October in the Library

Doing research, sharing research, organizing research, predatory publishing and public publishing: there is so much happening at the library this month, it’s almost too much for one blog post. But, at the risk of overload, here are our learning events for the remainder of October and a bit of November. Please join us! (Remember to RSVP by clicking on the title above the workshop’s description, or go through the events page.)

Click a workshop name to go to a full description.

Research for Master’s Students (10/8, 10/21)

The Life-Changing Magic of Open Access (10/9)

Info Session: Open Pedagogy Fellowship (10/12)

Welcome to the Library! (10/13)

Zotero on Your Laptop (10/15, 11/12)

Fake Journals and Conferences: What to Know About the Faux (10/17)

Open Access Publishing and Institutional Repository Use (10/21)

Advanced Zotero Walk-in: Bring Your Questions (10/31)

[Science Research Series] Predatory Publishers (11/11)


Research for Master’s Students

Tuesday, October 8, 4:00 pm5:30 pm
Monday, October 21, 6:30 pm–8:00 pm
C196.05 (in the lower level of the library)
This workshop will discuss research at a graduate level. Topics to be covered include searching for resources, choosing a topic, evaluating sources, and paper formatting. Attendees will come away with strategies for taking their research up a notch.

The Life-Changing Magic of Open Access: Best Practices for Finding Others’ Research and Publicly Sharing Yours

Wednesday, October 9, 2:30 pm–4:00 pm
C196.05 (in the lower level of the library)

This session will help you understand the types of sites where open access works can be found, and demonstrate a variety of tools for quickly determining whether a specific item is available open access. Further, we will introduce a range of options for making your own scholarly work open access, and offer some compelling reasons why you might want to.

Info Session: Open Pedagogy Fellowship

Wednesday, October 9, 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
Room 9206
The library is seeking applications by Friday, October 11, for up to 13 Open Pedagogy Fellows for the Spring 2020 semester, each carrying a $2,000 stipend. The Fellowship experience will enhance participants’ understanding of open pedagogy and their ability to employ elements of open pedagogy in their teaching. This info session will introduce and contextualize the Fellowship, and answer questions about applications.

Welcome to the Library!

Thursday, October 10, 6:30 pm–8:00 pm
C196.05 (in the lower level of the library)

This introduction to the Graduate Center Library will include: an overview the library website and catalog, a tour of our subject specific databases, sample search queries, an introduction to citation management and citation management software tools, archival and primary source subject-specific searching, and a look at resources beyond the GC library.

Zotero on Your Laptop

Tuesday, October 15, 1:00 pm–2:30 pm
Tuesday, November 12, 2:30 pm–4:00 pm
C196.05 (in the lower level of the library)

The basics, for beginners. Join us for a hands-on introduction to managing citations with Zotero, a free and open-source research tool that makes organizing your research and creating bibliographies a breeze. Please bring a laptop with you, and make sure you can install software on it, so our instructors can help you get started on your own devices. You’ll install Zotero on your laptop; create a Zotero account; place citations into your Zotero account; and generate a bibliography using the MS Word plug-in.

Fake Journals and Conferences: What to Know about the Faux

Think Check Submit logoThursday, October 17, 6:30 pm–8:00 pm
C196.05 (in the lower level of the library)
As a researcher, you are eager to publish your work in journals and present at conferences. But don’t be fooled by fake or “predatory” journals or conferences. These low-quality outlets exist for the sole purpose of profit, and they frequently lie about their peer review practices and engage in other forms of deceit. Come learn how to spot these bad actors and how to critically evaluate any journal or conference before submitting a paper or proposal.

[Science Research Series] Open Access Publishing and Institutional Repository Use

Monday, October 21, 11:00 am–12:00 pm
Room 4102

This workshop will introduce the idea of Open Access Publishing and Institutional Repositories. We will talk about how you can use these tools to both publish and publicize your own research, and also how you can use them to find work that other scholars have made available. The session is geared to science students and faculty, but is open to everyone.

Advanced Zotero Walk-in

Thursday, October 31, 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Library Lounge, Room 2300
Working with Zotero for your paper/thesis/dissertation? Bibliography not formatted like you thought it should be? In-text citations disappearing? Have you come across something that just doesn’t work right? Come and talk to us and we’ll figure it out together. (If you happen to be wearing a costume for this session, so much the better.)

[Science Research Series] Predatory Publishers

Monday, November 11, 11:00 am–12:00 pm
Room 4102
What’s a predatory publisher? This session will explain, and will teach you how to recognize and avoid them. These skills will be useful to you as both researchers and as authors. The workshop is geared to science students and faculty, but is open to all.

About the Author

Katherine Pradt is the Adjunct Reference and Digital Outreach Librarian at the Graduate Center.