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Class Descriptions: Home

Classes We Offer

This menu displays the classes and workshops we offer at the MSK Library.

Check our calendar for our currently scheduled classes or request a custom class for you or your team.
 

Title
 		 Instruction Time Description

 Learning Objectives
Advanced PubMed 60 minutes Are you comfortable with the basics of PubMed but want to improve how you search and use its tools? In this session you’ll discover ways to build comprehensive searches while also improving precision and efficiency, saving you time. Learn how to develop advanced PubMed search strategies, stay current on topics that matter to you, and leverage various ways to capture and work with search results.
  • Develop complex searches using Boolean operators, field tags, and proximity operators
  • Use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to refine and focus searches
  • Create search alerts and RSS feeds to stay current with new publications in your field
  • Export, save, and manage search results using My NCBI or citation management tools like EndNote
Ask a Librarian - Virtual Drop-In Office Hour  60 minutes

Join an MSK librarian for a virtual drop-in session and get personalized guidance on topics like:

  • Finding articles and other publications
  • Literature searches and refining research questions
  • Selecting journals to target for manuscript submission
  • Managing citations and using citation managers, like EndNote, Zotero, or Lean Library Workspace
Can't make this time? No problem! Email us to schedule a consultation at a time that works for you: asklibrarian@mskcc.org		 Get your research-related questions answered in an informal, online setting.
Covidence  60 minutes This class will introduce you to using Covidence in your projects. Covidence is a web-based software platform that streamlines the production of systematic reviews.

To provide an overview of the key systematic review project steps supported by Covidence: 

  • Citation screening 
  • Full text review 
  • Risk of Bias assessment 
  • Extraction of study characteristics and outcomes 
  • Export of data and references 
Data Resources and Repositories 60 minutes This class will introduce some of the tools for data analysis, visualization, working with data, and writing a data management plan. It will describe how to find and access those tools and how to select repositories for data storage.
  • Learn how to find and access tools to work with and manage your research data
  • Learn how to identify appropriate repositories for data storage
  • Understand value of a data management plans and the components that make up a data availability statement
EndNote for Mac 45 to 60 minutes This class will introduce you to using EndNote on a Mac for your projects. EndNote is a software that helps to manage your citations when writing a research paper.
  • Learn how to add references to your EndNote Library 
  • Select styles to format references 
  • Organize your references in groups and send to colleagues
  • Cite sources while you write in Microsoft Word
EndNote for PC 45 to 60 minutes This class will introduce you to using EndNote on a PC for your projects. EndNote is a software that helps to manage your citations when writing a research paper.
  • Learn how to add references to your EndNote Library 
  • Select styles to format references 
  • Organize your references in groups and send to colleagues
  • Cite sources while you write in Microsoft Word
Evaluating Journal Quality   60 minutes Come to this workshop to find out about the library and information resources that can help you to more comprehensively evaluate a journal's "quality". A variety of criteria that should be considered when deciding on where to submit a research manuscript for publication will be discussed.

Learn how to evaluate a journal by considering such criteria as: 

