Cambridge University Libraries course timetable

Using a reference manager is one of the best ways to look after crucial research literature, whether planning for a literature review or simply keeping track of developments in a particular discipline. This session will introduce Zotero, an open source reference manager tool.

Using live demonstrations, discussions, and troubleshooting common referencing issues, the session will give an in-depth look at how Zotero (and tools like it) can help maximise a research project workflow while also ensuring that critical resources and information are not lost at any point in the research process.

Getting to grips with a new area of research or finding secondary literature to answer a research question can be a daunting task. This session is here to guide you enhance your literature search by introducing key resources and strategies that you can use for finding materials, illustrating a range of techniques for searching, and discussing how to stay up to date with research in your field. In the session, as well as looking at the Cambridge University Libraries' online catalogue iDiscover, we also introduce some of the databases that can be most useful to researches in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences carrying out literature searches.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

• Plan a strategy for finding literature on your research topic.
• Discover a range of resources available for your literature search.
• Make the most of the resources available using a range of techniques and tools.
• Stay up to date with research in your field.
• Build a list of relevant literature related to your research topic.

Using a reference manager is one of the best ways to look after crucial research literature, whether planning for a literature review or simply keeping track of developments in a particular discipline. This session will introduce Zotero.

Using live demonstrations, discussions, and troubleshooting common referencing issues, the session will give an in-depth look at how Zotero (and tools like it) can help maximise a research project workflow while also ensuring that critical resources and information are not lost at any point in the research process.

The UL is unique: a national, legal deposit library with an amazing collection of around 8 million items - over two million of which you can browse on our open shelves. If that sounds a bit daunting, why not come on a brief orientation tour to help you find your way around? We’ll even tell you what we keep in the famous Library tower...

Please note this tour does not cover the University's vast electronic and digital collections: to find out more about using these, please see check for courses on our timetable or ask a member of Library staff for help.

This session introduces participants to the concept of research data, all the forms that it can take as well as negotiating the management of different data depending on their type.

Topics such as effective storage, handling sensitive data, and developing best practice approaches to avoid data loss during a project will be covered. The session will also explore how to create a data management plan (DMP) and the support available, as well as providing an overview of useful tools and services both within the University of Cambridge and beyond.

This is an interactive online session for anyone engaging in research in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM).

Reading academic literature is critical to writing a literature review and developing your own research. This session will explore how to develop a critical reading strategy for your papers, articles, and other reading material for your research.

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

• Efficiently select appropriate readings from your search results
• Understand the difference between comprehending and critical reading
• List of a range of methods for critical reading and know where to go for more information
• Use the SQRR strategic reading method to structure your critical reading.

This session is online and will take one hour including activities.

This session will cover all the essential information needed to create an effective publication strategy. This includes choosing your professional name, considering what you actually want to publish, and how to choose where to publish, including a look at how to responsibly use journal metrics. We will also discuss the publication process and demystify things such as peer review and copyright transfer agreements, before exploring open access and Creative Commons.

Participants should leave the session feeling confident that they know how create a good publication strategy for their research, with increased understanding of the topics covered.

You've passed your viva. If your examiners requested any corrections, those have been submitted and approved.

You now need to deposit a physical copy and an electronic copy of your thesis to the Library. In this session, we will focus on depositing the electronic copy of your thesis, for inclusion in Apollo, the University's Repository.

We will cover:

• What to include in your electronic copy
• What not to include in your electronic copy
• The access levels that are available and guidance on which to choose
• Third party copyright considerations
• Sensitive information considerations
• Funder requirements

We will finish with a live demonstration of depositing a thesis using Symplectic Elements.

Academic writing is hard, let us help you find ways to make it easier!

Open to academic writers in all disciplines and at any stage of their writing journeys, our academic writing workshops are filled with motivational tips and tricks and offer a safe and supportive environment in which to share experiences with others. In these workshops, we unpack myths about writing and share ways of approaching and thinking about writing that can make it seem less daunting. The emphasis is firmly on crowdsourcing and learning from one another – we can guarantee you'll pick up some new ideas to try out to keep you motivated. This session is part workshop in which we discuss academic writing and try out some new techniques, part practical group writing session.

Here's a taste of what to expect at these hands-on writing workshops:

• Guidance and advice from experienced academic writers, as they address some common myths and misconceptions about academic writing.
• Tips for staying motivated, tackling large writing projects, and overcoming writer's block.
• Liberate your writing practice by trying out some creative writing exercises.
• Put what you have learned into practice with an hour's group writing time in for the 'Write Here, Write Now' section of the workshop.

This is an interactive online session for anyone engaging in research in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM).

Making notes on the academic literature you read helps you remember what you have read, clarify your own thoughts, and get started with writing. It also makes your life much easier when you come to adding references to your thesis or publication! This session will explore methods, tools, and strategies for making effective and efficient notes for your research.

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

• Understand various note making methods
• Select an appropriate note making method for your reading needs and personal preferences
• Create notes which demonstrate critical reading and support academic writing

This session is online and will take one hour including activities.

Need to create a conference poster but are not sure where to start? This session will introduce participants to the fundamentals of designing an effective and engaging poster that is perfect for communicating research ideas. The session will look at good design practice, where to source free high quality graphics, as well as deciding what you should (and maybe shouldn't) include in your final poster.

Reading and note-making may seem like basic academic skills, but these are skills on which researchers often feel they could improve. This session begins by addressing common concerns about reading and note-making then discusses some possible steps you might want to take or techniques to try out in different situations. We also cover techniques to help develop speedier reading, note organising, and the use of relevant AI tools. Good note-making is a useful habit to develop as it not only helps to keep your research organised, but good notes also help you become a better writer.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:​

• Apply strategic reading approaches to your own work
• Explain the difference between note-taking and note-making​
• Identify strategic reading and note-making approaches that fit your needs​
• Understand the link between reading, note making and academic writing

Publishing in journal articles is a key element of a successful researcher career, and something you should expect to do over the course of your PhD, but knowing where to start can be a daunting prospect. When do you know when you're ready to publish in a journal? How can you even be sure whether this is the right outlet for your work? What does the publication process entail and what do you need to know about peer review? This session is designed to take you through the entire process from initial idea right up to sharing your finished publication. 

By the end of this session, you should be able to:​

• Have an overview of the publication process from start to finish
• Think about what type of academic publication is right for your research and how to pick the right journal
• Be aware of the dangers posed by predatory publishers
• Understand the peer review process and how to respond to reviewers' comments

This session will cover the basics of UK copyright law and how this impacts what you can use in your work and how you can share the results of your own research. It will introduce concepts such as third-party copyright, fair dealing and rights retention. It will provide guidance on how to seek permission to reuse content from the copyright holder in your thesis and your publications. Finally, it will explain what Creative Commons licences are and how they can be used to protect and share your work.

Assessment of research has long focused on metrics as a numeric measure of research quality. Yet these metrics are flawed and often not used for their intended purpose.

In this session, we will look at guidelines for using metrics responsibly, including the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and university guidance. We will explain how common metrics, like the H index and Journal Impact Factor, are used and discuss limitations of their use. Finally, we will consider real life examples of where you can use metrics responsibly. This will include examples such as tidying up your online profiles, choosing a journal or recruitment.

By the end of this session, you will be aware of the problems of common research metrics and feel confident in using metrics responsibly.

This session will introduce participants to different methods of communicating research before moving on to a discussion around best practice and techniques when preparing a presentation. Participants will be introduced to concepts around good design, accessibility, data presentation, and accessing Creative Commons licensed materials for their work.

The session will conclude with an exploration of good delivery techniques with additional advice on what to do if it all goes wrong.