introducing refwork @ drexel
DESCRIPTION
How librarians introduced the citation management service RefWorks to users at Drexel University in 2004-current.TRANSCRIPT
Introducing RefWorksto the Drexel Community
Tim SiftarInformation Services Librarian
July 17, 2008
Outline
Why? Context Questions we asked ourselves Promoting RefWorks Measuring success
Why? Why now? Why us?
Why? Convenience Plagiarism prevention
Why now? Growing student body & demand New, better-priced option, user-friendly
Why us? “Library” issue – not computing services Chance to “shine”
Drexel Context
“Drexel University 1995-2007 Enrollment Trends,” Drexel Enrollment Management Office 2007.
Drexel Context
“Drexel University 1995-2007 Enrollment Trends,” Drexel Enrollment Management Office 2007.
Citation Management Support
20032004
20052006
20072008
noth
ing
SF
X im
port
to R
efW
orks
Questions we asked ourselves
Did our users need it? How to promote? How to train? How to support?
Promoting: literature
RefWorks handouts (went fast) Text tipsheets (too much text?) Exhibit “Never type a bibliography again” “Library Lifesavers” bookmark – just the facts
Online tipsheet: http://www.library.drexel.edu/resources/tutorials/refworks.html
Promoting: communications
Short emails & newsletter articles Announcements to faculty & staff Tabling events on campus (raffle entry if
signed up) Front page website “quick-link”
Promoting: instruction
Mention during required freshman research instruction (some quick demo)
Hand’s-on training during subject librarian orientations (10-40 minute)
Self-guided Powerpoint screenshot & Camtasia streamed video versions
Integrate into overall librarian messageWeb-based examples:http://www.library.drexel.edu/resources/tutorials/UsingRefWorks.swfhttp://rmc.irt.drexel.edu/playlists/gc24/RefShare_and_Inserting_Bb_Links.html#
Tutorial: http://www.library.drexel.edu/resources/ER/CitingReferences1.html Powerpoints: www.library.drexel.edu/resources/tutorials/UsingRefWorks.ppt
www.library.drexel.edu/services/documents/EndNoteJayBhatt.ppt
Promoting: in the curriculum
Required in Freshman Engineering Design (~700 students) ENGR101 - individual assignment ENGR102-ENGR103 - group design projects use
it for sharing references
Source: Jay Bhatt, Drexel Engineering Librarian
Promoting: to admin staff
Departmental bibliographies input via RefWorks & promoted via RefShare
Research assistants deliver work as RefWorks list
Promoting: how we sell it
Demo database import and bibliography generation for the quick sell.
Stability & convenience of SFX links to full text.
“Write-n-Cite” integration with MSWord. Shared workspace good for project teams.
Promoting: via library tech
Support
Train all Ref Desk staff on basics . One or two “champions” to cover finer points
and get listed for tech support. Offer “brown bag” overview for computing
services tech support. Promote excellent RefWorks tutorial & help.
Measuring success
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Faculty Graduate "Other" Researcher Undergraduate
Drexel RefWorks Users - July 2008
User Count
Total Users = 8,489
Measuring success
RefWorks Usage Aug '07-Jul '08
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Aug-0
7
Oct-0
7
Dec-0
7
Feb-0
8
Apr-0
8
Jun-
08
Month
# U
se
rs
Repeat Users
New Users
Total Users
Total Users = 8,489
Measuring success
0
5
10
15
20
25
Aug-0
7
Oct-0
7
Dec-0
7
Feb-0
8
Apr-0
8
Jun-
08
Month
Oc
cu
ran
ce
pe
r u
se
r
AverageReferences addedper user
Average SessionsPer User
Total Refs = 200,516
Measuring successUndergraduate RefWorks Users by Discipline
Business
Humanities
Nursing
Medicine
Science & Technology
Social Sciences
Other
n=5117 (July 2008)
Going forward?
Zotero “sync preview” - web-hosted optionhttp://www.zotero.org/documentation/sync_preview “Papers” – http://mekentosj.com/papers/ (mac) EndNote Web - http://www.endnoteweb.com/
More?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_reference_management_software