  • Indexing & abstracting services 
  • Journal metrics, publisher workflow stats 
  • Unique Identifiers (DOI, ORCID, etc) 
  • Other journal policies & requirements (protocol registration, reporting standards, etc) 
  • Peer-review status/system, credit 
  • Open-access vs traditional publishing models 
  • Copyright & permissions for re-use 
  • Digital archiving for posterity 
Introduction to PubMed   30 minutes Are you new to PubMed or want a refresher on basic search strategies? In this 30-minute session you’ll gain confidence in using this database to find biomedical literature efficiently for research, patient care, and education. Learn how to navigate PubMed, construct simple searches, access full-text articles via MSK Library links, and capture results.
  • Navigate the PubMed interface and basic features
  • Construct simple keyword and phrase searches
  • Apply built-in PubMed filters to narrow results
  • Access full-text articles via library subscriptions or Document Delivery Services
  • Save and organize search results for future use
Introduction to Systematic Reviews  60 minutes Getting started with a systematic review, but now sure where to start? In this 1-hour session, you’ll learn the basics of the systematic review process, plus key systematic review tools, resources, and guidelines.
  • Understanding the defining characteristics of a systematic review and the steps of the systematic review process, including searching, screening, and quality appraisal
  • Understanding the protocol process and PRISMA reporting
  • Identifying tools and resources for supporting the systematic review process 
Lean Library Workspace 60 minutes Lean Library Workspace (formerly SciWheel) is a web-based citation management tool, similar to Zotero or EndNote. It is an excellent option if you have a shared workspace, work on writing projects on a personal device, or write in Google Docs. This class will introduce you to using Lean Library Workspace for your projects.
  • Organize your references (articles and webpages)
  • Store your PDFs
  • Cite while writing a manuscript
  • Create formatted bibliographies
  • Collaborate with your colleagues 
Measuring Research Impact   60 minutes What’s an h-index? How can I find out who has cited my study? What other research metrics should I pay attention to? In this class, we will use the databases Scopus and Web of Science to assess the impact of published research.
  • Define measures of research impact, including h-index, journal impact factor, and altmetrics 
  • Use Web of Science and Scopus to find information about an author, their publications, and impact 
  • Determine how many times—and by whom—a study has been cited 
  • Learn about the value of ORCID ids and how to get one 
MSK Library Orientation 45 minutes

This 45-minute session provides an overview of MSK Library resources and services for research, patient care, and education. Participants will learn how to identify and access materials from any location and discover how the Library can act as a partner to enhance their work at MSK.
  • Access library resources remotely
  • Use Document Delivery Services to request materials not in our collection
  • Identify library resources, services, and learning opportunities that enhance research, patient care, and education at MSK
Navigating AI Tools for Biomedical Literature Searching 60 minutes This course offers a critical examination of using AI tools for biomedical literature searches. While these tools promise to streamline research processes, it's important to evaluate their actual effectiveness and limitations. Participants will explore AI tools being used in the field, while questioning their reliability and impact on the quality of research outcomes.
  • Critically assess the current AI landscape in biomedical literature searches and its limitations
  • Examine the capabilities and shortcomings of popular AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, OpenEvidence, Elicit, Consensus, Scholar AI) in searching the biomedical literature
  • Understand the ethical and privacy concerns associated with using AI in research
  • Gain insight into how AI tools are currently being adopted in the field and the potential risks they pose to research integrity
Research Data Management: Best Practices 60 minutes

This class will provide an overview of broad concepts as well as specific actions one can take to adhere to data management standards and best practices. 
  • Introduce components of the Research Data Life Cycle and FAIR principles
  • Learn about best practices for:
    • File naming and organization
    • Version control
    • Format selection
    • Documentation/Description
    • Storage 
    • Backup 
    • Preservation
Updating Scientific CVs  60 minutes When you're updating a CV, it’s generally a good idea to search in more than one bibliographic database, especially if your goal is to capture all of an author’s publications, regardless of format (journal articles, book chapters, meeting abstracts, etc). This class will explore MSK Library resources that are good sources to consider using for compiling CV bibliographies.

To provide an overview, author name search demo, and citation export demo in the following resources:  

  • PubMed  
  • Scopus  
  • Web of Science 
  • Synapse 
  • ORCID 
Using ORCID to Enhance Your Research Visibility 45 to 60 minutes Unlock the potential of your research identity with ORCID iD! Join our interactive workshop to learn how to create and manage your unique researcher identifier, increase visibility, and streamline your scholarly pursuits. Master the essentials of ORCID iD, explore integration possibilities with the ORCID API, and elevate your academic and professional profile in just one session. 
  • Understand the concept and purpose of ORCID iD 
  • Recognize the benefits of ORCID iD adoption 
  • Explore how ORCID iD enhances discoverability and visibility of scholarly work 
  • Understand ORCID iD APIs and integration opportunities 
  • Create and manage an ORCID iD profile 
Zotero   45 to 60 minutes This class will introduce you to using Zotero for your projects. Zotero is a free reference management tool (similar to EndNote) downloadable on multiple workstations.
  • Organize your references (articles and webpages)
  • Store your PDFs 
  • Create formatted bibliographies 
  • Collaborate with your colleagues