The Basics of an AquaBrowser Library Search

Performing a search in AquaBrowser Library is easy. Simply type one or more search terms (the words or phrase that best describe the information you want to find) into the search box and press the Enter key or click on the Search button.

AquaBrowser then instantly produces the results: in the center is a list of the most relevant findings; on the left is a word cluster of related findings; and on the right is a comprehensive menu of choices that allows you to point the search in specific directions.

posted by Tim

Literature Search Tips from Physiotherapists?

It’s true! The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) published this document in March 2007 with the aim of assisting the development of effective information searching skills. The result is a detailed, but clear instruction booklet that is helpful for anyone advancing their literature searching skills.

These skills are not only important for students, but can be just as important in clinical practice, continuing professional development and possible future research. Guidance is given on how to search effectively for published literature using bibliographic databases and also how to assess the quality of information found on the Web.

Don’t forget that you can always ask your friendly library staff at the LRC for assistance if you need help getting started with literature searching or are having trouble finding a resource. We’re here to help!

posted by Brooke

Library Research Skills

Does this sound familiar? You’re given an assignment for a research paper due next Thursday. Right, better sit down and search the net. Which you do for about 10 minutes, with copious amounts of printing and mumbles of ‘I’ll read that later’.  Then you check and send e-mails for the next 20 minutes. You then check on the item you’ve been eyeing on e-bay and see what your friends are up to on Facebook for the next 20 minutes or so. You think, ‘Doh! My research project!’ and spend the next 10 minutes furiously printing out anything to do with your topic.  

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Though this might be an effective learning style for some people, it’s really not the most efficient way to conquer your research topic. With the autumn term fast approaching, it’s time to tune up your research skills and Shelf Life is here to help. 

• Be really sure that you understand the question you’re answering. If you find it difficult to explain it to someone else, then go back to your assignment brief or your tutor and check your understanding.
• Students often start with the internet for research. The tip here is to realise that basic information can often be quicker and easier to find in a textbook or encyclopaedia. So that may mean a trip into the LRC.
• Plan your library research. Analyse your research subject and break it down into searchable keywords to use in the library catalogue and online databases. For help with these see the tutorials section of the blog or ask a member of staff. We’re here to help.
• Information overload is a problem. Write out a list of questions you want to find answers to, and reject information that doesn’t help answer them. If you’re new to research, select the best two or three sources and forget the rest. You can always come back for more.
• Don’t forget your bibliography!! Make it a habit to note the author, title, place of publication, publisher, date of publication and page numbers for articles from magazines, newspapers, encyclopaedias or in anthologies. That way you’ll build a thorough bibliography as you go along.

Some good online resources for honing your research skills are found at the BBC key skills area of their website and for more advanced researchers try out the Library Research Skills Tutorial at the University of London Research Library website.  

posted by Brooke

Keeping Current in Gardening and Horticulture

Can’t decide which new gardening book to pick for Dad this Christmas? With so many enticing titles out there, how do you choose? What about Don’t throw it, grow it? Or Good bug, bad bug? Maybe Guerrila Gardening is more up his alley? Leave it to the experts at the Chicago Botanic Garden to do the reviewing for you!! Each month, gardening experts, library staff and volunteers read and review the lastest publications to let you know what’s good and what’s not! This internet-only journal reviews new books and other media about gardening, horticulture and botany, is international in scope and is easy to use. Each ‘volume’ of the journal reviews the month’s publications going back to 1999. How great is that!? All you have to decide is which book to order for who. Now what to get Uncle Dave….

posted by Brooke

Mindmapping Online (for free!)

It’s seems like you can’t go anywhere these days without someone talking about mind mapping in one form or another. Here are some links to three of the best free online mind mapping software.

First up is mindmeister, a free web-based mind mapping website where users can create, manage and share mind maps online and access them anytime, from anywhere. In brainstorming mode, fellow MindMeisters from around the world (or just in different rooms) can simultaneously work on the same mind map – and see each other’s changes as they happen. This might be helpful for organising your thoughts on any group work projects you may have coming up this next term.

Next up is the somewhat flashier Mindomo, which doesn’t allow collaborative usage, but does have some pretty snazzy graphics and colour schemes.  Educators can share their Mindomo maps online, or provide students a direct link to your map or by embedding your map into an existing webpage. Student benefit by being able to store and organize their research and information and being able to access it from anywhere with an Internet connection.

Finally, meet bubbl.us, where you can organise your thoughts by creating mindmaps bubbles online and sharing them with others. Again this one doesn’t offer real time collaborative usage but you can share your maps as read-only or as alterable. This site also offers the only multi-lingual interface that can even support Chinese and Japanese characters.

posted by Brooke

Veterinary Anatomy Website (with animations!)

Do you know your sagittal plane from your transverse one? Your proximal from your distal? How about the difference between supination and pronation? If not, then this website is for you! Veterinary Anatomy : Directions and Planes is freely available courseware on veterinary anatomy directions, planes, and muscle & joint actions and is made available by the Veterinary Anatomy faculty at the University of Minnesota. Descriptions are provided as well as interactive animations illustrating direction terminology, anatomical planes, and muscle/joint actions pertinent to veterinary anatomy. This resource can be downloaded to your local hard disk (instructions are provided).

