Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
Are you looking to learn about the ways in which to transmit scientific ideas and make your research accessible to a non-specialist audience through a variety of mediums? This session will serve as an introduction to science communication and how it can be successfully incorporated into our roles. By the end of this session you will be able to:
define science communication and provide a list of examples;
explain why science communication is important for both our CPD and the public;
list ways in which we can all get involved in science communication.
Please note that this workshop is also run in-person. Please check the iSkills course listing for availability.
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
Join Chris Morrison (Copyright & Licensing Specialist) and Georgina Kiddy (Digital Services Librarian) to play Copyright the Card Game. This interactive, games-based session introduces you to the key concepts of copyright law and allows you to apply them in practice. No prior knowledge is required, and the session caters for all whatever their level of experience with copyright. At the end of the session participants will be able to:
Explore how copyright really works in practice
Interpret the legislation and apply the relevant legal concepts to their own work
Practice using the exceptions and licences in sector-specific examples
Discuss the role of risk management in making decisions about the ethical creation and use of copyright material
Format: The workshop is highly interactive with multiple opportunities for discussion about copyright, underpinned by a clear framework.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room. Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
Are you baffled by open, confused by embargoes? Does the mention of the colour gold or green catapult you into a realm of perplexed irritation? Come to this session, where we’ll break down open access and all its many jargon terms, confusing publishing structures and hint at the advantages you can reap by publishing open.
What is open access? Key terms – Gold, Green, Article Processing Charges
Where to get more information and help
Where to look for open access material
Useful tools to assist you in publishing open access
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of RefWorks. RefWorks is a subscription software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies that University of Oxford members can use for free during their time at the university and as alumni. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of RefWorks
Setting up a RefWorks account
Organising your references in RefWorks
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
A key database for those researching the social sciences, medical sciences and physical and life sciences, Scopus encompasses more than 94 million records from 5000 publishers. This interactive session will cover basic and advanced searching, highlighting features unique to Scopus and recent updates to the database. Attendees will be encouraged to practice the tips explained during the session. This will be useful for those new to databases and a good refresher for experienced users. By the end of the session you will be able to:
construct simple and complex searches
navigate filters
understand effective search query techniques
save and export results
extract further information from your results
Format: Online presentations with live demonstrations and hand-on activities.
The second in a duo of courses (attendees should attend the Fundamentals course prior to Logistics) that will cover the logistics of researching, publishing, and locating open scholarship resources and tools at the University of Oxford. Subjects include:
What is the Oxford University Research Archive
Depositing work into ORA via Symplectic Elements
Depositing data into ORA-data
Applying for one of Oxford’s APC block grants
Registering or connecting your ORCID
How to be included in the rights retention pilot
Locating and checking funder policies
Ideally the ‘Fundamentals of Open Access’ course will have been attended. If you’re not in a position to attend this course you can find similar information in our e-learning package to work through prior to attending Logistics.
Format: Online presentation with time to get answers to your questions.
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
How do you ensure that your research is credible, to yourself and others? Preregistration means specifying in advance your hypotheses, methods, and/or analyses for a study, in a time-stamped file that others can access. Many fields, including behavioural and medical sciences, are increasingly using preregistration or Registered Reports (where a journal accepts your study at preregistration phase, and guarantees to publish the results if you follow the registered plan). If you’ve never preregistered a study before (or even if you have!) it can be complicated and hard to do well. In this workshop, we will go over the ‘what,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how’ of preregistration, and after some practice exercises, you will start drafting your own preregistration. We will also discuss some of the common challenges of preregistration, and its limitations. After the course, you will be able to:
Describe what preregistration and Registered Reports are (and how they differ)
Explain the benefits (and drawbacks) of preregistration and Registered Reports
Identify what types of research are most suited for preregistration and Registered Reports
Recognise the common pitfalls in writing a preregistration
Identify the logistics of preregistering: which format and platform to use
Demonstrate the ability to write an effective preregistration, with an appropriate balance of specificity and concision
Format: Online presentation with interactive exercises and time for questions.
Despite its name, the Open Science Framework (OSF) is an online tool for managing academic projects in any discipline. Rather than trying to reinvent tools and systems that scholars already use, OSF integrates with a growing list of existing services and provides a single place where researchers can see and manage all the components that make up their project – including files, software, data and publications. This course will introduce you to the Open Science Framework at Oxford. It will explain how to get access to OSF using your Oxford SSO, give an overview of what it can and cannot do, and provide some examples of how it can be used with other research services.
Format: Online presentation with time for questions.
