Information skills workshops for PhD students

Posted on October 25, 2022 by lucyd2020

The Library is here to help all postgraduate researchers with a series of information skills workshops which will take place on the 7th, 8th & 9th of November.

There are three workshops on offer, each lasting two hours:

Literature searching – Part 1: Getting started
Literature searching – Part 2: Using databases
Literature searching – Part 3: Managing references using RefWorks

Across the three workshops we will look at: planning a search, looking for books, using databases of academic literature, getting the best out of Google and managing references with RefWorks.

Please note that the session on RefWorks is not suitable for postgraduates in the School of Law.

For more information and to book a place on these sessions, please visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking and look for ‘Library Information Skills’ classes.

Did you know…? – Working on your thesis? Help is available

Posted on June 15, 2021 by elainefitzgerald

Here’s an outline of what help is available from the Library and IT Services for those of you working on your thesis.

Library help

Searching for theses in your subject area

You can access three large databases of theses through Primo:

Sign in to Primo
Click on the Find Databases tab
From the left-hand menu, click on the arrow next to All General Resources
Select Theses from the options below
Then click on each database for more information and to link out and search for relevant theses.

For further information and more theses databases, please see this guidance document created by Library staff.

University of Aberdeen theses are also available in the Digital Collections section of Primo. There are both Research and Taught Course theses.

Information Skills

Our Find it Fast! Wiki is packed with material to help with your information skills, from planning your search to referencing. There are specific sections for Taught Postgraduates and Postgraduate Researchers.

Live Q&A sessions for PGR students

Library staff will be running live Q&A sessions for PGR students next week on 21 & 24 June. Please do come along and our team will be happy to provide guidance and short demonstrations based on your needs. Sign up on the Course Booking site.

Remember we are here to support you throughout your studies, so please do get in touch (library@abdn.ac.uk) if you would like some help.

IT help

The IT Services Team have created the Working with Long Documents section on Toolkit, which has plenty of handy videos and guides to help you with creating and manipulating long documents in MS Word.

The IT Services Training and Documentation team are also running sessions on 16 June:

Part 1: Adding Style to Your Thesis, 11am-12pm
Part 2: The Power of Section Breaks, 2pm-3pm

You can sign up on the Course Booking pages. Even if the session is full, it is worth getting on the waiting list as you may still be able to attend.

Best of luck to all those of you working on your thesis!

What is Scholarly Communications? – online session in July

Posted on June 17, 2020 by eleni boro

What is Scholarly Communications?
Tuesday 7^th July 12:00 – 12:30

Jo_Office

Brought to you live from the home office! A short introduction to the Scholarly Communications Team in the Library. This session will give an overview of our services and provide information on how we can help you navigate the process of making your research open access.

Aimed at academic staff and postgraduate researchers (and any library staff that may be interested) the course will be delivered via Teams and is available on the course-booking system. To book a place, please visit: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking (select category ‘Library and Information Skills’).

For more information, please contact Joanna Adams: openaccess@abdn.ac.uk

Information Skills workshops for PhD researchers: now open for booking

Posted on October 4, 2019 by eleni boro

As you begin, or continue your PhD it is important that you feel confident that you are locating and managing all the literature and information you require to achieve your research aims.

The Library Service is here to support your research so we will be running a series of Information Skills Workshops starting at the end of October 2019. The workshops’ aim is to help you understand the resources available to you as researchers here at the University of Aberdeen, and how to get the best out of them. Read on for further information on the workshops.

29, 30 & 31 October
Literature searching – Part 1: Planning, Primo and Google

5, 6 & 7 November
Literature searching – Part 2: Databases

12, 13 & 14 November
Literature searching – Part 3: Managing References with RefWorks

Across the three parts, we will look at:

Planning your search
Looking for books: using Primo and E-books
Databases of academic literature
Getting the best out of Google
Managing your references with RefWorks
Formatting Word documents with in-text citations and bibliographies

Feedback from those who have previously attended these sessions has been positive and highlights how after attending, students felt better equipped to find and manage the materials they need for research. One quote from a previous attendee nicely sums up what we are aiming for with these sessions:

“I will definitely be searching smarter than before”

Our aim is that after you attend, you will also leave feeling this way.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The sessions focusing on the management of references is not suitable for research postgraduates in the School of Law, as the software used does not support the OSCOLA referencing style required for legal theses.

