MIT Libraries News

Looking to gain skills in working with statistical analysis software packages?  The following classes will be taught by the Harvard-MIT Data Center (HMDC) Statistical Consultant and start next week!  Note: there will be time at the end of each session for individual assistance, so feel free to bring your research questions.

1. Introduction to Stata
Get an introduction to Stata, the statistical analysis software package commonly used at MIT. With hands-on exercises, learn how to import and manage datasets. Novices welcome!

When: Friday, October 23rd, 2-5pm

2. Data Management in Stata
Learn techniques for data management using Stata. Perform hands-on exercises and learn how to create cross-sectional, time-series, and panel datasets from several data files.  Topics include importing data into Stata, labeling data and variables, converting data from string to numeric format, appending and merging datasets, and collapsing and reshaping a dataset.  Prerequisite: a general familiarity with Stata (such as taking the Intro. workshop).

When: Friday, November 6th, 3-5pm

3. Introduction to Regression Using Stata
This hands-on class will provide a comprehensive introduction to estimating the linear regression model using ordinary least squares in Stata. Topics for the class include multiple regression, dummy variables, interaction effects, hypothesis tests, and model diagnostics. Prerequisites include a general familiarity with Stata (such as taking the Intro. workshop), the linear regression model, and the ordinary least squares estimation.

When: Friday, November 13th, 3-5pm

4. Introduction to R
Get an introduction to R, the open-source system for statistical computation and graphics available on Athena. With hands-on exercises, learn how to import and manage datasets, create R objects, and generate figures. Novices welcome!

When: Friday, December 11th, 1-4pm

Where: All workshops held in the Sloan Trading Room in the basement of E52: E52-010.

Space is limited. To register, contact: Katherine McNeill, mcneillh@mit.edu.

Can’t make these times? Attend these workshops at Harvard or view the slides on your own.

Brought to you by Social Science Data Services: http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/data/

Learn how to manage your articles and cite your references more effectively in these hands-on workshops. No advance registration required.

All workshops will take place in the Digital Instruction Resource Center (DIRC), 14N-132.

EndNote Basics

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package that allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references.

Attendees will create a personal database of cited literature by importing references from resources such as Barton, Web of Science, PubMed, & other sources of published literature. Your database can be used to automatically generate in-text citations and bibliographies in your manuscripts. It can also help you organize and manage your PDF files.

• Friday, 10/16: 12-1pm
• Tuesday, 10/20: 5-6pm

RefWorks Basics

RefWorks is a web-based resource designed to help you organize references and create a bibliography. RefWorks allows you to search, retrieve relevant citations, easily cite references as you write your paper, and build your bibliography. It allows users to create individual or group accounts.

• Thursday, 10/15: 5-6pm
• Wednesday, 10/21: 12-1pm

Managing Your References: Overview of EndNote, RefWorks, and Zotero

Using citation management software to create and maintain a collection of references is becoming more common and important in today’s academic world. These software packages allow users to search databases, retrieve relevant citations, and build a bibliography to be added to a paper or thesis or stored for future reference. But which software package should you use, and how do you get started?

This session will focus on EndNote, RefWorks, and Zotero, the three major options for citation software at MIT. We will include a discussion comparing and contrasting the three softwares, and we will introduce some of the basic concepts and functionality of each program.

• Wednesday, 10/14: 5-6pm
• Thursday, 10/22: 12-1pm

Can’t make the classes and need help?  Try our research guides for citation software help, or ask us!

Learn about ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research), the world’s largest archive of research data for the social sciences.  Next week (Oct 5-9, 2009), ICPSR will be broadcasting live free webinars to help you understand and utilize its many data resources.  Topics covered include:

• Data on minority populations
• Graphing quantitative data & Web 2.0 tools for visualization
• Protecting respondent confidentiality
• American Community Survey
• American National Election Survey
• Harmonized data sets
• Documentation of research data
• Quantitative literacy/Using data in teaching
• Online analysis of data
• And more!

Visit http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/or/ormeet/program/index.jsp to review the abstracts and slides and to register to attend the webinars.  Note: while these are presented in the context of the meeting of ICPSR Official Representatives, the webinars are free and open to the public; all members of the MIT community are encouraged to register and attend.