P.S. There’s another animation in veterinary anatomy pages on animal gaits that might be useful. Follow the link to have a look.

posted by Brooke

Global Wildlife Disease News Map

The Global Wildlife Disease News Map is an online map (updated daily) which tracks news articles about disease outbreaks around the world that threaten the health of wildlife, domestic animals, and people. Don’t forget to click on the title of the news item to be taken directly to the source, eg the BBC or National Geographic. Developed jointly by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the map is a product of the Wildlife Disease Information Node (WDIN) and is maintained by the WDIN.

This Web tool provides the user with various options for viewing disease information, there is the facility to browse Wildlife Disease News Digest articles, and map filters which allow the user to focus on different disease types, affected species, countries, and dates. This tool is useful for those monitoring wildlife disease (including veterinarians, animal health specialists, educators, students and medical professionals). Useful guidance and tips on how to use this tool are provided.

posted by Brooke (text provided by Intute)

Really Easy Statistics Website

Finally, a simple straight-forward guide to the basics of experimental design and some common statistical tests!! Produced by Dr. Jim Deacon from the University of Edinburgh, The Really Easy Statistics Site, enables students to use statistical tests with the minimum of fuss. The site has an introductory section on The Scientific Method, Experimental design, common statistical terms, Descriptive statistics, and What test do I need?, but also an index of tests so that a user can go straight to information on a specific test.

posted by Brooke

Making the Most of Your Work Placement

Have you been to the Making Practice Based Learning website lately? New student materials have now been added to this website designed to aid staff supervising learners on work-based placement. The new materials have already been used successfully by students at Northumbria University on a range of programmes to prepare for placements and also help them to produce reflective portfolios during their placement. The resources are specifically designed to enable students to work more effectively with others during a placement, and to help them assess and reflect upon their placement experiences.

posted by Brooke

Give Disease the Boot

Defra’s Give Disease the Boot campaign website is aimed at livestock owners and veterinarians, and brings together relevant information on current or potential animal diseases in the UK. The site includes an A-Z index of diseases with short descriptions, a complete list of notifiable diseases, information on zoonoses, disease surveillance and control measures, and on current events and news items. Each section of the website has links to further documentation or information either within the broader Defra site or at other approved sites.

posted by Brooke

Fall in Love All Over Again

It’s no secret that I love Intute, the free online service providing you with access to the very best web resources for education and research. Did you know there are 122, 741 resources listed there that are freely accessible for keyword searching or browsing? It’s a veritable one stop shop for information on just about anything you could ever want to know.

Now I’ve got two more things to add to my list of reasons I love Intute.  Intute: Health and Life Sciences have today launched two new free publications – the first in the new ‘Focus On…’ series. These online resource guides aim to provide useful, detailed, high quality sources of information, and are aimed specifically at students in Higher and Further Education.

Check out the new Focus On…Biodiversity and Conservation and Focus On…Organic Farming and Agriculture  they may be freely distributed and copied for educational purposes only, of course.

posted by Brooke

Intute Offers Helping Hand to FE Practitioners

Developed by FE practitioners for FE practitioners, Intute’s FE case studies offer practical examples of how Intute resources can be used in the delivery of teaching and learning in the FE setting.

FE case studies are available in 22 subjects linked to the FE curriculum, some of which include detailed lesson plans, downloadable extension activities, comprehensive lists of relevant resources and list learning objectives and outcomes. Subject areas covered include Agriculture & Horticulture, Business & Marketing, Hairdressing & Beauty, Travel & Tourism, and Geography & Environment among others.

posted by Brooke

Feline Health Videos

Have you ever tried to give your cat a tablet and discovered that she has a magical talent for escape and a disappearing act that Houdini or David Blaine would be jealous of?

This collection of videos provided by the prestigious College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University may just have the tips you need to get it right. They offer six videos on topics frequently encountered by cat owners including administering pills or capsules, administering liquid medication, caring for a diabetic cat, trimming claws, taking a cat’s temperature, and brushing a cat’s teeth. The content of the videos is provided by veterinarians from Cornell’s Feline Health Center and they require a Flash player plug in to be seen.

posted by Brooke

Text Alerts for Animal Diseases

DEFRA’s Animal Health department has launched a free news alert service to help farmers, livestock keepers, vets and other interested people to keep in touch with the latest developments on notifiable diseases. By registering, subscribers will receive alerts on up to five notifiable animal diseases including foot and mouth, avian flu, blue tongue disease,  Newcastle disease and classical swine fever. Subscribers can choose to receive free alerts via a voicemail on a landline or mobile telephone, text, fax or e-mail.

posted by Brooke

Website: The Visible Body

Awesome. I actually said that out loud when I first visited this website. I have to say that it’s not often that a seasoned surfer likes me actually talks to the computer screen, but I do have to admit that I still actually say the word awesome. That’s me, dating myself.  At any rate, The Visible Body, presented by Argosy Publishing, features a complete, searchable, online and fully interactive 3D human anatomy model, and detailed models of all body systems and it is completely and totally awesome. Detailed (and I mean detailed!) anatomically accurate, three-dimensional models of more than 1,700 anatomical structures are available, including all major organs and body systems.

The models were developed by medical illustrators and experts in biomedical visualisation, and the content has been reviewed for accuracy by physicians and anatomists. To use the system free registration is required ; no extra software is needed. The Visible Body is aimed at students, instructors and health professionals, and a tutorial gives advice on using the system. The system permits searching and locating of anatomical structures by name, and zooming, rotating, hiding and other interactivity with representations of anatomical components. The best part? It’s free! Awesome.

posted by Brooke