Description:
As a researcher it is essential to be able to find the relevant scientific information and 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 course can be recommended to students starting their PhDs. There will be a certain amount of reading before the course as well as exercises during and after the course. In order to obtain the ECTS, the exercises must be completed and handed in after the course. It will take you 2-3 hours to prepare the home exercises.

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 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 demonstrated. The databases differ in coverage and strengths/weaknesses. Different evaluation metrics such as journal impact and h-index will be introduced.
Reference handling: You will learn how the reference handling program, RefWorks, can facilitate the managing of references in research. RefWorks will be demonstrated and tried out. If you do not want to participate in the RefWorks part of the course, you cannot leave the course. In a separat location you can perform literature searches assisted by one of the lecturers.

Organizer:
Bente Lope, librarian, M.L.I.Sc., email: bl@aub.aau.dk
Louise Thomsen, librarian, M.L.I.Sc., email: lt@aub.aau.dk

Lecturers:
Bente Lope and Louise Thomsen, Aalborg University Library

ECTS:
1.0

Time:
March 22, 2013 (9:00-15:30)

Place:
Aalborg University CPH
A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, room D3-2.3.216

Zip code:
2450

City:
Copenhagen NV

Number of seats:
20

Deadline:
February 28, 2013

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.