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of Zotero, which is a free-to-use software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies. Zotero will be demonstrated on a Windows PC but users of MacOS or Linux computers will be able to follow the demonstration. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of Zotero
Setting up a Zotero account
Importing references from different sources into Zotero
Organising your references in Zotero
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online demonstration with time for questions.
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
What in the world is going on with open access and open research?
Organised by the Bodleian Libraries the Oxford Forum of Open Scholarship (OxFOS) is a programme of talks, panels, workshops and events. Every event is free to attend and open to all. Events will be a combination of online and in person in Oxford. The full programme and registration links are below.
This year we are delighted to welcome Chris Smith, Executive Chair of AHRC; Alex Freeman, of Octopus.ac scientific publishing; Sally Rumsey, formerly OA expert at Jisc; Beth Montague-Hellen, Head of Information Services, Francis Crick Institute; Brian Nosek, founder of the Open Science Framework; and John Willinsky, founder of the Public Knowledge Project, among many, many others.
Are you baffled by open, confused by embargoes? Does the mention of the colour gold or green catapult you into a realm of perplexed irritation? Come to this session, where we’ll break down open access and all its many jargon terms, confusing publishing structures and hint at the advantages you can reap by publishing open.
What is open access? Key terms – Gold, Green, Article Processing Charges
Where to get more information and help
Where to look for open access material
Useful tools to assist you in publishing open access
Format: Online presentation with time to get answers to your questions.
This 90-minute session will cover some more advanced techniques for finding medical literature to answer a research question. We will recap some basics, then demonstrate searching in several medical databases, including using subject headings (MeSH) and the differences between different platforms. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what subject headings are, and how to use them
Search for words that appear near to other words
Take a search from one database into another
Save a search and document it
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
Curious about using AI to find research papers? Not sure how to properly reference GenAI and avoid plagiarism? This beginner-friendly workshop introduces three GenAI tools (ChatGPT, Elicit, and Perplexity), showing how they can support information discovery and analysis. Designed for those new to AI, this practical session will allow you to independently experiment with these tools and participate in group discussions to explore their strengths, limitations, and suitability for different tasks. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what AI means and some key terms
Differentiate between several categories of AI tools
Describe how some GenAI tools can be used to discover information, including their strengths, limitations, and best practices
Critique GenAI tools and their outputs at an introductory level using evaluative criteria
State the University’s policies on AI, and avoid plagiarism by creating citations for AI-generated content
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises, group discussions, and an opportunity for questions and answers at the end of the session.
Location: IT Services, 7-19 Banbury Road, Oxon, OX2 6NN
Are you looking to learn about the ways in which to transmit scientific ideas and make your research accessible to a non-specialist audience through a variety of mediums? This session will serve as an introduction to science communication and how it can be successfully incorporated into our roles. By the end of this session you will be able to:
define science communication and provide a list of examples;
explain why science communication is important for both our CPD and the public;
list ways in which we can all get involved in science communication.
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
This workshop will cover the basics of copyright as they apply to researchers at the University of Oxford. It will explain the different types of copyright work that are used or generated in research and the rights and responsibilities for researchers and academic authors in an age of increasingly open scholarship.
We will discuss the practical implications of copyright law on the publication process, as well as the production and sharing of research data. This will include the licensing of research outputs and data and the use of open licences such as Creative Commons. We will also cover ownership of copyright, author agreements with publishers and the benefits of signing up to the University of Oxford rights retention pilot.
Finally, the session will cover the use of copyright content owned by others as part of the research process. This will involve looking at the role of rights clearance, copyright exceptions, due diligence and risk management in common research scenarios.
Format: Online presentation with opportunities to share experiences and for questions and answers
In this 60-minute online workshop you will be introduced to the methodologies and principles underpinning the conduct of literature searches for systematic reviews, scoping reviews and other evidence reviews. The session will cover:
Formulating a focused research question
Preparing a protocol
Developing a search strategy to address that research question
Choosing appropriate databases and search engines
Searching for grey literature and ongoing studies
Storing and managing references
Documenting and reporting your search
Please note, there won’t be an opportunity to search different databases during this session. For practical help on searching databases, please have a look at the search skills tutorials or check the iSkills course listing for the Searching Systematically workshop.
Format: Online teacher-led presentations with opportunities for questions.
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of RefWorks. RefWorks is a subscription software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies that University of Oxford members can use for free during their time at the university and as alumni. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of RefWorks
Setting up a RefWorks account
Organising your references in RefWorks
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
Open access publication of monographs and other longform works is an emerging movement, offering many opportunities to scholars looking to publish their research. With several major funding agencies now requiring longform open access publication, the impact of this is only set to grow. However, for those looking to publish their monograph open access, the novelty of this can present a challenge. What do funders require? What are the different publishing models? This webinar will cover the basics of this emerging field, including benefits, funder requirements, publication models and tools and resources. At the end of the session participants will be able to:
Explore the benefits of open access publication for longform works.
