Graduate Support Series, Spring 2011

UW-Madison campus libraries have teamed to offer a series of free workshops for graduate students. As each workshop is designed to be a "stand-alone" presentation, students can choose to attend any number of them, in any combination.

Please visit the workshop site or view the flyer (PDF) for the listing of workshops in the series. From "Keeping Current with the Literature" to "Using Patents and Technical Reports"--there is something for you.

Do note date, time and library location. Registration is recommended; register with the GSC (Graduate Student Collaborative).

Google Scholar Alerts

For those who enjoy Google Scholar, do note that it now enables you to set an alert--that is, to save a particular search strategy on a topic, specific article, or author and have Google send you an email notification when more articles are added to its database that match your criteria.

It’s as simple as running your search, then clicking the envelope icon "create email alert". If you are interested in "cited by" information for a particular article, run the search for that article, click "Cited by" beneath the search result, then click the envelope icon "create email alert".

• See the Help pages for more information.

Additionally, consider setting your Scholar Preferences to include a link to Find It at UW-Madison and a link to export your records to a preferred Citation Manager (EndNote, RefWorks, etc.) The Find It at UW Madison link will map you to local holdings for particular articles--either in full-text online or as available in print from campus libraries. (When using Google Scholar on-campus, you should see this Find It at UW-Madison link).

If you are using Google Scholar from off-campus, select Scholar Preferences from the Google Scholar search page, and search for the name of your library in the Library Links section (for example, enter UW Madison).

Select boxes for your campus library system and the Open WorldCat Library Search.

Select your preferred Bibliography Manager from the drop menu near the bottom of the Preferences page. Once selected, links will appear with your retrieval to enable you to export citations to that manager.

Click to Save Preferences.

(Do note that selecting a link to a full-text article from off-campus will require you to login with your UW-Madison NetId).

Google for Academic Research (Oct 16)

Power search with Google to quickly locate quality resources!

This free, drop-in workshop will give you hands-on practice using Google, Google Scholar, Google Patents, and Google Book Search. You will also learn to use Find It and Refworks with Google Scholar and to evaluate your search results to get the best information from the Web.

Google for Academic Research
Friday, October 16 (noon-1:00)
Steenbock Instruction Lab, Room 105

No registration is necessary in order to attend.

Visit the calendar for a listing of other library workshops offered this fall.

Google Scholar Preferences

Set your Google Scholar Preferences to include a link to Find It at UW-Madison and a link to export your records to a preferred Bibliography/Citation Manager (EndNote, RefWorks, etc.)

The Find It at UW Madison link will map you to local holdings for particular articles—either in full-text online or as available in print from campus libraries. (When using Google Scholar on-campus, you should see this Find It at UW-Madison link).

If you are using Google Scholar from off-campus, select Scholar Preferences from the Google Scholar search page, and search for the name of your library in the Library Links section (for example, enter UW Madison).

Select boxes for your campus library system and the Open WorldCat Library Search.

Select your preferred Bibliography Manager from the drop-down menu near the bottom of the Preferences page. Once selected, links will appear with your retrieval to enable you to export citations to that manager.

Click to Save Preferences.

(Do note that selecting a link to a full-text article from off-campus will require you to login with your UW-Madison NetId).

Google Flu Trends

Using statistics gathered from searches entered into its search engine, Google is exploring its ability to predict outbreaks of the flu. In other words, Google is measuring the trend, so to speak, to use the Web to seek information or guidance regarding health issues—perhaps by searches that query ‘flu symptoms’ or similar. For some additional information, see the Guardian article.

Of course, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also track the flu virus. See the Flu Activity and Surveillance page.

Google for Academic Research (Workshop, June 18)

Power search with Google to remove clutter and quickly locate quality resources!

This workshop will give you hands-on practice using Google, Google Scholar, Google Patents, and Google Book Search. You will also learn to use Find It and Refworks with Google Scholar and to evaluate your search results to get the best information from the Web.

Google for Academic Research

Wednesday, June 18 (1:00 - 2:30 PM)
Steenbock Instruction Lab, Room 105

No registration is necessary in order to attend.

