Tuesday, April 5, 2011
New Guide to Web 2.0/Social Media for Arts and Humanities
Chances are, if you are reading this post, then you are already familiar with Web 2.0 tools that can facilitate you in your research. But if not, you might like to check out Web 2.0 for arts and humanities researchers which is a resource created by Newcastle University Library to show academic researchers (particularly in arts and humanities) how web 2.0 (or 'social media') can help at all stages of the research process. The site contains brief web tutorials illustrated with real-life examples. Worth a look!
Friday, October 15, 2010
NUIG's Library Research Week timed to coincide with International Open Access Week
October 18-22 will be the first Library Research Week at National University of Ireland, Galway. There will be a series of talks and seminars throughout the week, both in the Library and in research centres to promote library services and collections supporting researchers. The event has been timed to coincide with International Open Access Week, so there will be talks covering open access publishing, including our own institutional repository, ARAN. There will also be an exhibition of material from the Archives and Special Collections. For the full programme please see http://www.library.nuigalway.ie/support/supportforresearchers/researchweek/
To check out the other events being organised internationally to celebrate International Open Access Week have a look at http://www.openaccessweek.org/
Gwen Ryan
Research Support Librarian for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
National University of Ireland, Galway
To check out the other events being organised internationally to celebrate International Open Access Week have a look at http://www.openaccessweek.org/
Gwen Ryan
Research Support Librarian for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
National University of Ireland, Galway
Friday, July 9, 2010
Impact and Value of International University Rankings
From this week's THE:
Measured, and found wanting more
International comparisons of universities still have their detractors, but the appetite for them continues to grow. Phil Baty traces their roots and looks at how they are increasing in number and quality, while Ellen Hazelkorn considers their impact and value
Ellen's original article is available at http://arrow.dit.ie/cserart/2
Hazelkorn, E. (2009) 'Rankings and the Battle for World-Class Excellence: Institutional Strategies and Policy Choices', Higher Education Management and Policy, 21 (1)
Measured, and found wanting more
International comparisons of universities still have their detractors, but the appetite for them continues to grow. Phil Baty traces their roots and looks at how they are increasing in number and quality, while Ellen Hazelkorn considers their impact and value
Ellen's original article is available at http://arrow.dit.ie/cserart/2
Hazelkorn, E. (2009) 'Rankings and the Battle for World-Class Excellence: Institutional Strategies and Policy Choices', Higher Education Management and Policy, 21 (1)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
They’re Here! E-Mail Alerts for Google Scholar Now Available Direct from Google
Until now, Google Scholar users had to use a variety of methods to create alerts to notify them of new content in Google Scholar. Well, the wait is over and as of this weekend, Google Scholar E-Mail Alerts are now available. It’s Google, of course they’re free.
NOTE: This post was update at 10 P.M. on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 after ResourceShelf chatted with Anurag Acharya, the founding engineer of Google Scholar.
Creating Alerts
1. For a “simple” alert, just run a Google Scholar search, click the search button, and get your results.
2. Click the “Envelope” icon (top left side of the page). Here, you can make changes, if needed, click “update” button and a sample of results using 2010 results with the modified search query appear below. When you’re set after deciding the amount you want returned, click “Create Alert.” You’re then taken to your page of “Google Scholar” Alert page. If you want to modify the alert at this point, you’ll need to click the cancel button and begin again.
3. Alerts appear to work with all three content options:
A) “Traditional” Google Scholar Content (with patents or without patents)
B) Legal Documents and Journals
4. For advanced Google searchers, most advanced syntax should also work in Google Scholar. The same goes for legal materials and patents. However, date limits do not work. We’re still trying to figure out a search limiting to only patent applications or awarded patents.
However, if you or those you’re working with aren’t syntax users or just want to try something different, Google Scholar alerts created by using a more complex query can also be created using the advanced search interface.
Because alerts are to find new material (independent of publication date) that has just “entered” the database, the date range limits do not work.
You can’t create an alert for only a source (at least at this time. For example, only send alerts for new entries from “The Journal of X” a no go. Anurag Acharya told us that part of the challenge in offering this feature is that Google is that a “large portion” of the Google Scholar database is built by crawling the open web and, “automated identification of articles and extraction of metadata.” Of course, others have written about major issues they have with metadata and automated identification particularly when it comes to using Google Scholar as a tool for citation counts.
5) Alerts limited by an authors name or part of a name and prebuilt “collections” (look for them on the advanced search page) appear to work correctly. Btw, Google Scholar names (with or without an alert) do not have to be inverted and as an example, these are all variants of the same name: “m cutts’” or “matt cutts” or “matthew cutts.” However, if you do get a significant number of false drops due to name issues, it’s probably time to build a new query.