Can’t make the live webinars?  View them anytime at: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/or/ormeet/program/index.jsp.

For more information about ICPSR, contact MIT’s Official Representative, Katherine McNeill, at mcneillh@mit.edu.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Monday, July 6 and Monday, July 20, 12pm – 1pm

Find out where Aero/Astro materials are now located. This session will highlight the various Aero/Astro collections and how to access them.

Contact Barbara Williams with any questions.

Full schedule of JulyAP 2009 workshops

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Friday, July 10, 12pm – 1pm

Endnote is a “personal bibliographic software” package which allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references. Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshops.

Contact Peter Cohn with any questions.

Full schedule of JulyAP 2009 workshops

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Thursday, July 9, 1pm – 2pm

Learn about the organization of key NCBI databases, understand the database record structure, and work with the BLAST search tool.

Contact Howard Silver with any questions.

Full schedule of JulyAP 2009 workshops

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Wednesday, July 8, 9am – 12pm

Learn how to use this gene expression tool licensed by MIT Libraries. Bring data!

Contact Courtney Crummett with any questions.

Full schedule of JulyAP 2009 workshops

Learn how to find and use information more effectively in these hands-on workshops. No advanced registration required. Light refreshments will be served at each session.

All workshops will take place in the Digital Instruction Resource Center (DIRC), 14N-132.

GeneGo Training
Wednesday, July 8, 9am – 12pm
Learn how to use this gene expression tool licensed by MIT Libraries. Bring data!
Contact: Courtney Crummett

Bioinformatics for Beginners
Thursday, July 9, 1pm – 2pm
Learn about the organization of key NCBI databases, understand the database record structure, and work with the BLAST search tool.
Contact: Howard Silver

EndNote Basics
Friday, July 10, 12pm – 1pm
Endnote is a “personal bibliographic software” package which allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references. Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshops.
Contact: Peter Cohn

OAG as a Travel Planner Tool
Monday, July 13, 12pm – 1pm
OAG Travel Planner Pro is the premier customizable online tool for business and professional travelers who need to make and manage complex travel plans.
Contact: Barbara Williams

RefWorks Basics
Friday, July 17, 12pm – 1pm
RefWorks is a web-based resource designed to help you organize references and create a bibliography. RefWorks allows you to search, retrieve relevant citations, easily cite references as you write your paper, and build your bibliography. It allows users to create individual or group accounts.
Contact: Anita Perkins

Accessing the Aero/Astro Collection
Monday, July 6 and Monday, July 20, 12pm – 1pm
Find out where Aero/Astro materials are now located. This session will highlight the various Aero/Astro collections and how to access them.
This session is limited to 25 participants. To register, contact Barbara Williams.

Sequence Alignment
Wednesday, July 22, 10am – 12pm
Explore sequence alignment algorithms and their practical applications. Session will include a hands-on algorithm exercise and practical usage information (Clustal, BLAST, BLAT, Maq).
Contact: Charlie Whittaker

DSpace@MIT for Research Collections
Friday, July 24 and Monday, July 27, 12pm – 1pm
DSpace@MIT archives and makes globally discoverable the research output of MIT faculty, researchers, and students. The session will highlight MIT Libraries’ initiatives for easy upload of complete technical report and working papers series’ and will demonstrate how individuals and research groups can establish and begin populating new collections of research materials.
Contact: Craig Thomas

BLAST
Wednesday, July 29, 11am – 12pm
Learn how to use NCBI resources and optimize your BLAST protein searches to get the most out of your results. Attendance at Bioinformatics for Beginners and familiarity with BLAST are recommended.
Contact: Amy Stout

Data Management 101
Friday, July 31, 12pm – 1pm
For researchers struggling to manage their data, basic strategies will be provided for best practices for retention and archiving, effective directory structures and naming conventions, good file formats for long-term access, data security and backup options, metadata, tagging, and citation and other relevant issues.
Contact: Anne Graham

Sponsored by the MIT Libraries.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Friday, May 1, 12 – 1pm

Market research abounds on the web, but usually with a hefty price tag. This session will familiarize participants with market research accessible to MIT students and faculty. We will cover types of resources available, how to navigate them, and some basic tips for using these resources.

