Description:
As a researcher it is essential to be able to find relevant scientific information for your project. It is also important for you to publish your research in journals and other publishing channels relevant for your research: in other words to have a publication strategy. The purpose of this course is to give you skills to search, gather, evaluate and organize the information you need as a researcher in an effective way. The purpose of this course is also to give you skills to decide where it will be best for you to publish your research. The course can be recommended to students starting their PhDs. There will be a small curriculum (see under: Files, slides, etc. below this course description) to read before the course as well as exercises during and after the course. The course does not focus on methods for medical information searching. F or the exercise during the course you have to do some preparation in advance. In order to obtain the ECTS the exercise must be completed and handed in within 8 days after the course.
Another condition for obtaining the ECTS is that you fill out the evaluation form after the course.


Exercises:
The exercises during the course: You must read an article that will be available two weeks prior to the course under: Files, slides, etc. below this course description
In small groups you must work with the article e.g.:

  • Create a proper title for the article
  • Choose relevant keywords for the article
  • Suggest a journal or more journals where you would like to publish the article
  • Find the Impact Factor for the journals you have chose
  • Check if the journals appear on the authoritative BFI list
  • Shortly present and argue for your choices in plenum

In the exercise after the course y ou will work with creating a systematic search strategy and with creating a publication strategy for your project. You will get feedback on the exercise. You can find the exercise form two weeks prior to the course under: Files, slides, etc. below this course description.

The course will cover the following topics:
Search strategies:
Methods to make structured search strategies in different information resources will be introduced. Quality information resources will be presented emphasizing what they can be used for. You will have the opportunity to work hands-on with search strategies for your own PhD-project in a workshop form.
Publication strategy:
Why is it increasingly important to have a publication strategy? In answering this question, the course will focus on two important factors. Firstly, the implications of the Danish Bibliometric Research Indicator will be presented and how it will affect you as a researcher at Aalborg University. Secondly, with the increasing focus on impact and citations in the scientific community, it is crucial for researchers to be aware of where to publish, both in open access and traditional subscription-based journals.
Research evaluation:
The course will focus on how you can use citations in your search for and evaluation of scientific literature. The three major multidisciplinary citation databases Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar will be discussed and partly demonstrated. The databases differ in coverage and strengths/weaknesses. Different evaluation metrics such as journal impact and h-index will be introduced.
Reference handling:
Please bring your own computer.
You will be introduced to the reference handling program RefWorks - a program that can facilitate the managing of references in your research project. RefWorks will be demonstrated and tried out. RefWorks can be integrated with your MS Word program with an Add-in called Write-N-Cite. Please install Write-N-Cite before the course – there is a manual for installing it under: Files, slides, etc. below this description.
If you have any problems with the installation please contact refworks@aub.aau.dk . There will be no time for installation of Write-N-Cite during the course.

Organizer:
Librarian Bente Lope, email: bl@aub.aau.dk
Lecturers:
Librarian Bente Lope and Helle Brink
ECTS:
1.0
Time:

September 19, 2013, 8:30 - 15:30
Place:
Aalborg University Library, Langagervej 2, room 211 (Mozart)
Zip code:
9220
City:
Aalborg
Number of seats:
20
Deadline:
The course is already full, please enroll for the Fall 2 course.
Meals:
There will be coffee/tea, and a breakfast roll in the morning.
There is no canteen at the library. Lunch you must bring yourself or buy at the AAU canteen at Fibigerstræde 15. There will be a one hour lunch break, so that you have time to get to the canteen for lunch.




Important information concerning PhD courses

We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 5,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately three months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.