NextGen Research Tools Web 2.0 technologies for web-based research

Overview  Showcase of a variety of next generation research tools for those who are ready to move beyond the traditional library catalogs and databases.  Learn to employ a host of web-based technologies for your research, including Zotero, the Google suite, worldcat.org, and a variety of research alert services.

Outline  Finding things  Saving & Citing things  Working wisely

What is Web 2.0?  A term often applied to a perceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of websites to a full-fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users. It refers to a supposed second- generation of Internet-based services—such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies—that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users. 

What is NextGen Research?  Web-based tools and services that can readily assist scholars with their research  Methods for managing information in an increasingly web-based research environment

Glossary  Folksonomy: The result of personal free tagging of information and objects (anything with a URL) for one’s own retrieval.  RSS Feeds: automatic updates for blogs, news feeds, and other routinely updated web sites that can be sent to you via or blog readers.  Tags / Tag Clouds: Tags are user-generated terms which describe the subject of a web page, blog entry, article, etc. Tag clouds are visual depictions of tags organized and weighted by popularity.

Finding things  Google Book Search – search the full-text of books online. Google Book Search  Google Scholar – search, find, locate articles, abstracts & citations. Google Scholar  Worldcat.org – find items in libraries near you. Worldcat.org

Finding things, cont.  Web and Database alert services News: Google, Yahoo!, BBC, CNN Databases: ERIC, ProQuest, PsychInfo, etc.  RSS feeds and Readers Get alerts through or through readers  Bloglines:  Google Reader or Yahoo!

Finding things, cont.  Keotag: search for tags across 14 different sites. Keotag  Google Advanced: set specific parameters for your search including by date. Google Advanced  Exalead.com: search engine with visual preview of websites and multimedia and related terms Exalead.com  Chacha.com: text message reference service. Send questions to ChaCha (242242) and receive an answer in minutes. (Not a great tool for reference questions but fun to try….standard texting rates apply!) Chacha.com

Saving & Citing things  Save the things you find using bibliographic management tools like: Zotero: free, works with Firefox, created at GMU Zotero DEVONthink: stores your s, documents, etc in DEVONthink one place using artificial intelligence, only for Macs. Free trial, then pay if you like. Del.icio.us: social bookmarking site to save, share, manage websites Del.icio.us  Cite the things you find using your preferred citation style  For more citation help:

Working wisely  Working collaboratively Google Docs: create, edit, share docs, presentations, spreadsheets Google Docs: Notecentric: store and share your class notes online Notecentric Bubbl.us: brainstorm and create online mind maps Bubbl.us  Access issues I.P. address authentication if you search library databases from off-campus Free vs. subscription  Tips for evaluating websites

Questions????  Do you have any questions??

References  Bates, Mary Ellen. “Mary Ellen Bates - sites from Computers in Libraries 2008,” April  Dorris, Erin, Abe Korah, and Tyler Manolovitz. “Next-Generation Collaboration: 21st Century Tools for Scholarly Research and Communication,” March 27,  Hupp, Jessica. “e-Learning Reloaded: Top 50 Web 2.0 Tools for Info Junkies, Researchers & Students | OEDb,” February 18, tools-for-info-junkies,-researchers-&-students tools-for-info-junkies,-researchers-&-students.  Vander Wal, Thomas. “Folksonomy Coinage and Definition,” February 2,

Contacts:  Allison O’Connor JCL Reference Assistant,  April Kelley ACL Reference Assistant,