Consider the more challenging aspects of open monograph publication that that may not arise in traditional monograph publishing.
Follow the open access requirements of major funders for longform works.
Understand the range of open access publication models offered by publishers.
Format: A presentation with opportunities for questions and answers, as well as opportunities to share experiences.
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is a researcher-controlled persistent identifier that is being adopted by publishers, funders and other scholarly communications infrastructures. Its primary goal is to ensure that research outputs can be attributed correctly and unambiguously in the digital world. This workshop will begin with a presentation that explains what an ORCID is, how it works and how it fits in with the broader use of persistent identifiers (PIDs) in the academic sphere. This will be followed by a hands-on session where we will take you through the process of acquiring an ORCID, linking it to your Oxford Single Sign On (SSO) and updating your ORCID record with publications or other material.
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
Are you looking for a streamlined approach to gathering, managing and citing your references? Join us for this interactive online session in which we introduce Zotero, a reference management tool that helps you to collect and manage references and insert them into your word-processor document as in-text citations or footnotes, as well as generating bibliographies. The demonstration will be on Windows although Zotero is also available for Mac and Linux. By the end of the session, you will understand:
How Zotero can help you
How to add references to Zotero from a range of sources
How to manage your references
How to add in-text citations and/or footnotes to your documents
How to create bibliographies
Where to get help with Zotero
Please note that, whilst this session is mostly aimed at beginners, there will be a chance at the end to ask more specific questions about how to use Zotero.
Format: Live online session with a mixture of PowerPoint presentation and practical exercises.
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. Topics to be covered include:
Common dangers and pitfalls of digital data
Key principles of RDM and organising your data effectively
Producing a data management plan
Institutional, funder and publisher requirements
Issues around preserving data and cybersecurity
ORA-Data, GitHub and other preservation services
Sharing thoughts and insights about the potential of data management in your own field
Accessing Oxford based tools for research data management
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
A practical session 180-minute workshop where participants will work on searches for their review across multiple databases. Librarians from the Bodleian Health Care Libraries will be on hand to demonstrate online tools for facilitating the process and give practical advice on refining individual search strategies. By the end of this classroom-based session you will be able to:
Describe alternative methods for identifying references, including citation tracking
De-duplicate results from multiple database searches
Start screening results for inclusion in your review
Report your search methods according to PRISMA-Search
Format: Classroom-based. Time for participants to work on their own searches with advice from a librarian. Explore tools that streamline the review process following a presentation with demonstrations.
Location: Beeson Room, Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
Are you preparing a poster presentation for an upcoming conference, meeting or symposium? This interactive session, or ‘poster clinic’, will include a group discussion of different examples of poster presentations, as well as an opportunity to present your own draft of your poster presentation to your fellow attendees. It is expected that the small group of peers in attendance will provide feedback and respectful comments on each other’s work. By the end of this classroom-based session you will be able to:
evaluate the effectiveness of your poster presentation and others; and
summarise the content of your poster concisely in preparation for a conference.
This will NOT be a taught session on how to use image processing software.
Format: Group discussion and individual poster presentations.
Location: Beeson Room, Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU.
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of Zotero, which is a free-to-use software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies. Zotero will be demonstrated on a Windows PC but users of MacOS or Linux computers will be able to follow the demonstration. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of Zotero
Setting up a Zotero account
Importing references from different sources into Zotero
Organising your references in Zotero
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online demonstration with time for questions.
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 a data archive. 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. Topics to be covered include:
Key best practice principles when working with sensitive or restricted research data
Issues around creating original data
Informed consent agreements
Maximising the usage potential of data during and after a project
Strengths and weaknesses of anonymisation, data blurring and similar techniques
Key strategies for protecting data including encryption, embargoes, future vetting and access restrictions
Obligation put on researchers by legislation and research partners
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunity for discussion.
Location: Social Science Library, Information Skills Training Room, Manor Road, OX1 3UQ
Patents and standards are a valuable source of technical information relevant to the fields of engineering, materials sciences, and more. Together, they provide approved rules and guidelines whilst helping to protect inventions and innovative ideas. They can, however, be tricky to find. Join this session to find out more about what patents and standards are, why they might be useful for your research and how to find them in specific databases. By the end of this session, you will:
Know what a patent is and where to find it
Know what a standard is and where to find it
Be able to reference patents and standards
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with discussion.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Oxford DPhil students are required to deposit a copy of their thesis in the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA). This online session will focus on what ORA is and how to deposit one’s thesis in ORA, and how to access help with this process. It will also cover the relevant rights and permissions required and other issues that DPhil students need to take into account when preparing their thesis for upload to ORA. Topics include:
What ORA is and what you need to deposit
How to deposit your thesis in ORA
Observing relevant rights and permissions
Accessing help with depositing your thesis in ORA
Format: Live online presentation followed by interactive discussion and Q&A.
