PolyThinkers Pad » Tips & Tools http://www.poly.edu/library/blog fueling polythinking with library news, tips and more Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:26:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 en Start your research with our new library guides http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/09/29/start-your-research-with-our-new-library-guides/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/09/29/start-your-research-with-our-new-library-guides/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:29:09 +0000 Ingrid researchweb resources http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/09/29/start-your-research-with-our-new-library-guides/ Have you checked out our new multimedia library guides?  We currently have 18 guides on an array of topics from chemical engineering to copyright law.  These guides are the best starting points for finding articles, books, video, news, and more in your areas of interest.  Scroll through the sample guides below or browse the complete list.

You can access these guides directly from the library home page using the “Subject Guides” tab on the search box.  More guides are being added on a regular basis. If you’d like to see a guide for a particular area, let us know!

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/09/29/start-your-research-with-our-new-library-guides/feed/ Back to School Tips & Tools http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/31/back-to-school-tips-tools/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/31/back-to-school-tips-tools/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:56:23 +0000 Ingrid web resources http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/31/back-to-school-tips-tools/ Welcome Back! Another school year, another chance for a fresh start.  Taking the time to start the semester right can pave the way to academic achievement throughout the year.  A great way to kick off a successful semester is by becoming familiar with all the library has to offer.  Whether you’re a freshman or returning student, do yourself a favor by reviewing the Getting Started Guide.   Students who take advantage of library resources generally get better grades (unlike students who use facebook!).

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One of the things you should take care of the first week of school is getting the textbooks you need.  Refer to our Where to Buy Textbooks Guide or you can take advantage of the library’s course reserve system.

Here’s a roundup of more useful tips and tools for you to check out:

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/31/back-to-school-tips-tools/feed/ Text books now available for Iphone, Ipod Touch http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/11/text-books-now-available-for-iphone-ipod-touch/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/11/text-books-now-available-for-iphone-ipod-touch/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:17:49 +0000 Gavin http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/11/text-books-now-available-for-iphone-ipod-touch/ If you are a subscriber to CourseSmart, a provider of e-textbooks  (for more information about CourseSmart and other digital textbook publishers, see High textbook prices + Web 2.0 leads to alternative publishing models), you will be happy to know that books from the service are now available on the Iphone/Ipod Touch. Digital editions of textbooks been have been getting a boost from Amazon’s Kindle, but books from CourseSmart are not currently available for the device.  There are Iphone apps for use with Amazon’s Kindle store and with Barnes and Nobles e-books store, but textbook content had been missing. CourseSmart  is a welcome addition to the expanding universe of texts available on the Iphone.

You can read more about CourseSmart and the Iphone in “Textbooks Offered for iPod, iPhones” in the August 10 edition  of the Wall Street Journal (page B7). If you browse to the technology section of the Wall Street Journal Online, you will see a message that the article is only available to subscribers. However, members of the Poly community can read articles from the Wall Street Journal and hundreds of other newspapers by logging on with your Poly id number to the library’s ProQuest database.  (Also, curiously, there is currently much content available from the WSJ on the free Iphone app, including this article, that are not currently available free of charge on the website. That will probably change soon.)

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/11/text-books-now-available-for-iphone-ipod-touch/feed/ Free e-book model: Is it working? http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/10/free-e-book-model-is-it-working/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/10/free-e-book-model-is-it-working/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:24:04 +0000 Gavin web resources http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/10/free-e-book-model-is-it-working/ In an effort to entice readers to purchase new books by an author, writers, publishers and e-book sellers like Amazon are offering some of an author’s older books as a free download.

The hope is that if a reader likes one book by an author, he may be willing to purchase others. There is some evidence that this is working. Many readers have written that they would not even have known of an author if his work had not been released as a free download.  As we learn in, The latest craze: Free e-books offerings, Some readers have even been known to purchase additional books by an author just to support them.

However, publishers and authors are worried about the same thing. Will users become so accustomed to downloading free books that they are no longer willing to purchase a book? After finishing a book by an author, will that reader continue on by making a purchase of another work by the same author, or just move on to another free title? One author laments that there are so many free books that a reader can fill his Kindle with them and not ever have to pay for reading material.

See, Travel light, read e-books,  for Dibner Library links to free e-books available online.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/08/10/free-e-book-model-is-it-working/feed/ Travel light, read e-books! http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/07/23/travel-light-read-e-books/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/07/23/travel-light-read-e-books/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:37:31 +0000 Ingrid web resources http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/07/23/travel-light-read-e-books/ If you’re traveling over summer break and want to keep up with your reading, there’s no need to fill up your suitcase with books.  You can a find a wide variety of technical books, textbooks and novels online.

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To help you navigate the ever expanding collection of electronic books, check out our E-books Guide. It lists a number of library databases that include full text e-books as well as public websites you can use to search for free e-books.  Depending on the formats available, you can read e-books on your lap top, PDA, iPhone, or e-book reader.  Kindles are cool, but pricey; there are open source e-book readers worth checking out.

