Module 2, Session 1: Library resources and support

[Caroline]

#2790

Rox,
Thanks for the honest assessment of your interaction and knowledge of the library and its services. Like you, I will need to walk in there once the covid 19 is manageable and get a feel of what is where and how to make effective use of it.

[Mmaphuti]

#2793

the following are key lessons i have identified
1. knowledge of using technology is fundamental for both supervisor and the students
2. The importance of tripartite alliance (supervisor, student and library staff) in postgraduate studies. The support of both the library and supervisor plays a significant role in ensuring that students realize and actualize their dreams
3. Knowing the students as unique people is important, no one size fits all. Students have their different backgrounds, knowledge and experience. Therefore, as a supervisor i have to treat each case based on its merit, never assume that students will learn the same way

[Mmaphuti]

#2801

the following are key lessons i have identified
1. knowledge of using technology is fundamental for both supervisor and the students
2. The importance of tripartite alliance (supervisor, student and library staff) in postgraduate studies. The support of both the library and supervisor plays a significant role in ensuring that students realize and actualize their dreams
3. Knowing the students as unique people is important, no one size fits all. Students have their different backgrounds, knowledge and experience. Therefore, as a supervisor i have to treat each case based on its merit, never assume that students will learn the same way .

[Caroline]

#2833

A very enlightening session on what entails information literacy. My starting point is to assess the IL levels of students early so as to get a gist of what they know and need to know. With the links provided I have some basic tools to do this exercise. Good ideas have been suggested like holding workshops of postgraduates to fast track IL skills by the library staff and incorporating IL topic in the research methodology course.

[Jacinta]

#2897

A well equipped library is one of the criteria considered among the university infrastructure before any university is chattered in Kenya. So library is a very sensitive area in my any university. Among the library resources is a repository for all research materials including journal articles and theses.In addition there are books in hard copies all subject areas and these are added annually depending on demand by the academic. Academic staff can also access external reading materials including e-journals and books. Inter- library borrowing services for books found in other institutions are also available.
Available in our library is also the anti-plagiarism programme that authenticates the originality of all theses examined in the university.

[Mary Masehela]

#3002

in fact the powerpoint presentation humbled me! Frea, thank you for what you have shared. As mentioned already, supervisors tend to take information literacy for granted. i am one of those who are guilty of that problem. the powerpoint showed me how information literacy has fast migrated from the point of doing simple searches to a point of owning a DOI. i am planning to take it upon myself to visit our section librarian to learn more about what Frea shared in the powerpoint. i now see Information literacy as key and foundation of any postgraduate journey.

[Tom]

#3003

1. I find that I no longer physically go to the library much. It is a while since my university’s library bought paper books. I access the e-books and e-journals online. And here the resources are more than satisfactory. The university has not set aside work spaces for graduate students outside of the library. My assumption is that the students work from the library. There is a small section of the library that is only open to PhD students and staff.
2. The library conducts an orientation week for graduate students when they embark on their studies. The polite and helpful library staff remain at hand to assist whenever requested.
3. I can borrow books from the library, and the terms are extra friendly to me as academic staff. (I don’t do this very often.) Then there’s the access to data bases that the library gives me.
4. My university, through its library, subscribes to most of the journals that are important in my field. Some of the publishers that I have published with regularly send me notices of new publications. Colleagues in other universities draw my attention to interesting things they happen upon. And I make a point of attending conferences and workshops.
5. World Bank e-library, World Bank Open Knowledge Repository, International Monetary Fund (IMF) e library, African Journals Online, JSTOR, Sage Publications Online, EBSCO Host Research Databases, AGORA, OARE, Emerald Group Publishing, Taylor and Francis, etc.
6. I am not aware that my university provides any referencing software.
7. My university library is not in any library system that enables inter library loaning.
8. What referencing and style guides are available to you online at your institution? None but the institution uses a manual for APA style of referencing
9. An open access site is a virtual “library” or “book store” where one can access e-books and e-journals.
10. I do not know how to create a search alert.

[Vasdinus]

#3019

This session is a great eye opener.am fully sensitised on the importance of collaboration among different stakeholder in research.Am impressed by the realization that there is a major role played by the librarian in successful research.
Have also learnt the role of the supervisor on identifying books,softwares needed by the student and guiding the student including introducing the student to key players

[Vasdinus]

#3020

1.Several ebooks subscriptions
2.Access to open access repository
3.antiplagarism software

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Vasdinus.

[Vasdinus]

#3022

Reading space
Previous thesis for reference

[Sine]

#3048

The powerpoint presentation has taught me a lot of things about information literacy that I was not aware of and the role of the supervisor to ensure that students have all available resources. Going forward, I will consult library assistance to learn more about resources available for postgraduate and also join orchid to increase my academic networking.

[Alando]

#3049

I think the university could invest in a reliable referencing softwares for the supervisors. I have tried some open source softwares such as Mendeley and Citavi but they have their limitations – e.g. no more than 100 references in the case of Citavi. I believe a commercial referencing software would be much more stable and faster to work with. Again, the university could invest more in books that cover research methodology, data analysis methodology, as well as theory. While the university is subscribed to a number of journals, one hardly gets to engage with methodology and theory through these journals.

[Alando]

#3050

I think the university could invest in a reliable referencing softwares for the supervisors. I have tried some open source softwares such as Mendeley and Citavi but they have their limitations – e.g. no more than 100 references in the case of Citavi. I believe a commercial referencing software would be much more stable and faster to work with. Again, the university could invest more in books that cover research methodology, data analysis methodology, as well as theory. While the university is subscribed to a number of journals, one hardly gets to engage with methodology and theory through these journals.

[Alando]

#3051

I think the university could invest in a reliable referencing softwares for the supervisors. I have tried some open source softwares such as Mendeley and Citavi but they have their limitations – e.g. no more than 100 references in the case of Citavi. I believe a commercial referencing software would be much more stable and faster to work with. Again, the university could invest more in books that cover research methodology, data analysis methodology, as well as theory. While the university is subscribed to a number of journals, one hardly gets to engage with methodology and theory through these journals.

[Alando]

#3052

The key lessons from the presentation are:
1. The importance of understanding the students’ information landscape as this landscape may differ depending on the background of the student;
2. The importance of assessing the students’ level of skills and even assessing it from the onset of the supervision so that I can understand the skills that need to be developed in the student;
3. That there are alternative ways of assessing the impact of academic work, e.g. Plum.

[Author]

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