Persistent Identifiers (PID’s) provide a consistent way of digitally referencing items that aims to be more reliable than a simple web address. This is important for scholarly communications because citation and attribution are essential elements of scholarly apparatus. This course will introduce you to the concept of Persistent Identifiers, the problems that they address, and how they can be used in the academic environment to simplify some tasks. It will examine several different types of identifier, some of which are currently widely used (DOI’s for publications/data and ORCID’s for researchers) and others which are emerging in importance.
Format: Online presentation with time for questions.
Join Chris Morrison (Copyright & Licensing Specialist) and Georgina Kiddy (Digital Services Librarian) to play Copyright the Card Game. This interactive, games-based session introduces you to the key concepts of copyright law and allows you to apply them in practice. No prior knowledge is required, and the session caters for all whatever their level of experience with copyright. At the end of the session participants will be able to:
Explore how copyright really works in practice
Interpret the legislation and apply the relevant legal concepts to their own work
Practice using the exceptions and licences in sector-specific examples
Discuss the role of risk management in making decisions about the ethical creation and use of copyright material
Format: The workshop is highly interactive with multiple opportunities for discussion about copyright, underpinned by a clear framework.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
This session will cover some more advanced techniques for finding medical literature to answer a research question. We will recap some basics, then demonstrate searching in several medical databases, including using subject headings (MeSH) and the differences between different platforms.
After the main 90-minute workshop, one of the Bodleian Health Care Libraries Outreach Librarians will be available for another 30 minutes to answer questions about your own searches, so feel free to bring along what you are working on.
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what subject headings are, and how to use them
Search for words that appear near to other words
Take a search from one database into another
Save a search and document it
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions. The last 30 minutes are an opportunity to ask any questions you have about your own searches.
Location: Beeson Room, Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU
Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This online session will introduce you to EndNote, a subscription software 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. On completing the workshop you will be able to:
Understand the main features and benefits of EndNote
Set up an EndNote account
Import references from different sources into EndNote
Organise your references in EndNote
Insert citations into documents
Create a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
A practical session 180-minute workshop where participants will work on searches for their review across multiple databases. Librarians from the Bodleian Health Care Libraries will be on hand to demonstrate online tools for facilitating the process and give practical advice on refining individual search strategies. By the end of this classroom-based session you will be able to:
Describe alternative methods for identifying references, including citation tracking
De-duplicate results from multiple database searches
Start screening results for inclusion in your review
Report your search methods according to PRISMA-Search
Format: Classroom-based. Time for participants to work on their own searches with advice from a librarian. Explore tools that streamline the review process following a presentation with demonstrations.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Enhance your critical thinking and research skills in this practical workshop designed for undergraduate students. Learn to question assumptions, analyse sources critically, and develop information discovery and search strategies that will set you apart in your academic studies. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Describe what critical thinking is
Understand a critical thinking method
Apply the method to your academic work
Explain the fundamentals of conducting research, including how to evaluate information sources in SOLO
Format: An interactive teacher-led online session.
During this forum speakers from Bodleian Open Scholarship Support and across Oxford will discuss current changes in the field of open scholarship. Including subjects like data, open access, open monographs, copyright and more. It is advised that attendees of the forum have previously attended the Fundamentals and Logistics courses to improve understanding.
Format: An online presentation with time to get answers to your questions
Are you planning to present a poster at an upcoming conference, meeting or symposium? This introductory session will provide you with some top tips on how to create a poster presentation which will help you to communicate your research project and data effectively. There will be guidance on formatting, layout, content, use of text, references and images, as well as advice on printing and presenting your poster. This session will also provide help with locating resources such as templates, free-to-use images and poster guidelines. By the end of this online session you will be able to:
evaluate the effectiveness of templates, formatting, text and images;
plan, prepare and present your poster.
Please note that we also run this workshop in-person. Please check the iSkills course listing for availability.
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
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. Topics to be covered include:
Common dangers and pitfalls of digital data
Key principles of RDM and organising your data effectively
Producing a data management plan
Institutional, funder and publisher requirements
Issues around preserving data and cybersecurity
ORA-Data, GitHub and other preservation services
Sharing thoughts and insights about the potential of data management in your own field
Accessing Oxford based tools for research data management
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with discussion.