6) One of the great Google info blogs is Google Operating System. There we read that Google Scholar alerts will do automatic query modification.
Google Scholar’s email alerts feature is special because Google changes your to get better results (for example, [statistical speech recognition] has been changed to [statistical intitle:"speech recognition"])
Read the full discussion here: http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/05/10/there-here-e-mail-alerts-for-google-scholar-now-available-direct-from-google/
Sources: Google, Garrett Eastman, Google Operating System, and A Computer Scientist in a Business School
NOTE: This post was update at 10 P.M. on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 after ResourceShelf chatted with Anurag Acharya, the founding engineer of Google Scholar.
Creating Alerts
1. For a “simple” alert, just run a Google Scholar search, click the search button, and get your results.
2. Click the “Envelope” icon (top left side of the page). Here, you can make changes, if needed, click “update” button and a sample of results using 2010 results with the modified search query appear below. When you’re set after deciding the amount you want returned, click “Create Alert.” You’re then taken to your page of “Google Scholar” Alert page. If you want to modify the alert at this point, you’ll need to click the cancel button and begin again.
3. Alerts appear to work with all three content options:
A) “Traditional” Google Scholar Content (with patents or without patents)
B) Legal Documents and Journals
4. For advanced Google searchers, most advanced syntax should also work in Google Scholar. The same goes for legal materials and patents. However, date limits do not work. We’re still trying to figure out a search limiting to only patent applications or awarded patents.
However, if you or those you’re working with aren’t syntax users or just want to try something different, Google Scholar alerts created by using a more complex query can also be created using the advanced search interface.
Because alerts are to find new material (independent of publication date) that has just “entered” the database, the date range limits do not work.
You can’t create an alert for only a source (at least at this time. For example, only send alerts for new entries from “The Journal of X” a no go. Anurag Acharya told us that part of the challenge in offering this feature is that Google is that a “large portion” of the Google Scholar database is built by crawling the open web and, “automated identification of articles and extraction of metadata.” Of course, others have written about major issues they have with metadata and automated identification particularly when it comes to using Google Scholar as a tool for citation counts.
5) Alerts limited by an authors name or part of a name and prebuilt “collections” (look for them on the advanced search page) appear to work correctly. Btw, Google Scholar names (with or without an alert) do not have to be inverted and as an example, these are all variants of the same name: “m cutts’” or “matt cutts” or “matthew cutts.” However, if you do get a significant number of false drops due to name issues, it’s probably time to build a new query.
6) One of the great Google info blogs is Google Operating System. There we read that Google Scholar alerts will do automatic query modification.
Google Scholar’s email alerts feature is special because Google changes your to get better results (for example, [statistical speech recognition] has been changed to [statistical intitle:"speech recognition"])
Read the full discussion here: http://www.resourceshelf.com/2010/05/10/there-here-e-mail-alerts-for-google-scholar-now-available-direct-from-google/
Sources: Google, Garrett Eastman, Google Operating System, and A Computer Scientist in a Business School
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Google Vs Facebook - Clash of the Titans
Interesting article recently in the Business Section of the Sunday Times
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article7069878.ece
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article7069878.ece
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Free and Fabulous:
Below is a list of free resources re-posted from the Librarian in Black website. This list exemplifies the growing number of resources which can be used to support research and used for research without a huge investment.
1. Free Software for Public & Staff Computers
- Operating System (instead of Windows) – Ubuntu
- Email/Calendar (instead of Outlook) – Google Calendar & Gmail
- Web Browser (instead of IE) – Firefox, Google Chrome
- Financial Software (instead of Quicken) – GNU Cash
- Productivity Software (instead of Office) – Open Office
- - word processing (like Word), spreadsheets (like Excel), presentations (like PowerPoint), databases (like Access), desktop publishing (like Publisher), and calculator (like, errr…, a calculator)
- Image Editing (instead of PhotoShop) – GIMP
- Typing Software – GNUTypist or TypeFaster Typing Tutor
- CD writing – Brasero or InfraRecorder
2. Free Security Software Suite
- Antivirus – AVG Antivirus
- Firewall – PC Tools Firewall Plus
- Ad-Busting – AdAware
- Anti-Spyware – SpyBot Search & Destroy, SpywareGuard, SpywareBlaster (use all three; they do different things)