Visit the calendar for a listing of other library workshops offered this summer.

Google for Academic Research, Workshop January 31

Power search with Google to remove clutter and quickly locate quality resources!

This workshop will give you hands-on practice using Google, Google Scholar, Google Patents, and Google Book Search. You will also learn how to use Find It and Refworks with Google Scholar and how to evaluate your search results to get the best information from the Web.

Google for Academic Research
Thursday, January 31 (4:00-5:15 PM)

No registration is necessary in order to attend. Check the board near the Steenbock Library entrance for room location.

Google Privacy Tips

Would you like to remove your personal phone number from Google results? Or, limit who can view your Blogger postings, Google Documents or Picasa photos?

If so, then Google’s series of Privacy Tips may supply some of that assistance you desire. Each tip is demonstrated by a You Tube video.

With thanks to librarian, Barbara L for this blog post.

Google Zeitgeist 2007

Each year Google’s Zeitgeist site pulls together the annual trends in Google searching, as drawn from use in the United States and internationally. Check out the 2007 trends. From the sidebar, you can browse top ten searches in such amusing categories as “Newsmakers,” “Showbiz,” “All the Rage,” and “Top of Mind.”

Each page of the 2007 site also supplies a Google tip that changes frequently. One favorite is to type weather madison wi for a quick four day forecast with links to additional weather forecasts (particularly handy if you will be traveling soon). Or, you can type weather and add your zipcode (e.g. weather 53706).

With thanks to librarian, Barbara L, for this blog post.

Organize your e-life! Try iGoogle

Google now offers iGoogle, a free interactive Web personalization tool that allows you to individualize a Web page to meet your needs with a number of useful applications.

Applications range from finance and technology to lifestyle and entertainment. iGoogle makes Web browsing simple by organizing your favorite Web sites into one Web page that you can thoroughly navigate. Users can watch their favorite YouTube videos, listen to music or enjoy live streaming television. iGoogle also provides a variety of news, weather and resource applications (Wikipedia, Dictionary, etc.). To create your own iGoogle homepage, click here (http://www.google.com/ig).

Applications include:

--Live streaming TV

--Wikipedia, dictionary, thesaurus

--To do list

--Live weather

--Google map search

--YouTube video search

--ESPN news

--Financial tips

--Daily news from a variety of newspapers

Other customizable Web portal products include netvibes and Pageflakes, among others.

Do you use iGoogle or another product? What are your favorite applications? Reply to this blog post to tell us more.

With thanks to ISIP intern, Jacob M, for this blog post.

Google Scholar Preferences

Users of Google Scholar will be pleased to note that retrieval can include a link to Find It at UW Madison. If you are using Google Scholar from an on-campus location, following the Find It at UW Madison link will map you to local holdings for the particular article—either in full-text online or as available in print from campus libraries.

If you are using Google Scholar from off-campus, select Scholar Preferences from the Google Scholar search page, and search for the name of your library in the Library Links section (for example, enter UW Madison).

Check boxes for your campus library system and Open WorldCat “Library Search”.

You can also select your preferred Bibliography Manager (EndNote, RefWorks, etc.). Once selected, links will appear with your retrieval to enable you to import citations into that manager.

Click Save Preferences in order to generate an active Find It and import links.

Do note that selecting a link to a full-text article from off-campus will require you to login with your UW Madison NetId. For information regarding remote access, see: http://www.library.wisc.edu/off-campus/

Find It with Google Scholar

Users of Google Scholar will be pleased to note that retrieval will now include a link to Find It at UW Madison. If you are using Google Scholar from an on-campus location, following the Find It at UW Madison link will map you to local holdings for the particular item—either in full-text online or as available in print from campus libraries.

If you are using Google Scholar from off-campus, select Scholar Preferences from the Google Scholar search page, and type the name of your library in the Library Links space. Click Save Preferences in order to generate an active Find It at UW Madison link. (Do note that selecting a link to a full-text article from off-campus will require you to login with your UW Madison ID number and last name). For information regarding remote access, see: http://www.library.wisc.edu/help/remote/