Location: Social Science Library, Information Skills Training Room, Manor Road, OX1 3UQ
In this session we will examine metrics for individual researchers. Using tools such as Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scopus you will learn about the researcher h-index and its limitations. You will be introduced to additional metrics tools such as author beamplots which help to contextualise a researcher’s output over time. By the end of the session, you will be familiar with:
Accessing citation data for specific researchers on Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar
Understanding how the h-index is calculated and its inherent limitations
Creating an ORCID number to help track all your own research outputs
The importance of research outputs beyond journal and conference papers when assessing a researcher’s impact
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
This workshop will introduce participants to the key catalogues and finding aids for post-1800 archives and manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries. In particular the session will focus on Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts, the online catalogue for post-1800 archives and manuscripts. The session will also briefly introduce some of the major UK online gateways for discovering archives. The topics covered include:
How to use the Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts online catalogue
Other printed archive catalogues in the Bodleian Libraries
Major subject areas covered in Bodleian archives and modern manuscripts
National archive gateways
The workshop will include a question and answer session with Bodleian archivists.
This session does not cover:
Pre-1800 manuscripts (Medieval and Early Modern periods).
Manuscripts in Middle Eastern, Semitic, and Asian languages
Format: Classroom-based presentation with a question and answer session.
In this 60-minute online workshop you will be introduced to the methodologies and principles underpinning the conduct of literature searches for systematic reviews, scoping reviews and other evidence reviews. The session will cover:
Formulating a focused research question
Preparing a protocol
Developing a search strategy to address that research question
Choosing appropriate databases and search engines
Searching for grey literature and ongoing studies
Storing and managing references
Documenting and reporting your search
Please note, there won’t be an opportunity to search different databases during this session. For practical help on searching databases, please have a look at the search skills tutorials or check the iSkills course listing for the Searching Systematically workshop.
Format: Online teacher-led presentations with opportunities for questions
Puzzled by PICO? Daunted by databases? Baffled by Boolean? This one-hour online introductory class will offer top tips and advice on how to find literature to answer a research question. No prior experience necessary! Together, we will break down a question into the PICO format, put together a structured search, and try it out in PubMed. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what structured searching is, and when to use it
Break your research question down into searchable concepts
Make use of Boolean operators (ANDs/ORs) in your structured searches
Please note that we also run this workshop online. Please check the iSkills course listing for availability.
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions
Newspapers are a valuable resource for researching not only news but also many other aspects of political, economic, social and cultural life. In this session we will introduce key online sources of news and how to make best use of them. The focus will be on historical and contemporary newspapers from the 17th century across most countries of the world. After the session participants will understand:
the value of newspapers in research
the difficulties of using newspapers in research and effective search techniques, and be able to use a range of sources for searching and reading:
historical newspapers
contemporary newspapers
historical audio-visual news sources
Format: Online teacher-led presentations and live demonstrations (with audience interaction and opportunities for questions via chat function and follow up one-to-one help).
Zotero is a reference management tool that helps you build libraries of references and add citations and bibliographies to word processed documents using your chosen citation style. This classroom-based session covers the main features of Zotero and comprises a 45-minute presentation followed by practical exercises at the computers. You can leave at any point once you have tried out the software, and do not have to stay until the end. Please note, we also run an online Zotero workshop. Please check the iSkills course listing for availability. The learning outcomes for this classroom-based session are to:
Create a Zotero library and add references to it
Edit and organise references in your Zotero library
Add in-text citations and/or footnotes to your word processed document
Create bibliographies
Understand how to sync your Zotero library across multiple computers
Understand how to share your Zotero library of references
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises.
EndNote is a desktop-based reference management tool for Windows and Mac users, which helps you build libraries of references and insert them into your Word document as in-text citations or footnotes and automatically generate bibliographies. This online introduction to EndNote is open to all University of Oxford students, researchers and staff and teaches you how to use the software so that you can effectively manage your references. Please note that we also run a face-to-face EndNote workshop. Please check the iSkills course listing for availability. The workshop will cover:
What EndNote can do for you
Adding references to EndNote from a range of sources
Managing your references in an EndNote library
Adding in-text citations and/or footnotes to your essays and papers
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
In this online interactive workshop, you will learn how to create an effective search query and have the opportunity to try out a range of tools that you can use to search for scholarly materials to support your research. You will:
learn how to find books and other scholarly items in Oxford libraries using SOLO
search for journal articles using subject databases and scholarly search engines
be signposted towards learning materials you can use if you are interested in searching for conference proceedings, theses and dissertations.