3. Free Staff Scheduling Software
- Droster
- AceShift (limited to <20>
- or even Open Office’s “Calc”
4. Free Team Meeting Tools
- Voice – Skype, Google Voice
- Video – Skype, Sightspeed, Tokbox
- IM – AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, & others
- Meeting Space/Chat – Today’s Meet
- Meeting Scheduling – When Is Good, Doodle
- Webcasts – Vyew
5. Free Tech Support Tools
- Embedded chat (pop it in your intranet header) – Meebo Me chat widget
- Voice or video chat (another way to contact tech support) – Skype, Ekiga, Sightspeed, or Tokbox
- Screencasts on the fly (for tech support to help you!) – Jing
- Discussion board (create a staff board re: common tech issues) – Google Groups
- Remote Support (tech support folks can log in & control/see your computer) – LogMeIn.com, TightVNC
6. Free Audio & Video Tools
- Voice/Video Chat – Skype or Ekiga
- Audio Recording/Editing – Audacity
- Video Editing – Avidemux, DVDx, Lumiera, Kino
- Video Hosting – YouTube, blip.tv, Vimeo
- Audio Hosting – OurMedia, PodBean
7. Free eLearning Tools
- Screencasting – Screencast-o-matic, Jing, Wink, Camstudio, Screencast.com
- Online Learning Environment – Moodle
- Conference Calls – FreeConferenceCall.com
- Webcasts – Ustream.tv
- Class Websites – WordPress, Blogger, PBworks, Pageflakes
8. Free “Contact Us” Tools to Communicate with Customers
- Email – Gmail, Yahoo Mail
- Instant Messaging – AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk
- Chat Widgets – Meebo Me, Plugoo
- VOIP/audio – Skype
- Video – some IM clients (AIM video chat, Skype)
- Text Messaging – AIM TXT
- Social Networks – Facebook Chat
- Microblogging – Twitter – “ask us a question with @…”
9. Free Social Network & Extended Web Presence Tools
- CheckUsernames.com: check multiple networks
- Open ID and ClaimID: claim and log into multiple networks
- HootSuite, Twitter Counter, Twitalyzer: Twitter stats
- Ping.fm, Hellotxt.com, and AtomKeep: simultaneous updates
- Twitter/Facebook: can use internal settings/apps to update both simultaneously
- Filtrbox and MyBUZZmonitor: what people say
10. Free Website Management Tools
- Website recommender – del.icio.us, Evernote
- ILS – Koha or Evergreen
- Content Management System – Drupal
- Flickr slideshow – Pictobrowser
- RSS Feed and Blog Post Statistics – PostRank
- Tag Clouds – TagCrowd, Wordle
- Web Forms – Google Forms
- CSS-picker – Typetester
- Copyright-Free, Open Source, and CC-licensed Photos – OpenPhoto, Stock.xchng, Image*After, Wikipeda Commons, Flickr Image Search
- Survey Tools -Zoomerang, SurveyMonkey
- Polls – PollDaddy
- Website Statistics – Google Analytics, OneStatFree, StatCounter
- Translation Tool – Google Translate
- Events Calendar – Google Calendar
- Website Hosting – Blogger, WordPress, Bravenet, Google Sites, Bryght.com
11. Free eBooks (need to cut your eBook budget? that’s ok – there are a lot of free eBooks out there.)
- Project Gutenberg
- AudioBooksForFree
- Escholarship
- Google Books
- ManyBooks
- Memoware
- Online Books Page
- Oxford Text Archive
- and hundreds more sites too!
12. Free Articles
- ArticlesBase.com
- FindArticles.com
- + open access e-journals
- + free access through individual publication’s websites
13. Miscellaneous Other Free Stuff
- RSS aggregator – Google Reader
- Book Jackets – Book City Jackets
- File Converters – Zamzar
- Charts – LucidChart, Lovely Charts, Gliffy
- Text to Voice – Text2Speech, Google Voice
- Citation Keeper – Zotero
- Movies Online – Hulu, YouTube
- File Drop Sites – SendUIt, DropBox, YouSendIt
Monday, February 22, 2010
What's Your Name?
The massive growth in adacemic publishing in the last ten years has made it difficult for individual researchers to stand out, especially if you've got a common name; Web of Science lists 613 different J Smiths. You can be creative with your middle initial by being JX Smith, or stand out as the only J Smith in your institution. But what about when you move jobs, or if you change your name with marriage?
Publishers like ThomsonReuters and ProQuest have tried setting up resources like ResearchID, where researchers can establish unique IDs and showcase their work. But they have been held back by the old VHS vs. Betamax problem, with competing standards not being recognised by different publishers.
Now ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID has been launched, with the backing of all the major publishing companies. Its early days, so you can't create your profile yet, but lets hope that this effort gets traction and is accepted as an international standard.
Read more about it in Nature.
Publishers like ThomsonReuters and ProQuest have tried setting up resources like ResearchID, where researchers can establish unique IDs and showcase their work. But they have been held back by the old VHS vs. Betamax problem, with competing standards not being recognised by different publishers.
Now ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID has been launched, with the backing of all the major publishing companies. Its early days, so you can't create your profile yet, but lets hope that this effort gets traction and is accepted as an international standard.
Read more about it in Nature.
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