Contact: Maggie Bartley

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Thursday, April 23, 12 – 1pm

For researchers struggling to manage their data, basic strategies will be provided for
• best practices for retention and archiving
• effective directory structures and naming conventions
• good file formats for long-term access
• data security and backup options
• metadata, tagging, and citation
• other relevant issues

Contact: MacKenzie Smith

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

Come and hear attorney Sonia Guterman of Lawson & Wetzen discuss the distinctive aspects of patents that make them valuable, the role of patents in capital development, along with issues surrounding filing biotech patents. She will be assisted by Drew Lowery, who received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from MIT and is a member of Global Prior Art’s Life Science Team. Drew will discuss and demonstrate alternative ways to search biotech patent art and their suitability. At the end of the talk attendees will have the opportunity to do hands on searching.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Thursday, April 16, 12 – 1:30pm

Contact Darcy Duke for more information.

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

The MIT Libraries subscribe to a number of databases that you can use to research companies and industries. Using these databases, you can:

• Target companies by industry and geography
• Conduct comprehensive company and industry research

We will discuss why this type of research is critical to the job and internship search process, and how to use these databases effectively.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Thursday, April 9, 3 – 4:30pm

Contact: Anita Perkins for more information.

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshops. No advanced registration required.

**NOTE that different events will be happening throughout the month of April and early May.**

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Friday, April 10, 12 – 1pm

Class attendees will learn about the organization of key NCBI databases, understand the database record structure, and work with the BLAST search tool. The session is a hands-on practicum and an excellent starting point for people who are new to, or curious about bioinformatics research tools.

Contact Howard Silver for more information.

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

EndNote Basics

Learn how to find and use information more effectively in our hands-on workshops. No advanced registration required.

**NOTE that different events will be happening throughout the month of April and early May.**

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Friday, April 3, 12 – 1pm

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package which allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references.

Contact: Peter Cohn for more information.

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

Learn how to find and use information more effectively in these hands-on workshops. No advanced registration required. Light refreshments will be served at each session.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

Endnote Basics
Friday, April 3rd, 12 – 1pm

EndNote is a “personal bibliographic software” package which allows you to create and manage a database of bibliographic references.
Contact: Peter Cohn

Researching Companies for the Job Hunt
Thursday, April 9, 3-4:30pm

The MIT Libraries subscribe to a number of databases that you can use to research companies and industries. Using these databases, you can:
-Target companies by industry and geography
-Conduct comprehensive company and industry research
We will discuss why this type of research is critical to the job and internship search process, and how to use these databases effectively.

Contact: Anita Perkins

Bioinformatics for Beginners
Friday, April 10th, 12 – 1pm

Class attendees will learn about the organization of key NCBI databases, understand the database record structure, and work with the BLAST search tool. The session is a hands-on practicum and an excellent starting point for people who are new to, or curious about bioinformatics research tools.
Contact: Howard Silver

Biotechnology Patent Fundamentals and Searching
Thursday, April 16, 12-1:30pm

Come and hear attorney Sonia Guterman of Lawson & Wetzen discuss the distinctive aspects of patents that make them valuable, the role of patents in capital development, along with issues surrounding filing biotech patents. She will be assisted by Drew Lowery, who received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from MIT and is a member of Global Prior Art’s Life Science Team. Drew will discuss and demonstrate alternative ways to search biotech patent art and their suitability. At the end of the talk attendees will have the opportunity to do hands on searching.

Contact: J. Darcy Duke

Managing Research Data 101
Thursday, April 23, 12-1pm

For researchers struggling to manage their data, basic strategies will be provided for
• best practices for retention and archiving
• effective directory structures and naming conventions
• good file formats for long-term access
• data security and backup options
• metadata, tagging, and citation
• other relevant issues

Contact: MacKenzie Smith

Introduction to Market Research Databases at MIT
Friday, May 1, 12-1pm

Market research abounds on the web, but usually with a hefty price tag. This session will familiarize participants with market research accessible through MIT. We will cover types of resources available, how to navigate them, and some basic tips for using these resources.

Contact: Maggie Bartley

Check out the full listing of IAPril 2009 Libraries events!

