register for a User Account. But we encourage you to register.  With a User Account you have additional features such as saving searches, building custom lists, following topics and organizations, and tracking new resources.

Reminder: You’re not required to create a User Account in order to access Applied Science Commons. But logging into your User Account lets you build and share custom reading lists, follow topics, upload and publish research, and much more.

2. Search and discover new content 

Use the search bar to explore videos, simulations, interactive resources, and more.

Apply filters to narrow results by content type, topic, year, source, and other categories.

Click the gear icon to open the Advanced Search page, where you can build longer, more precise queries and access all filters in one place.

Advanced Search tips:

1. Boolean Operators – Use AND, OR, and NOT to combine or exclude terms for more precise results.
2. Proximity Searching – Use NEAR/n to find words that appear within n words of each other (e.g., mental NEAR/3 health).
   
3. Phrase Searching – Put quotation marks around "exact phrases" to find content containing those exact words.
   
4. Wildcard and Truncation – Use * to search for variations of a word (e.g., psych* finds psychology, psychiatric, psychologist).
5. Keyword-in-Context (KWIC) – In your search results, you'll see your search terms highlighted within the surrounding text. That lets you scan your results quickly.
   

Once you’ve crafted the perfect custom search, click Follow  to receive alert notifications each time a new result is added—ideal for systematic or literature reviews. 

3. Save items by creating custom Commons Lists 

Found a resource you want to keep handy? Click Add to List to bookmark it for easy access.

Organize and name your Commons Lists for a specific class, project, or topic—for example, "VR Counseling Simulations"—and decide if you want to share the list with other users (including colleagues and students). You can browse Lists that others have created, if they've made them public, and even follow those lists to be notified when new content is added to them.

Add anything you'd like to a List: Topics, Organizations, Publications, and more. 

Remember, Lists are dynamic. Users who follow your Lists will receive email alerts when you add new content. And every List has a permanent identifier (URL), so you can embed a List in course materials or share it on social media.

Tip: You can set your List’s visibility to make it public, limit it to your organization, or keep it private. Customize your settings by clicking Edit within the list.

4. Stay updated with alerts

Click Follow on a search, topic, or organization.  You can schedule to receive alerts when new content is added, specifying daily, weekly, or monthly.

You don't have to repeat the same searches to keep current. When you click Follow , you'll be notified instantly with the latest resources that match your search. 

Pro Tip: Following a Topic lets you receive alerts whenever any organization worldwide publishes new content related to that subject. It’s an easy way to stay informed about global research, developments, and resources without tracking each organization individually.

View and modify your Alerts anytime from the User Profile menu in the top right-hand corner. 

5. Explore and view VR experiences 

Explore your library of immersive VR experiences within Applied Science Commons.

Filter by "Publication Type" to view VR experiences in mental health and counseling.

Click View to launch the VR content, which displays through our VR partner Uptale. Select Launch Options in the top left corner of the new window to configure your viewing. You can watch the video either on your desktop or using a VR headset.

If you choose to use a headset, a new window will provide a unique access code and instructions for Mobile Cardboard HMD or Oculus 360 devices.

If you're not sure how to configure your VR viewing settings, we're here to help: support@coherentdigital.net.

Need help or have questions?

If you encounter any issues or have questions about using Applied Science Commons, our support team is here to help. For technical assistance, contact support@coherentdigital.net.

Schedule personalized training for faculty, students, or librarians to explore features, advanced searches, and VR content. Request a session here. 

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