Then again, if you are heading to the beach, nothing beats a worn-in paperback…

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/07/23/travel-light-read-e-books/feed/ Study tips to help you ace exams http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/05/01/study-tips-to-help-you-ace-exams/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/05/01/study-tips-to-help-you-ace-exams/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 18:58:14 +0000 Ingrid http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/05/01/study-tips-to-help-you-ace-exams/ lol all nighterEveryone has their own tips and tricks on how to study for exams.  What works for your classmate may not work for you.  However, if your study plan involves bringing a lucky rabbit’s foot with you on exam day, then perhaps you might want to take heed of these suggestions:

  • Study in chunks – For example, 30-50 minute time periods followed by a brief break (5-10 minutes).
  • Strategize your studying – Focus on your most challenging class early in the day when your concentration is better. Also, consider the type of test your professor administers (open book, multiple choice, essay, etc…) when determining how to study for it.
  • Study actively – Ask yourself questions, review your notes regularly, discuss key concepts with peers and professors.
  • Work in a group (maybe) – Study groups work for some and not for others.  It’s a good idea to use a study group after you’ve already reviewed the subject.
  • Study in a distraction-free environment – The library offers both group and individual study rooms, but spots fill up quickly during exams.  Please be considerate of your fellow students and keep your voices down.
  • Schedule in sleep and meals – Seems obvious, but plenty of students seem to think that they can forgo sleep during exam week and catch up afterwards.  If you normally sleep for 6-8 hours and then cut back to 3, your study time will be much less effective.
  • Exercise – Even if you are usually a couch potato, don’t underestimate the value of a good walk between study sessions.

For more tips visit: Studying Guides & Strategies

What helps you get through final exams?

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/05/01/study-tips-to-help-you-ace-exams/feed/ GradShare - Where grad students help each other http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/20/gradshare-where-grad-students-help-each-other/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/20/gradshare-where-grad-students-help-each-other/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:45:53 +0000 Ingrid web resources http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/20/gradshare-where-grad-students-help-each-other/ Conducting research, teaching, finding funding, writing a thesis… balancing all the demands of graduate school can be a challenge.  Lucky for today’s grad students there is GradShare -an online graduate student community where you ask questions and get answers about anything affecting graduate students.

You begin by selecting an academic discipline, then explore different aspects of graduate life. Post questions that you can’t ask your advisor or peers. Questions covered range from how to manage references and approach professors, to how to stay motivated and balance school and family. No question is too big or small.

There is also an Expert Advice section that offers help on common problems from experienced advisors and practitioners.

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/20/gradshare-where-grad-students-help-each-other/feed/ Are you taking advantage of the power of RSS? http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/07/are-you-taking-advantage-of-the-power-of-rss/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/07/are-you-taking-advantage-of-the-power-of-rss/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:09:42 +0000 Ingrid researchtechnology http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/07/are-you-taking-advantage-of-the-power-of-rss/ By now you’ve probably noticed those little orange icons that appear on websites.  And hopefully you’re using RSS to keep up to date with all your favorite websites and blogs (including this one!).  But are you taking full advantage of the power of RSS feeds? Not only is RSS a great tool to stay informed about news and other interests, it can also be a real time saver when it comes to conducting research. Did you know that you can use RSS feeds to:

  • get alerted when new items of interest are added to the library catalog
  • receive table of contents updates from journals you read
  • get notified every time an article is added to a database that meets your search criteria
  • find out about new job postings in your field

Check out our brand new RSS Guide to learn how to do all of the above and more. And if you happen to think RSS stands for Really Stinky Socks, don’t fear - the guide contains a basic introduction to what RSS is and can get you up and running in no time.  The guide also includes a section on Popular Feeds to get you started.

rss iconBefore you read the guide and become an RSS expert, answer the quick poll below:

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/04/07/are-you-taking-advantage-of-the-power-of-rss/feed/ Data dilemmas? The Data Services Studio can help http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/23/data-dilemmas-the-data-services-studio-can-help/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/23/data-dilemmas-the-data-services-studio-can-help/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:58:47 +0000 Ingrid NYUresearchservices http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/23/data-dilemmas-the-data-services-studio-can-help/ Do you work with raw data? Do you need help finding, accessing, understanding, manipulating, collecting, sharing and preserving data?

The Data Service Studio is a new service provided by NYU libraries and ITS that provides staff, software, statistical computing, and data collection resources to support NYU research and scholarship.

The facility features a 10-seat work and instruction space where students and faculty can receive consultation and resources in statistical analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) and gain access to a variety of software for statistical, qualitative and GIS analysis (SPSS, SAS, STATA, R, ESRI GIS products, Matlab, and others).

You can drop by the Data Service Studio during their regular hours or schedule a consultation appointment.

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NYU Data Service Studio
6th floor, Bobst Library
70 Washington Square

Regular Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Friday: 12-6
Wednesday & Thursday: 12-8
Sunday: 1-5

Contact
data.service@nyu.edu
212-998-3434

]]> http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/23/data-dilemmas-the-data-services-studio-can-help/feed/ New books to help you plan for life after graduation http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/18/new-books-to-help-you-plan-for-life-after-graduation/ http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/18/new-books-to-help-you-plan-for-life-after-graduation/#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:06:21 +0000 Ingrid reference http://www.poly.edu/library/blog/2009/03/18/new-books-to-help-you-plan-for-life-after-graduation/ The best time to start planning your future is right now.

No matter where you are in your education process, the earlier you start thinking about where you’d like to be after school the better. For great advice for job-seeking grads – and future job-seeking grads – read, Advice for Students: Start Planning Now for Life After College. It includes useful tips on networking, using your summers wisely, and taking advantage of campus resources like Career Services.

The Dibner Library is another valuable resource to turn to for help when thinking about your future.  We recently acquired a number of new career planning books that can assist you in every every stage of the planning process - whether you’re still trying to figure out which career path best suits you or you’re ready to pound the pavement.

Some of our new career books include:

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