BOOKENDS November 2018, Volume 1, Issue 5

Information Literacy according to the Association of College and Research libraries defined as "A set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information". Khalifa University instructional librarians coordinate and collaborate with faculty to provide information literacy sessions to KU preparatory, undergraduate, and graduate students. Khalifa University instructional librarians aim to provide instructional services to all students and KU users communities, and to provide adequate resources to support the curriculum, support KU teaching, learning, and research mission and goals. Our instructional sessions modules include: basic introduction to library resources and how to find information, searching databases, research process, plagiarism and academic ethics, citation managers and bibliographies, and many more. KU librarians also provide course related instruction sessions, workshops for faculty, staff, and graduate students, and individual instruction sessions if and when needed.

To book your information literacy session you can directly go to the library page and under webforms choose library instruction HERE, fill required fields then choose your preferred date and time according to availability, and choose the module that suits your students most. Course instructor's and faculty are encouraged to share information about class requirements before the class. It is also recommended that faculty should accompany their class to the library instruction session.

Project ‘Book Success’

Although book clubs are historically associated mostly with public libraries, there is extensive evidence to support the reality of the endless benefits and positivity such discussion can create in any type of library and user groups, be it online or through the physicality of a place of learning, particularly in an academic setting. When KU Librarians decided to experiment and walk that path a few years ago, little did they know the effect this project would have on the libraries. Students embraced it wholly and the first book discussion on ‘He Named Me Malala’ involved a much longed for discussion in a relaxed and informal setting, a collaborative effort with ZU and NYUAD librarians to run a documentary session on Malala, followed by a panel discussion involving students and faculty members. It was a real success and paved the way for additional discussions involving these titles:‘And the Mountains Echoed’, ‘From Rags to Riches’, ‘Sand, Huts & Sandy Waters’, ‘The Bamboo Stalk’, ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’, and ‘Elizabeth is Missing’.

It is with pleasure that we are able to continue in our quest to get the students to read for pleasure, get them debating and analyzing books, and see the library as a place for expanding their knowledge and freedom to discuss their interpretations and form a bond with each other, the books they are reading and the libraries.

So if you fancy a little time-off for a pleasurable afternoon of discussing Naguib Mahfouz’s book ‘The Thief and the Dogs’, come join us on November 28^th at 3:00 o’clock in the main library, first floor. Grab your copy now from the circulation desk while stocks last and register for the discussion. Everyone is welcome! Whether you are a student, faculty or staff. Or, for the joy of reading!

Data Management Tools

This workshop provides you with basic strategies and best practices on how to manage research data. This workshop will also provide an overview of data security backups, data publishing, and storage and sharing. You can find more information about data management tools HERE. And you can register for the workshop HERE.

Research Impact

Why do we need to evaluate and understand research impact. Highlights best ways, methods, and practices for researchers to measure how much impact their article has had on the research community and to determine how much other researchers have used their work to advance research in that field. You can register for the workshop HERE.

How to publish your research paper

This workshop explains step by step how to publish your research paper from the time you finish writing your paper till publishing it in the right journal and getting best citations. This workshop also highlights basic advices on how to ensure that your paper will be accepted for publishing. The presenter will also provide some tips and URLS for checking journal impact factor and talks about publishing papers in open source. You can register for the workshop HERE.

Got questions? Need help finding resources for a paper, or material to teach a class? The librarians are ready to help you find resources more effectively. You can request a 1-to-1 meeting with a librarian to help review your research. This is known as a reference interview in library jargon. Here’s what you can do to prepare for your reference interview with a librarian.
Bring what you learned so far. Explain to the librarian what you trying to learn, and what you done so far to learn about it.
Explain what you have tried. Maybe you at a dead end after searching several databases. Maybe you don't know where to begin. Either way, explain where you at and what you done to get there.

Expect the librarian to ask questions. The librarian may need to ask questions to better understand how to help you.

Expect the librarian to review, or even possible perform, the searches you've already done. They may need to ask further questions to better understand your topic. Through this dialogue you can get a better idea about your topic and the librarian will get a better idea of how they can help. Librarians are here to help your academic success. Be prepared and help them to help you!

Medieval Islamic World

A deep historical study of the efforts of scientists in their areas of specializations will illustrate how they became significant contributors to knowledge in the modern era. This monograph will address ancient Islamic heritage in terms that show how the heritage of Islamic civilization is still alive in our time, having created for us important fields such as science, industry, and equipment. Most important is the rigorous scientific experimental method used in Islamic sciences, a method that reached for scientific truth with confidence and power and apart from illusions. I therefore consider the work of Muslim scholars from all geographical regions and comment upon the participation of scholars in this endeavor. This study's main intent is to condense this knowledge and present essential information to those who are interested in science and to provide seekers of knowledge, in particular, science.

Medieval Islamic World: An Intellectual History of Science and Politics surveys major scientific and philosophical discoveries in the medieval period within the broader Islamicate world, providing an alternative historical framework to that of the primarily Eurocentric history of science and philosophy of science and technology fields. Medieval Islamic World serves to address the history of rationalist inquiry within scholarly institutions in medieval Islamic societies, surveying developments in the fields of medicine and political theory, and the scientific disciplines of astronomy, chemistry, physics, and mechanics, as led by medieval Muslim scholarship.

This book was written by:

Dr. Labeeb Ahmed Bsoul (Ph.D., McGill University) is Associate Professor at Khalifa University. Among his many published articles and books are Formation of Islamic Jurisprudence (2016), Islamic History and Law (2016), and International Treaties (Mu‘ahadat) in Islam (2008).

Book overview was taken from Google books and Amazon

Are you using the right citation manager? Which one is best? EndNote? RefWorks? Zotero? What about Mendeley?

The truth is none of them are best. What’s most important is that you pick one and use it consistently to get the greatest benefit for researching, writing, and formatting. To help pick, here’s a quick rundown of the pro’s and con’s of the big three. Sorry, Zotero.

The ability to store, share, and manage data has become an important part of the research process. In some countries, getting funding for research is dependent on having a clear Research Data Management plan as part of your proposal.

Here are three tools that can help you create and keep to a data management plan as part of your research process.

DMP Tool

The Data Management Plan Tool is just what it claims to be. A simple website that helps you write and develop a data management plan that addresses the key components of a plan. The website walks you through the steps involved in writing a plan and has a quick start guide and general guidance on RDM to help you get started. It’s an online tool and can be found at: https://dmptool.org

Figshare

Figshare is a cloud based repository of research data that makes the data you upload citable, shareable, and discoverable. Figshare does this by allowing users to upload their research data, helping them assign proper meta tags for discoverability, and assigning the datasets a unique identifier known as a DOI. The DOI, or document object identifier, can be used to cite the dataset in a research paper, and provides a ready way to share the dataset with collaborators. Cloud based data archiving is the key resource though. You can get started with Figshare here: https://figshare.com

GitHub

GitHub is a tool for version control. Not strictly a “data management” tool, it was developed originally for computer developers needing a way to track changes to code. However, the tool itself allows for different file types to uploaded and tracked, making it possible to effectively use GitHub across many different disciplines. The site has training videos and how-to’s to help you get started. Check it out at: https://github.com

Managing your data and finding ways to collaborate on research are becoming increasingly important in our interconnected world. What tools are you using to manage your research? Share your recommendations and will include a review in a future newsletter.