To find out more, and to book onto the different workshops please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking and look for Information Skills classes. Please note that we will be offering three sessions on each part, with the Tuesday & Thursday sessions lasting 2 hours and the Wednesday sessions lasting 3 hours.

In the meantime, do not forget that Library staff are always here to help with any information needs that you may have. Visit our website for further information on our services. We look forward to seeing you at the workshops!

Information Skills workshops for PhD researchers now open for booking

Posted on May 24, 2018 by eleni boro

The Library is here to help all postgraduate researchers as they begin, or continue their in-depth research with a short series of Information Skills workshops designed to their needs. With so much academic literature available through the University of Aberdeen, these workshops will give you the confidence and skills to locate and manage the materials you need.

The workshops will take place in the middle of June 2018 and will help you understand the resources available to you as researchers here at the University of Aberdeen, and how to get the best out of them.

There are three workshops on offer, each lasting two hours:

Literature searching – Part 1: Getting started
Literature searching – Part 2: Using databases
Literature searching – Part 3: Managing your references using RefWorks*

Across the three workshops we will look at:

Planning your search
Looking for books: using Primo and E-books
Databases of academic literature
Getting the best out of Google
Managing your references with RefWorks
Formatting Word documents with in-text citations and bibliographies

*IMPORTANT NOTE: The workshop focusing on the management of references
(Part 3) is not suitable for research postgraduates in the School of Law, as the software used does not support the OSCOLA referencing style required for legal theses.

To find out more, and to book onto the different workshops please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking and look for Library Information Skills classes.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshops!

INFO: Research skills drop-in sessions for PGT students

Posted on July 17, 2012 by lib195

As a follow-up to the extremely popular dissertation info skills sessions held in June we are offering drop-in sessions this week. Come along if you have any questions on refining searches, using databases or managing references.

Tuesday 17 July 11.00-12.00
Thursday 19 July 14.00-15.00

PC Classroom 1, Floor 2, University Library

No booking required – just drop-in!

All the presentations and worksheets used in the June workshops can be accessed on our information skills wiki at http://aberdeenunilibskills.pbworks.com/

SusanMcCourt, s.mccourt@abdn.ac.uk

INFO: New search interface – ProQuest databases

Posted on June 7, 2012 by lib195

Do you use the ABI/Inform database, or any of the CSA databases? If yes – read on!

More than thirty of our databases will become available under a new ProQuest search interface at the end of this week. The new search screens will replace those currently used for the ABI/Inform business related database and the predominantly science and technology databases on the CSA Illumina platform.

If you’re a regular user of these resources you’ll be able to access them at http://search.proquest.com/shibboleth from midday on Friday, although some of you may have already found your way onto the new site through full-text links in Primo and the library catalogue!

Workshops on the new ProQuest screens, with particular emphasis on the ABI/Inform business database, are being offered on Thursday 14 June, 9.30-11.00, and 11.00-12.30 in the University Library. You can reserve a place through www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking – there are a few places still available for the second workshop.

Susan McCourt, s.mccourt@abdn.ac.uk

INFO: Working on your Masters dissertation over the summer?

Posted on May 4, 2012 by lib195

A few hours invested in attending our refresher library information skills workshops for taught postgraduates may save you heaps of time in your dissertation research and writing up.

After the exams we are offering a series of practical workshops covering generic skills in literature searching, using relevant databases, and writing up using *RefWorks reference management software (*NOTE: RefWorks is not suitable for Law students).

We’re also offering hands-on sessions specifically on the new interface for the ABI/Inform business database. Of particular interest to students in the Business School.

Workshops are being offered in the week beginning 11 June – they are free of charge and available to book online at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking/

Three different workshops are offered with a choice of two different times for each – places are limited so please only sign up for one time slot for each workshop you wish to attend.

HURRY… SIGN UP SOON… PLACES ARE GOING FAST!

NOTE – LAW STUDENTS: a series of three refresher workshops on searching legal databases for your dissertation are being held on 4 June and 5 June. These are voluntary and can be booked online at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking/. Places are limited so book early if you wish to attend.