Training and Orientation at the MSK Library

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Have you attended one of our workshops lately?  Need training in PubMed? Citation management? Or systematic reviews? Look no further than our Training and Orientation Program at the MSK Library.  Our skilled Reference Librarians provide instruction on EndNote, RefWorks, PubMed as well as iPad training.

New offerings being introduced this summer  include workshops on Mendeley (a desktop and web-based tool for managing and sharing research papers, discovering research data, and collaborating online) and Systematic Reviews (only the investigator’s role).  Workshops are held in RRL, Zuckerman, BAIC or Memorial Hospital. To sign up for a session, simply click here!

Reference Librarians are also available for individual and customized training. Feel free to inquire further about our training program by contacting us!

Evaluating Scientific Research: Recommendations from DORA

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When I first saw the word “DORA”, I automatically thought of Dora the Explorer, an American animated television series that focuses on a Latina girl named Dora Marquez who embarks on quests escorted by her talking purple backpack and anthropomorphic monkey companion named Boots. Each episode is based on Dora’s travels and the various obstacles and conundrums they must solve to the delight of young television viewers.

Another “DORA” recently surfaced and the intended audience is the scientific research community (declaration went public on May 17, 2013).  The acronym stands for “Declaration of Research Assessment” and as of the writing of this post, has signatures from 310 organizations and 8,106 individuals who support this initiative.  Like Dora the Explorer, the originators are also embarking on a quest to change the way in which the output of scientific research is evaluated by funding agencies, academic institutions, and other parties – to find a better way to assess the impact of scientific research. Continue reading →