Are you planning to present a poster at an upcoming conference, meeting or symposium? This introductory session will provide you with some top tips on how to create a poster presentation which will help you to communicate your research project and data effectively. There will be guidance on formatting, layout, content, use of text, references and images, as well as advice on printing and presenting your poster. This session will also provide help with locating resources such as templates, free-to-use images and poster guidelines. By the end of this classroom-based session you will be able to:
evaluate the effectiveness of templates, formatting, text and images;
plan, prepare and present your poster.
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
Location: Beeson Room, Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU
Modern researchers need to have an up-to-date understanding of working with research data. This relates equally to the material they create themselves and that obtained from other sources. Academic institutions, funding bodies and even publishers are now expecting competence in these issues. This workshop will provide a grounding in the different ways quantitative and qualitative data is being made available to benefit researchers. By the end of the session you will also have some insight into how your own future work could add to the process and become part of the research discourse. The course aims to provide an overview of macro and micro data sources available at the University of Oxford, including national data archives, subscription services, business data, and offers some pointers for further searching. Topics to be covered include:
Overview of the landscape of data sources for health researchers, social scientists and most other researchers
How to obtain macro and micro data via specific sources
Qualitative and quantitative data resources
Additional data services such as the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), Eurostat, Researchfish and the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative’s online interactive databank and global Multidimensional Poverty Index; plus specialist sources for business and economic data subscribed to by Oxford University
The value of resources for informing research design and methodological innovation
The importance of data management and cybersecurity
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with discussion.
Location: Social Science Library, Information Skills Training Room, Manor Road, OX1 3UQ
Are you baffled by open, confused by embargoes? Does the mention of the colour gold or green catapult you into a realm of perplexed irritation? Come to this session, where we’ll break down open access and all its many jargon terms, confusing publishing structures and hint at the advantages you can reap by publishing open.
What is open access? Key terms – Gold, Green, Article Processing Charges
Where to get more information and help
Where to look for open access material
Useful tools to assist you in publishing open access
Format: Online presentation with time to get answers to your questions
Are you looking to learn about the ways in which to transmit scientific ideas and make your research accessible to a non-specialist audience through a variety of mediums? This session will serve as an introduction to science communication and how it can be successfully incorporated into our roles. By the end of this session you will be able to:
define science communication and provide a list of examples;
explain why science communication is important for both our CPD and the public;
list ways in which we can all get involved in science communication.
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions
Location: Knowledge Centre Group Study Room, Ground Floor, Old Road Campus Research Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxon, OX3 7DQ
In this session we will examine article level metrics. We will discuss how citation counting can help identify influential papers in particular fields and how altmetrics provide a different perspective on research output. Using tools such as Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scopus you will learn how to locate different article metrics. The session will also allow you to appreciate the limitations of different metrics and the importance of their cautious interpretation. By the end of the session, you will be familiar with:
Using Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar to track and count citations to papers and individual researchers
Measuring impact using altmetrics
Understanding how to contextualise metrics against other, similar papers in a field
The limitations of different metrics
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Are you looking for a streamlined approach to gathering, managing and citing your references? Join us for this interactive online session in which we introduce RefWorks, a subscription reference management tool that University of Oxford members can use for free during their time at the university and as alumni. RefWorks is web-based and helps you to collect and manage references and insert them into your word-processed document as in-text citations or footnotes, and you can generate bibliographies. Being web-based, RefWorks can be used with any operating system and, to cite your references in a document, provides a plugin for Microsoft Word on Windows or Mac computers. By the end of the session, you will understand:
How RefWorks can help you
How to add references to RefWorks from a range of sources
How to manage your references
How to add in-text citations and/or footnotes to your documents
How to create bibliographies
Where to get help with RefWorks
Format: Live online session with a mixture of PowerPoint presentation, live demonstration and practical exercises.
Puzzled by PICO? Daunted by databases? Baffled by Boolean? This one-hour introductory class will offer top tips and advice on how to find literature to answer a research question. No prior experience necessary! Together, we will break down a question into the PICO format, put together a structured search, and try it out in PubMed. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what structured searching is, and when to use it
Break your research question down into searchable concepts
Make use of Boolean operators (ANDs/ORs) in your structured searches
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Create content for your teaching or research with greater confidence by attending our session on Creative Commons (CC) licences. Learn how they work, how they interact with copyright and how to use them to best effect. The session will make special reference to images but is applicable to all media, including written works. The workshop is classroom-based. In this playful, interactive face-to-face session we will cover:
What Creative Commons Licences are
Where to find Creative Commons material
How to apply Creative Commons to your own work
How to reuse Creative Commons materials
And we’ll finish the session with a Creative Commons card game.