MIT GIS Services is offering a series of workshops to introduce the MIT community to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). All sessions will be held in the MIT GIS Lab, Rotch Library, 7-238. These workshops are restricted to the MIT community and will require an active kerberos account. No registration required – seats are available on a first come basis. MIT GIS Services are cooperatively supported by the MIT Libraries, OEIT, and IS&T.

Site Selection – Making Spatial Decisions Using a GIS
Friday, February 27, 2-4 pm
MIT GIS Lab, Rotch Library, 7-238
Learn to select a new project location based on a variety of data types and perform analysis using tools provided in ArcGIS.
PreReq: Participants should have previous experience using ArcGIS.

MIT GIS Services will be offering a series of workshops to introduce the MIT community to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). All sessions will be held in the MIT GIS Lab, Rotch Library, 7-238. These workshops are restricted to the MIT community and will require an active kerberos account. No registration required – seats are available on a first come basis. MIT GIS Services are cooperatively supported by the MIT Libraries, OEIT, and IS&T.

• Introduction to GIS using ESRI ArcGIS Desktop and QGIS (FOSS)
  Friday, February 20, 2-4 pm
• Site Selection – Making Spatial Decisions Using a GIS
  Friday, February 27, 2-4 pm
• Using Elevation Data and Hydrographic Tools in a GIS
  Friday, March 6, 2-4 pm
• Model Builder and Python
  Friday, March 13, 2-4 pm

Check out all of the MIT Libraries IAP events for the week covering Monday, January 26 through Friday, January 30. A complete listing for all of IAP is also available.

Practically Genomic

Introduction to Google Maps API

Using Elevation Data and Hydrographic Tools in a GIS

QUOSA Information Manager Demo: Retrieve and Organize Article PDFs

Going Beyond Google Scholar: Using the Web of Science and other citation searching resources to discover articles

Compost with Worms…in Your Apartment!!

Mapping and Using US Census Data

Fiddle-dee-dee during IAP

Managing Research Data 101

EndNote Basics

IAP @ Humanities Library Film Series: Special Effects at the Movies

Finding & Using Historical Newspapers

Model Builder

Biotechnology Patent Fundamentals and Searching

Make your Paper File Cabinets Searchable: How to Manage Paper and Electronic Documents Effectively

RefWorks Basics

Please note that some sessions have limited availability or may require advance sign-up requirements. If you have further questions, please see individual listings for appropriate contact information.

Check out all of the MIT Libraries IAP events for the week covering Monday, January 19 through Friday, January 23. A complete listing for all of IAP is also available.

Patent Searching Fundamentals

Introduction to GIS Using ESRI ArcGIS Desktop

Bioinformatics for Beginners

Using NCBI’s BLAST

Organic? All-natural? Grass-fed? What Does It All MEAN??

Tips and Tricks for Keeping Up With Information: Mechanical Engineering

Open Source and Free Mapping Tools

Managing Your References: Overview of EndNote, RefWorks and Zotero

BIOBASE ExPlain Training

RefWorks Basics

Patent Searching Fundamentals

Going Beyond Google Scholar: Using the Web of Science and Other Citation Searching Resources to Discover Articles

Introduction to GIS Using Free Software Tools and Data

Career Research: Targeting and Researching Employers

Site Selection – Making Spatial Decisions Using a GIS

EndNote Basics

Please note that some sessions have limited availability or may require advance sign-up requirements. If you have further questions, please see individual listings for appropriate contact information.

Traditional Japanese books are completely different from the books you normally encounter in the MIT Libraries. What better way to understand them than to make one yourself in the Wunsch Conservation Laboratory with the guidance of the skilled Preservation Services staff!

Participants will create a side-sewn soft-cover book using the techniques of traditional Japanese bookbinding. The workshop will include an overview of the history, materials, and techniques of the Japanese bookmaking tradition, which is markedly different from that used to create Western books. Each participant will complete one blank book covered in beautiful Japanese decorative paper.

WHEN: Wednesday, January 14, 10am – 12pm

WHERE: 14-0513

**NOTE: This class is currently full!**

Contact Nick Szydlowski with any questions or to be added to the wait list.