How UM libraries can smooth the graduate research grind
Research and writing are huge components of many graduate programs. There are literature reviews, proposals, protocols, and, of course, theses – all requiring research and writing skills. Given this ubiquity, it is natural to find the research and writing process taking up a lot of time, but is it taking up more than it should? If you think that might be the case, consider contacting a University of Manitoba librarian.
UM librarians offer one-to-one appointments, drop-in sessions, and both live and recorded workshops to help with research and writing components of graduate programs. Keep reading to learn about some of the resources available and problems the UM librarians can help you solve.
If you are struggling to find sources on a particular topic, a librarian can help you refine your search terms or choose the best database for your needs. For this, you can make a one-to-one appointment with any librarian or with the subject-librarian for your discipline – they have specific knowledge to help you find what you need. Librarians can also help you learn to be more efficient and effective in your searching. Talk to a librarian (one-to-one or during a drop-in session) about how to create the best search strings (if you aren’t familiar with the wonders of “AND” and “OR,” be sure to ask) and how to use filters and subject tags to their full potential.
An all-too-common frustration in the research process is finding a source that sounds perfect and then finding out that you can’t access the full article. You don’t have to deal with that frustration alone, a librarian can likely help you find an available version through the UM libraries system or can walk you through how to request it through document delivery – if there is a version to be found, the UM librarians will help you find it. Another fantastic option – install the Lean Library browser extension and find the Libraries’ licensed copy automatically!
Once the articles start to pile up, many graduate students are faced with another challenge – how to keep it all organized. Librarians can help with that too! The UM librarians can introduce you to reference management software options, including everything from setting up an account to automatically inserting citations into your word processor. If you are already using one, they can even help you learn to use it even more effectively.
Then, there is writing; UM librarians can help with that too. While there are graduate-level writing tutors available through the Academic Learning Centre to help with many facets of writing, librarians can help you find resources and examples for different styles of writing. They can also help with finding style guides or examples for lesser-known citation styles and examples for specific situations in more- or lesser-known style guides.
Along with the options of one-to-one meetings and drop-in sessions, many of challenges of research and writing are covered through numerous workshops offered by the UM libraries each term. Their ‘Graduate Student Research Series’ is specifically designed to help master’s and doctoral students with the particular demands of research and writing in these higher-level programs. These workshops cover topics like how to define your research question and do a literature review, what open access and research metrics are, how to use citation management software, and how to manage research data. Keep an eye on the upcoming workshops page to see what topics are going to be covered this term. You can also check out the UM libraries Youtube page for recorded videos of many of the popular workshop topics.
Whether you are struggling with a particular issue or would just like to hone your skills, the UM libraries and librarians are resources of near limitless potential. Check out the UM libraries site to see how they can help!