Format: Classroom-based with an interactive presentation and game elements to reinforce learning.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of Zotero, which is a free-to-use software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies. Zotero will be demonstrated on a Windows PC but users of MacOS or Linux computers will be able to follow the demonstration. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of Zotero
Setting up a Zotero account
Importing references from different sources into Zotero
Organising your references in Zotero
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online demonstration with time for questions.
Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This online session will introduce you to EndNote, a subscription software 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. On completing the workshop you will be able to:
Understand the main features and benefits of EndNote
Set up an EndNote account
Import references from different sources into EndNote
Organise your references in EndNote
Insert citations into documents
Create a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
EndNote is a desktop-based reference management tool for Windows and Mac users, which helps you build libraries of references and insert them into your Word document as in-text citations or footnotes and automatically generate bibliographies. This classroom-based introduction to EndNote is open to all University of Oxford students, researchers and staff and teaches you how to use the software so that you can effectively manage your references. Please note we also run an online EndNote workshop. Please check the iSkills course listing for availability. The workshop will cover:
What EndNote can do for you
Adding references to EndNote from a range of sources
Managing your references in an EndNote library
Adding in-text citations and/or footnotes to your essays and papers
Creating bibliographies
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises.
A key database for those researching the social sciences, medical sciences and physical and life sciences, Scopus encompasses more than 94 million records from 5000 publishers. This interactive session will cover basic and advanced searching, highlighting features unique to Scopus and recent updates to the database. Attendees will be encouraged to practice the tips explained during the session. This will be useful for those new to databases and a good refresher for experienced users. By the end of the session you will be able to:
construct simple and complex searches
navigate filters
understand effective search query techniques
save and export results
extract further information from your results
Format: Online presentations with live demonstrations and hand-on activities.
Are you looking to learn about the ways in which to transmit scientific ideas and make your research accessible to a non-specialist audience through a variety of mediums? This session will serve as an introduction to science communication and how it can be successfully incorporated into our roles. By the end of this session you will be able to:
define science communication and provide a list of examples;
explain why science communication is important for both our CPD and the public;
list ways in which we can all get involved in science communication.
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions
Location: Beeson Room, Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU
Get ready to understand the stages of your literature review search process by using your own research questions to build a successful search and apply it to a range of library resources. By the end of the session you will be able to:
Build a successful search strategy
Use a range of bibliographic databases and search tools in the Social Sciences
Source highly cited papers relevant to your research
Set up alerts for newly-published papers on your topic
Format: Online teacher-led presentations and live demonstrations (with opportunities for questions via the chat function and follow up one-to-one help).
In this session we will cover how to locate and interpret journal level metrics such as the Journal Impact Factor (JIF). We will examine the tools you can use to locate journal level metrics, such as Journal Citation Reports and Scopus Sources. We will also consider the uses, limitations and pitfalls inherent in these metrics and how they can be used responsibly. By the end of the session, you will be familiar with:
The major journal metrics and how these are calculated
Accessing journal citation data using Journal Citation Reports and Scopus Sources
Using JIF, CiteScore and SJR journal metrics to rank journals
The limitations of different metrics, including how journal metrics may be skewed or distorted
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
An online introduction to using alerts to keep up to date with new research and save you time. A combination of presenter-led instruction and the opportunity for participants to set up email alerts to receive notifications for publications in their field of research. We invite you to send any questions you have in advance to usered@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for the instructors to cover in the session. There will also be opportunities to ask questions in the class. The workshop will cover:
How email alerts can help you
Setting up alerts on your favourite databases and other platforms for new content in your field
Managing your alerts
Format: Online presenter-led instruction with opportunity for participants to set up email alerts.
Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This online session will introduce you to EndNote, a subscription software 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. On completing the workshop you will be able to:
Understand the main features and benefits of EndNote
Set up an EndNote account
Import references from different sources into EndNote
Organise your references in EndNote
Insert citations into documents
Create a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
A practical session 180-minute workshop where participants will work on searches for their review across multiple databases. Librarians from the Bodleian Health Care Libraries will be on hand to demonstrate online tools for facilitating the process and give practical advice on refining individual search strategies. By the end of this classroom-based session you will be able to:
Improve a search strategy that you are working on
Adapt the search across multiple databases
Use tools such as Yale MeSH Analyzer, Polyglot and the SR Accelerator to improve your searches
Describe alternative methods for identifying references, including citation tracking
De-duplicate results from multiple database searches
Start screening results for inclusion in your review
Report your search methods according to PRISMA-Search
Format: Classroom-based. Time for participants to work on their own searches with advice from a librarian. Explore tools that streamline the review process following a presentation with demonstrations.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Curious about using AI to find research papers? Not sure how to properly reference GenAI and avoid plagiarism? This beginner-friendly workshop introduces three GenAI tools (ChatGPT, Elicit, and Perplexity), showing how they can support information discovery and analysis. Designed for those new to AI, this practical session will allow you to independently experiment with these tools and participate in group discussions to explore their strengths, limitations, and suitability for different tasks. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what AI means and some key terms
Differentiate between several categories of AI tools
Describe how some GenAI tools can be used to discover information, including their strengths, limitations, and best practices
Critique GenAI tools and their outputs at an introductory level using evaluative criteria
State the University’s policies on AI, and avoid plagiarism by creating citations for AI-generated content
Format: Classroom-based. Presentation with practical exercises, group discussions, and an opportunity for questions and answers at the end of the session.
