Students’ Use of Research Content in Teaching and Learning (2009)

This Report from UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire) to the JISC provides a snapshot of student research behaviour. It considers how students identify, access and use research and concludes that:
•Students are aware of the qualitative distinction between published research and general internet sites
•Students are not generally sophisticated in their understanding of peer-review
• Students are very reliant on library catalogues, databases and staff advice
• Students’ perception of research is led by the context of their assignments
• Students are reluctant to approach their tutor directly for advice on what research content to access
• Very few students identify undergraduate or postgraduate dissertations as research content

The report ends with a ten point action plan of recommendations put forward to the JISC, which includes the recommendation that ‘HEIs should be encouraged to invest significantly in improving information literacy for all students’.

Paying to publish for Open Access

The Research Information Network (RIN) and Universities UK have produced a guide to paying open access publication charges: that is, fees levied by some journals for the publication of scholarly articles so that they can be made available free of charge to readers, immediately upon publication. The guide, published in March 2009, also sets out recommendations for universities and other research institutions, publishers, research funders, and authors

Equator network

The EQUATOR Network (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of Health Research) is a 'quality improvement initiative that seeks to enhance the reliability of medical research literature by promoting transparent and accurate reporting of health research'. The website provides a comprehensive collection of reporting guidelines and other resources related to the reporting of health research studies, details of EQUATOR educational activities, news and events, and links to other useful resources.

Thomson Reuters Research Analytics Webinars

Thomson Reuters are offering a series of webinars promoting several new services throught June 2009, including an online demonstration of InCites. Sessions will cover:

1. Extraction of bibliographic records from Web of Science
2. Provision of 'Times Cited' counts within a repository/publications database
3. Application of ResearcherID
4. Performance benchmarking with InCites:
a. By institution
b. By national / international standards

You can register at the online meetings below:

June 4th 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123283237&RG=1&UID=0

June 10th 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123283237&RG=1&UID=0

June 16th 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123284232&RG=1&UID=0

June 23rd 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123284347&RG=1&UID=0

Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World

Just been reading ‘Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World’, a report of an independant Committee of Inquiry into changing learner experience which looks at the impact on higher education of students' widespread use of Web 2.0 technologies. The report also emphasises the role of Information Literacy in schools and higher education

'Information Literacies including searching Retrieving, critically evaluating information from a range of appropriate sources and also attributing it- represents a significant and growing deficit area.'

Internet Guide on Genetics and Evolution

Intute: Health and Life Sciences has just produced a new booklet of Internet resources on Genetics and Evolution, which can be viewed at http://www.intute.ac.uk/supportdocs/geneticsbooklet.pdf . This is the latest in a series of guides produce by Intute: Health and Life Sciences which can be a useful resource for researchers, or for those responsible for creating course materials, reading or resource lists for students. Printed copies will be available in Greenfield Medical Library by the end of the week.

NHS Evidence - A UK Google for Guidelines

The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has launched NHS Evidence, a "Google-like portal" which provides access to a range of information types, including
primary research literature, practical implementation
tools, guidelines, and policy documents.

Health professionals and members of the public can obtain current, evidence-based information on clinical and public health issues and official guidance-producing bodies will be able to become NHS Evidence-accredited.

The Lancet http://www.thelancet.com 373 9 May 2009 p.1578