Searching & Managing Scientific Information

This is our biannual introductory training series for PhD students and other affiliates of the four federal research institutes Eawag, Empa, PSI & WSL. The series covers a whole variety of topics such as basic & advanced searching, scientific publishing, research evaluation, Open Access & copyright, literature management with Endnote and with Zotero, writing with LaTeX and research data management. This autumn we also offer a brand new module on AI tools for streamlining scientific projects.

Autumn 2024 training series «Searching & Managing Scientific Information»

From September to December, we offer nine individually bookable modules (ca 3-6h each) at the three sites of the institutes. Registration is open now and closes ca. a week prior to each session. Please refer to the course description below for details.

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Course description

The autumn training series 2024 is split into nine modules (3-6h each) that can be booked individually. On request, students attending four or more modules will receive a recommendation for 1 ECTS credit point. Modules 4a and 4b count as separate modules. Course slides will be available below a couple of days prior to each session.

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Course description

    • Each venue is open to all members of the 4 research institutes Eawag, Empa, PSI and WSL. Most modules are offered on-site at Eawag-Empa Dübendorf, PSI Villigen and WSL Birmensdorf.
    • Registration closes ca. a week prior to each event.
    • All modules are held in English. No course fees apply.
    • Presentations/Workshops with examples and exercises. The course notes, presentation slides, and other course material will be available below a couple of days prior to the sessions.
    • Max. 20 participants for sessions of modules 1-3 & 5-8 (please bring your laptop).
    • Max. 12 participants for sessions of module 4a (computers provided) and module 4b (please bring your laptop).
    • For module 4b: Please bring your laptop with the latest Zotero release installed. Brief installation instructions can be found below ca. 1 week prior to the sessions. Contact us prior to the course should you require assistance with your installation.
    • For module 5: Please bring your laptop with a working LaTeX installation. Brief instructions for example installations can be found below ca. 1 week prior to the sessions. Please contact us should you require assistance with your installation.
    • For module 6: Please read our info sheet Topic Search prior to the session, particularly if you have not previously attended Lib4RI's module 1 «Searching Scientific Information».
  • In module 1, «Searching Scientific Information», you become skilled in finding relevant scientific information using suitable tools offered by Lib4RI.

    Trainers: Stephanie Hofmann, Bobby Neuhold

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-D24

    Fri, 04.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/OG09

    Mon, 30.09.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    WSL Birmensdorf
    Flurysaal

    Tue, 24.09.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

     

  • In module 2, «Scientific Publishing - From Writing to Sharing», you will be guided through the scientific publication process from start to finish.

    Trainers: Elizabeth Hampson, André Hoffmann

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-C24

    Thu, 31.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/OG09

    Tue, 15.10.2024
    09:00-12:00


     

    WSL Birmensdorf
    Flurysaal

    Thu, 17.10.2024
    09:00-12:00

     

     

  • In module 4a, «Literature Management with EndNote», you get introduced to scientific literature management with EndNote.

    Trainers: Stephanie Hofmann, Bobby Neuhold

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-B15

    Wed, 23.10.2024
    9:00-12:30


     

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-B15

    Thu, 07.11.2024
    9:00-12:30

     

     

  • In the new module 4b, «Literature Management with Zotero», you get introduced to scientific literature management with Zotero.

    • Introduction to literature management
    • How to import and organise literature including fulltext PDFs
    • Citing references and creating bibliographies on the fly in your preferred text editor
    • Course slides

    Trainers: Janina Radny, Stephanie Hofmann

    Note: Please bring your laptop with the latest Zotero version installed. Please contact us should you require assistance with your installation.

    • Eawag: Download Zotero 6 and the Zotero Connector from Zotero.org. Get in touch well before the course with the Eawag IT department to setup the connection with your text editor! Otherwise you will not be able to use cite-while-you-write. 
    • Empa: Download Zotero 6 and the Zotero Connector from Zotero.org. If you encounter problems or require an admin account to correctly install Zotero, get in touch with your IT department.
    • PSI: Download Zotero from the institutional software list (Zotero 5 is available). Make sure the plug-in for your text processor is working correctly. Go to Zotero.org to install the browser connector if this is not automatically included in your download.
    Image
    Screenshot of Zotero in MS Word
    If you see this tab, Zotero is working in your text editor.

    System requirements for Zotero 6 can be found here.

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-D24

    Thu, 10.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/OG09

    Thu, 03.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    WSL Birmensdorf
    Flurysaal

    Wed, 09.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

     

  • In module 5, «Getting Started with LaTeX», you are guided in creating your first LaTeX document, with special attention to scientific writing oriented features. The course is for LaTeX beginners.

    • A not so short summary of LaTeX basics
    • Tables, figures and formulae
    • The LaTeX error log and common errors to avoid
    • BibTeX and citation styles
    • Course material: to come

    Trainers: Federico Cantini, Frank Hösli

    Note: Please bring your laptop with a working LaTeX installation. Brief instructions for example installations are given above ca. 1 week prior to the sessions. Please contact us should you require assistance with your installation. 

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-D24

    Tue, 03.12.2024
    9:00-16:00


    Register

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/OG08

    Thu, 28.11.2024
    9:00-16:00


    Register

     

  • In module 6, «Work on Your Own Project», you work on your own literature project receiving individual assistance.

    • Develop your search strategy and set up your systematic topic search with bibliographic databases such as Scopus & Web of Science
    • Critically evaluate your search results
    • Tweak your reference management & citation tools (particularly EndNote)

     

    Trainers: Stephanie Hofmann, Bobby Neuhold

    Note: Please read our info sheet Topic Search prior to the session, particularly if you have not previously attended Lib4RI's module 1 «Searching Scientific Information». 

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-B81

    Thu, 12.12.2024
    9:00-12:00


    Register

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/OG09

    Tue, 10.12.2024
    9:00-12:00


    Register

     

  • In module 7, «Research Data Management - The Basics», you learn to identify the relevant strategies and tools to implement research data management in your research practices.

    • Life cycle of research data
    • Adequate metadata documentation for your code and data
    • Storing and publishing data
    • Writing Data Management Plans (DMP) and using OpenBIS (ELN)
    • Material:
      RDM course slides (Eawag-Empa, PSI)
      RDM Data Management Plan (exercise)

    Trainers: Federico Cantini, Fabian Felder (Lib4RI), experts from Eawag, Empa, PSI & WSL (depending on the venue)

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-C24

    Thu, 14.11.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/OG09

    Tue, 29.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    WSL Birmensdorf
    Flurysaal

    Mon, 21.10.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

  • In the all new module 8, «AI Made Easy: A Beginner‘s Toolkit for Streamlining Your Projects», you get an understanding of AI, how AI models work and what the most important AI tools are. This lecture is for beginners.

    • Introduction to AI
    • Generative AI models
    • Applications with (mainly) publicly available AI tools
    • Course slides

    Trainer: Corin Otesteanu (external speaker)

    See Organisation & Requirements for additional information!

    Optional Locations & SessionsDate & TimeRegistration Link

    Eawag-Empa Dübendorf
    Forum Chriesbach
    Room FC-D24

    Tue, 19.11.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    PSI Villigen
    PSI Education Center
    Room OSGA/EG6A

    Tue, 05.11.2024
    9:00-12:00

     

    WSL Birmensdorf
    Flurysaal

    Tue, 12.11.2024
    9:00-12:00