iSkills for undergraduates

Are you an undergraduate in MPLS or MSD? Do you have research assignments coming up? Then we have some great training sessions that help get you started. All the sessions are free so don’t forget to book your place.

Orange banner on top with white text saying "iSkills for Undergraduate Science" over a silhouette of heads looking at a person giving instruction

Easier Referencing with RefWorks

Get started with organising your referencise. Learn how to create references and add them correctly to your assignments. We’ll be using RefWorks software free to all University students.

Date: Monday 13 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Booking: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0006

Explore Virtual Reality and 3D Printing

Learn how the 3D printing service in the RSL works and how to create 3D objects. We’ll also look at virtual reality and see what

Date: Thursday 16 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: In Person at Social Sciences Library Information Skills Training Room
Booking: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0001

Get up to speed with finding papers for your studies (MPLS)

Get your search skills up to speed by learning effective searching sstrategies for scientific journals and papers. We’ll go beyond searching with Google and show you how to use SOLO and scientific databases.

Date: Tuesday 14 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Date: Monday 20 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0004

Get up to speed with finding papers for your studies (MSD)

Get your search skills up to speed by learning effective searching strategies for medical journals and papers. We’ll go beyond searching with Google and show you how to use SOLO and medical databases.

Date: Tuesday 28 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Date: Thursday 2 March 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0003

Sources for Science: Learning the craft of evaluating information and referencing academic sources online

Learn how to find academic sources for your research how to critically evaluate sources and understand how to reference sources correctly.
Date: Monday 27 February 2023, 7-8pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Booking: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/ISKILL0071

Find out more about the Bodleian Libraries iSkills programme at www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/

iSkills for Undergraduate Science, Michaelmas term 2022

Free training sessions to help science students develop the information skills to succeed with research and writing – find out more and book sessions online
using the links below.

Explore Virtual Reality and 3D Printing
Monday 31 October 2022, 5-6pm
Social Sciences Library Information Skills Training Room
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0001 

Easier Referencing with RefWorks
Thursday 3 November 2022, 5-6pm
Social Sciences Library Information Skills Training Room
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0002

Successful Searching for your Assignments (MSD)
Thursday 10 November 2022, 5-6pm
Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0003

Successful Searching for your Assignments (MPLS)
Tuesday 8 November 2022, 5-6pm
Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0004
Thursday 1 November 2022, 5-6pm
Social Sciences Library Information Skills Training Room
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0005

Sources for Science: Learning the craft of evaluating information and referencing academic sources online
Monday 7 November 2022, 5-6pm
Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/ISKILL0071

Bodleian iSkills logo

Bodleian iSkills workshops – Summer 2020

Bodleian iSkills logo

The Bodleian iSkills workshops have now moved online as a combination of webinars and recorded video. All these workshops are free. Full details can be found at https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/workshopsbydate.

Sessions available:

Bodleian iSkills: Finding information for your research for MPLS researchers
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/findinginfoMPLS
An opportunity to improve and extend your literature research skills. This online session will help you with in-depth searching particularly when preparing literature reviews for theses, dissertations, and research papers.
Intended Audience:  Undergraduates in their final year, postgraduate students, researchers and academics in MPLS.

Dates offered:

  • Thursday 23 July, 10-10.30am – Biology and Earth Sciences
  • Thursday 23 July, 11-11.30am – Engineering and Computer Science
  • Friday 24 July, 9-9.30am – Chemistry and Materials
  • Friday 24 July, 10-10.30am – Mathematics and Physics

Bodleian iSkills for the Medical Sciences Division and OUH staff: Introduction to Mendeley
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/MendeleyMedSci
Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This online session will introduce you to Mendeley (www.mendeley.com) – a free programme which can help you to store, organise and retrieve your references and PDFs; as well as cite references in documents and create bibliographies quickly and easily.
Intended Audience: Postgraduate students, researchers and university and OUH staff based on the Old Road Campus or in Medical Sciences Division departments elsewhere in Headington.

Dates offered:

  • Tuesday 14 July, 10-11.30am
  • Thursday 16 July, 2.30-4pm
  • Friday 17 July, 10-11.30am
  • Tuesday 21 July, 10-11.30am
  • Thursday 23 July, 2.30-4pm
  • Friday 24 July, 10-11.30am
  • Tuesday 28 July, 10-11.30am
  • Thursday 30 July, 2.30-4pm
  • Friday 31 July, 10-11.30am

The following videos are also available:

