Cambridge University Libraries course timetable

Finding grey literature can be a challenging element of research and assessed work. This course explains what grey literature is and why it should be included in systematic or literature reviews, sites and sources of grey literature, alternative search engines to Google and how to search Google more effectively.

This course is aimed at those who are including grey literature in their systematic or literature reviews, but may also be of interest to those who want to search the web more efficiently.

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 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.

Publishing a protocol -- stating in advance the search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, data analysis and other evaluative techniques -- is a core requirement for conducting a systematic review. The process of writing this protocol will also mean you have written in advance a large chunk of what will need to go into the finished systematic review, saving you a huge amount of time.

This session will cover the contents and types of information you will need to provide in your protocol, and will give attendees the opportunity to write a draft protocol, as well as highlighting helpful resources and further support.

Please note: this session may be recorded. By signing up for the session, you register your consent for recording to take place. Please email librarytraining@medschl.cam.ac.uk if you have any questions about this.

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

Do you have a burning question about referencing or third-party copyright? Do you need someone to look at your literature searching strategy or poster design? Then come along to one of our Ask Us Anything drop-in sessions in Easter Term! While we aren't doing any scheduled teaching, we're more than happy to answer questions about anything we would normally cover in our programme. And if we can't solve your issue right then, we can arrange a 1-2-1 to look at it further. Sign up for the Zoom link, and then drop-in at any point over the hour.

A course specifically for NHS staff. Attendees will learn how to search databases accessed with an Athens login (such as Medline, Embase and Cinahl) effectively and efficiently, to learn how to save searches and references, and to create and maintain a bibliography.

All attendees are required to have an NHS Athens login. University of Cambridge staff and students wanting to learn similar material should book onto the Introduction to Literature Searching (for University) course instead.

Please note that this session takes place in person, in the Medical Library training room.

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 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.

Before undertaking any piece of primary research it’s important to be aware of as much of the existing literature as possible. A systematic literature review can also be a research end in itself. And it’s not something to be taken lightly. But how can you be sure you’re being as rigorous as necessary? How can you manage the references you find, document the process, and also know when to stop searching?

This session assumes attendees have already had prior introductory training in literature searching. It is a prerequisite that you have attended either Introduction to Literature Searching (if you are a University of Cambridge staff member or student) or Getting the Best Results - Improving Your Database Searching (if you are an NHS staff member). Exceptions will be made if you received similar training from another department or university - please contact us if you have any questions about prerequisites.

Please note: this session may be recorded. By signing up for the session, you register your consent for recording to take place. Please email librarytraining@medschl.cam.ac.uk if you have any questions about this.

This online session is aimed to introduce researchers to research data management.

We will go through the 4 key areas of research management: 1. Organising 2. Storage and Backup 3. Sharing 4. Archiving

We will also cover topics such as working with sensitive data and have an introduction to Data Management plans. The session is tailored to those working in STEMM and there will be Q&A at the end for any specific questions.

This session will cover:

• Where to store data safely and securely
• How to organise data
• How to share data openly when appropriate
• What support is available at Cambridge

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

A course to take you through conference poster design, with tips and resources to help with the content and presentation in order to ensure you communicate your research effectively. The course will cover where to source good quality, free graphics, how to include references in your poster, and advice about how best to present it at a conference. The session will NOT involve hands-on creation of a poster.

Please note: this session may be recorded. By signing up for the session, you register your consent for recording to take place. Please email librarytraining@medschl.cam.ac.uk if you have any questions about this.

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.

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

A course designed to take you step-by-step through academic writing and publication, with tips and resources to make writing up as simple as possible. The course will demystify the peer-review process, and help you to improve the precision and clarity of your academic writing.

Please note: this session may be recorded. By signing up for the session, you register your consent for recording to take place. Please email librarytraining@medschl.cam.ac.uk if you have any questions about this.

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.

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.

Do you have a burning question about referencing or third-party copyright? Do you need someone to look at your literature searching strategy or poster design? Then come along to one of our Ask Us Anything drop-in sessions in Easter Term! While we aren't doing any scheduled teaching, we're more than happy to answer questions about anything we would normally cover in our programme. And if we can't solve your issue right then, we can arrange a 1-2-1 to look at it further. Sign up for the Zoom link, and then drop-in at any point over the hour.