NextGenResearch Tools

Web 2.0 technologies for web-based research

Overview

Showcase of a variety of next generation research tools for those who are ready to move beyond the traditional library catalogs and databases. 

Learn to employ a host of web-based technologies for your research, including Zotero, the Google suite, worldcat.org, and a variety of research alert services.

Outline

Finding things

Saving & Citing things

Working wisely

What is Web 2.0?

A term often applied to a perceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of websites to a full-fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users.  It refers to a supposed second-generation of Internet-based services—such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies—that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users.

http://www.2020systems.com/internet-ad-glossary-r-z.html

What is NextGen Research?

Web-based tools and services that can readily assist scholars with their research

Methods for managing information in an increasingly web-based research environment

Glossary

Folksonomy: The result of personal free tagging of information and objects (anything with a URL) for one’s own retrieval.

RSS Feeds: automatic updates for blogs, news feeds, and other routinely updated web sites that can be sent to you via e-mail or blog readers.

Tags / Tag Clouds: Tags are user-generated terms which describe the subject of a web page, blog entry, article, etc. Tag clouds are visual depictions of tags organized and weighted by popularity.

Finding things

Google Book Search – search the full-text of books online.

Google Scholar – search, find, locate articles, abstracts & citations.

Worldcat.org – find items in libraries near you.

Finding things, cont.

Web and Database alert services News: Google, Yahoo!, BBC, CNN Databases: ERIC, ProQuest, PsychInfo,

etc. RSS feeds and Readers

Get alerts through email or through readers

Bloglines: http://bloglines.com Google Reader or Yahoo!

Finding things, cont.

Keotag: search for tags across 14 different sites.

Google Advanced: set specific parameters for your search including by date.

Exalead.com: search engine with visual preview of websites and multimedia and related terms

Chacha.com: text message reference service. Send questions to ChaCha (242242) and receive an answer in minutes. (Not a great tool for reference questions but fun to try….standard texting rates apply!)

Saving & Citing things Save the things you find using bibliographic

management tools like: Zotero: free, works with Firefox, created at GMU

DEVONthink: stores your emails, documents, etc in one place using artificial intelligence, only for Macs. Free trial, then pay if you like.

Del.icio.us: social bookmarking site to save, share, manage websites

Cite the things you find using your preferred citation style

For more citation help:http://infoguides.gmu.edu/citationmanagement

Working wisely Working collaboratively

Google Docs: create, edit, share docs, presentations, spreadsheets

Notecentric: store and share your class notes online Bubbl.us: brainstorm and create online mind maps

Access issues I.P. address authentication if you search library

databases from off-campus Free vs. subscription

Tips for evaluating websiteshttp://library.gmu.edu/mudge/Dox/webeval.html

Questions????

Do you have any questions??

References

Bates, Mary Ellen. “Mary Ellen Bates - sites from Computers in Libraries 2008,” April 2008. http://batesinfo.com/cil2008.html.

Dorris, Erin, Abe Korah, and Tyler Manolovitz. “Next-Generation Collaboration: 21st Century Tools for Scholarly Research and Communication,” March 27, 2008. http://library.shsu.edu/collab.pdf.

Hupp, Jessica. “e-Learning Reloaded: Top 50 Web 2.0 Tools for Info Junkies, Researchers & Students | OEDb,” February 18, 2008. http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/e-learning-reloaded:-top-50-web-2.0-tools-for-info-junkies,-researchers-&-students.

Vander Wal, Thomas. “Folksonomy Coinage and Definition,” February 2, 2007. http://www.vanderwal.net/folksonomy.html.

Contacts:

Allison O’Connor JCL Reference Assistant,

aoconnor@gmu.edu

April Kelley ACL Reference Assistant,

akelley3@gmu.edu