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of RefWorks. RefWorks is a subscription software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies that University of Oxford members can use for free during their time at the university and as alumni. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of RefWorks
Setting up a RefWorks account
Organising your references in RefWorks
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.
This workshop will cover the basics of copyright as they apply to lecturers and tutors at the University of Oxford. It will explain the different types of copyright work that are used or generated in teaching and the rights and responsibilities for teaching staff and students. By attending this session you will have the opportunity to:
Identify copyright works and usages in teaching contexts
Compare different types of licence available for teaching – proprietary and open
Follow the requirements of the CLA licence
Apply risk management principles to the use of copyright exceptions for teaching
Format: Online presentation with opportunities for questions and answers, as well as opportunities to share experiences.
This session will cover some more advanced techniques for finding medical literature to answer a research question. We will recap some basics, then demonstrate searching in several medical databases, including using subject headings (MeSH) and the differences between different platforms.
After the main 90-minute workshop, one of the Bodleian Health Care Libraries Outreach Librarians will be available for another 30 minutes to answer questions about your own searches, so feel free to bring along what you are working on.
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what subject headings are, and how to use them
Search for words that appear near to other words
Take a search from one database into another
Save a search and document it
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions. The last 30 minutes are an opportunity to ask any questions you have about your own searches.
Location: Radcliffe Science Library, Seminar Room, Parks Road, OX2 3QP
Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.
The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.
If you are new to the University of Oxford and want to find out more about the University’s network of libraries or have been at the University a while and would like a refresher, join us for this online introduction to understanding and accessing the libraries, their services and resources. By the end of the session, you will:
Be familiar with the network of Oxford libraries
Know the logins needed to access Bodleian Libraries services
Be able to conduct a search in SOLO (the University’s resource discovery tool), filter results and access online and print resources
Know how to manage your library account including loans and requests
Format: Live online session with a mixture of PowerPoint presentation, live demonstration and practical exercises.
In this online workshop you will be shown the functionality of Zotero, which is a free-to-use software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies. Zotero will be demonstrated on a Windows PC but users of MacOS or Linux computers will be able to follow the demonstration. The workshop will cover:
Understanding the main features and benefits of Zotero
Setting up a Zotero account
Importing references from different sources into Zotero
Organising your references in Zotero
Inserting citations into documents
Creating a bibliography/reference list
Format: Online demonstration with time for questions.
Are you planning to present a poster at an upcoming conference, meeting or symposium? This introductory session will provide you with some top tips on how to create a poster presentation which will help you to communicate your research project and data effectively. There will be guidance on formatting, layout, content, use of text, references and images, as well as advice on printing and presenting your poster. This session will also provide help with locating resources such as templates, free-to-use images and poster guidelines. By the end of this classroom-based session you will be able to:
evaluate the effectiveness of templates, formatting, text and images;
plan, prepare and present your poster.
Format: Teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
Location: Knowledge Centre Group Study Room, Ground Floor, Old Road Campus Research Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxon, OX3 7DQ
All university students need to become skilled in identifying, evaluating and referencing academic sources. These are often essential steps in completing course and tutorial assignments successfully. Unfamiliar sources like peer-reviewed scientific journals and understanding how and why to reference correctly can challenge new undergraduates. In this session we explore the different types of academic sources you may encounter, tools to evaluate a source for academic quality and how to demystify referencing. By the end of the session you will be able to:
Distinguish the different benefits of sources such as textbooks, peer-reviewed journals and websites in academic research
Know which library services to use to find different types of academic sources
Apply critical evaluation of sources using the CRAAP test
Understand how to reference sources correctly, particularly in the context of avoiding plagiarism and maintaining the academic integrity of your work
Format: Online presentation with time for questions
This 90-minute session will cover some more advanced techniques for finding medical literature to answer a research question. We will recap some basics, then demonstrate searching in several medical databases, including using subject headings (MeSH) and the differences between different platforms. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Explain what subject headings are, and how to use them
Search for words that appear near to other words
Take a search from one database into another
Save a search and document it
Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.
Location: Microsoft Teams
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