  • Getting started in Oxford libraries – NEW! Adapted from the iSkills workshop Getting started in Oxford libraries (temporarily entitled Using Oxford libraries remotely whilst we operate remotely), this set of videos introduce you to SOLO, the University’s resource discovery tool, from simple search functions to features such as citation tracing and saving and exporting SOLO records.
    https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/gettingstarted
  • Scholarly literature for your research – a series of videos adapted from the iSkills workshop Finding Stuff: Scholarly Literature for your Research.  The videos cover how to use SOLO (the University’s resource discovery tool), search techniques including special characters, such as *, ?, AND, OR, NOT, creating an effective search query to submit to catalogues and databases so that you find results relevant to your research, and why using theses and conferences in your research are beneficial and how find them. https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/scholarlyliterature
  • Keeping up to date with research – adapted from the iSkills workshop ‘Getting information to come to you’, this series of videos guides you through setting up alerts so that you automatically receive notification of new research in your area. The videos cover setting up alerts in SOLO, Web of Science, JournalTOCs and Zetoc, Nexis UK, JiscMail and others.
    https://ox.libguides.com/workshops/keepinguptodate
  • What is reference management software? – this is the introductory presentation from the iSkills workshop: ‘Referencing: choosing and using software’.  Bodleian iSkills will not be running any live workshops this term on reference management, but the video link will also take you to our homepage for ‘Managing your references’, with further links to information and guidance in using a variety of reference management software packages.
    https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/reference-management/intro

Bodleian iSkills programme for Trinity term

Bodleian iSkills logo

The Bodleian iSkills workshops are moving online for Trinity Term and will be a combination of webinars and recorded video. All these workshops are free. Full details can be found at https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/workshopsbydate.

Sessions offered:

Open Access Oxford: what’s happening?
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/OAO
An briefing on open access publishing and Oxford’s position including guidance on how to comply with the Open Access requirements for the REF and mandates from key funding bodies whilst respecting your publisher’s rights and policies. Online presentation and demonstration using Microsoft Teams.

Dates offered:

  • Wednesday 13 May, 2-3pm
  • Wednesday 27 May, 2-3pm
  • Wednesday 17 June, 2-3pm

Bodleian iSkills: Using Oxford Libraries remotely
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/getting-started
An introduction to using Oxford Libraries remotely, including the latest information on the services available and how to access them; finding and using online resources that can be read from home; and what to do if you can’t find the material you need. This workshop will help you settle with confidence into searching for remotely accessible literature at Oxford. Online presentation and demonstration using Microsoft Teams.

Dates offered:

  • Tuesday 12 May, 2-3.30pm
  • Tuesday 19 May, 2-3.30pm
  • Tuesday 2 June, 10-11.30am
  • Thursday 11 June, 2-3.30pm

Bodleian iSkills: Managing research data and Data Management Planning (DMPs)
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/managing-research-data
Good research data management is a vital component of academic practice. Part of this is the principle that the data used to develop the arguments and outcomes of your research should be effectively stored and managed during a project, preserved for the future and – where possible – shared with other academics. This session introduces the University’s research data policy and outlines the practical impact this will have on your work. The services available at Oxford to assist you will be outlined. This session is not only essential during your current studies but will be invaluable if you plan to continue in research as a career.

Dates offered:

  • Thursday 4 June, 2.30-4.30pm

Bodleian iSkills: Working with sensitive research data in the Sciences and Medical Sciences
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/sensitive-data-Sci-MedSci
A workshop outlining some of the key principles to bear in mind when working with sensitive or restricted research, whether collected yourself or obtained from a third party source such as an NHS trust or Biobank data. Issues of confidentiality, informed consent, cybersecurity and data management will be covered. Examples of scenarios or concerns drawn from the research of participants are particularly welcome. The role of support services at Oxford will also be outlined and in particular the role of the Bodleian Data Librarian who will lead the session. Follow up consultations with the Data librarian or other subject consultants are also offered.

Dates offered:

  • Wednesday 10 June, 10.30am-12.30pm

The following videos are also available:

  • Keeping up to date with research – adapted from the iSkills workshop ‘Getting information to come to you’, this series of videos guides you through setting up alerts so that you automatically receive notification of new research in your area. The videos cover setting up alerts in SOLO, Web of Science, JournalTOCs and Zetoc, Nexis UK, JiscMail and others.
    https://ox.libguides.com/workshops/keepinguptodate
  • What is reference management software? – this is the introductory presentation from the iSkills workshop: ‘Referencing: choosing and using software’.  Bodleian iSkills will not be running any live workshops this term on reference management, but the video link will also take you to our homepage for ‘Managing your references’, with further links to information and guidance in using a variety of reference management software packages.
    https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/reference-management/intro
  • Scholarly literature for your research – a series of videos adapted from the iSkills workshop Finding Stuff: Scholarly Literature for your Research.  The videos cover how to use SOLO (the University’s resource discovery tool), search techniques including special characters, such as *, ?, AND, OR, NOT, creating an effective search query to submit to catalogues and databases so that you find results relevant to your research, and why using theses and conferences in your research are beneficial and how find them. https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/workshops/scholarlyliterature