Research Support – The Rotation: A Himmelfarb Library Blog

Comic: Why Can’t We Just Google It?

r.kyserSeptember 4, 2024September 4, 2024

Today on the blog, we answer a common query: why can't we use Google? Hopefully this comic provides an answer.

Panel 1:

Narration: It’s wild to remember how information seeking used to work before Google.
Image: A picture of the google search string is shown

Panel 2:
Narration: I don’t have the best memory of it myself: I was a 90’s kid who was still in 6th grade when the digital revolution started to really hit its stride.
Image: A picture of the cartoonist, Rebecca, as a child is shown. She has glasses, a green day American idiot shirt on, and a bob haircut. Next to her labels read as follows: My early 2000s look: thick pair of glasses, bowl cut unsuited for curly hair, i-pod mini blasting MCR, t-shirt from hot topic

Panel 3:
Narration: I was taught to use a card catalog in the library and until age 12, I viewed the computer mostly as a machine to play games on.
Image: A screenshot from oregon trail is shown. It is the outline of a bull and wagon in bright green. Under the image, text reads: you have died of dysentery.

Panel 4:
Narration: Google was around along with Ask Jeeves and Yahoo, but it wasn’t quite the default search engine it is today.
Image: a 6th grade Rebecca now wearing a different shirt, looks intent as she uses an old apple computer from the 2000s. A thought bubble next to her reads “how to catch regirock pokemon ruby”

Panel 5:
Narration: In high school, however, google had won its spot as king of the search engines.
Image: The cartoonist, now age 15 in a batman shirt is shown, with straight hair and no glasses. Text next to her is labeled as follows: My mid-late 2000’s look: burnt hair from hair straightener, contacts, first pair of earrings, t-shirt still from hot topic.

Panel 6: It was so well known, it’s now a very: the term “google” was added to multiple dictionaries in 2006 (1).

Image: Two women, one with her hair up in a bun and a blue sweater, and one with long straight hair with a scarf stand in a baking grocery aisle. The one in the blue sweater says “Hey can you google what we need to make red velvet?” and the woman with the scarf, checking her phone says “Yeah sure.”

Panel 7: I use Google frequently to this day. Just this morning I googled… a question about Pokemon.

Image: The cartoonist, now, wearing a purple shirt, a light purple blouse and glasses, holds up her phone. She says “some things never change.” In the bottom right hand corner, text reads “I wish this was a joke, but sure enough my history is “encounters for Tornadus”

Panel 8:
Narration: “Now with all of this said, let’s dive into a question I hear a lot from medical students
Image: Four different students, a man with a beard and a beanie, a women with a pink shirt and red hair, a man with glasses and a tie and a man with curly hair and a green jacket all ask “why do you not want us to use google.”

Panel 12:
Narration: It may appear like asking folks to take the long way around.
Image: A map is shown with a blue and a red route. The red route appears shorter and a speech bubble from off screen says “Red is faster!”

Panel 13:
Narration: The key word here is “appears.” Because the fact of the matter is, trying to find academic papers with Google may take longer than just using a database.
Image: The same map is shown, but this time we can see that the red route goes through a body of water and mountains. A speech bubble from off screen says “wait a second…look at this version.”

Panel 14: This is because Google indexes webpages. Scholarly articles are often not indexed as Webpages. So they won’t appear with a Google search (2).
Image: A magnifying glass with green glass is shown on a purple whiteboard. On the whiteboard, text reading “webpage” is written in black, while text in green reads “article.” Due to the green glass in the magnifying glass, the text reading “articles” can’t be seen. A speech bubble from off screen reads “I don’t see anything there.”

Panel 12:
Image: A bald man with a goatee and a blue long sleeved shirt asks: “what about google scholar?”
Across from him, Rebecca, replies “Good question.”

Panel 13:
Narration: Google scholar has its uses, but it doesn’t index quite as comprehensively as a library database. Also, since it’s highly automated, it can contain articles from predatory publishers or other untrustworthy sources (3)..
Image: A man with blonde hair and a tie standing at a podium looks skeptically at a shark with a top hat and a red bowtie. He asks “You’re a publisher” which the shark replies “You betcha.” Text in the upper right hand corner reads “see the comic predatory publishing for more on ponzi the shark (4).”

Panel 14:
Narration: Another advantage to databases is their filters. Google has some filters like publication date but there’s not much to limit results unless you like long search strings.

Image: Rebecca stands in front of a computer monitor. The monitor reads: Search: Headache Results: 2,300,000. Rebecca says “that’s a lot of results!”

Panel 15:
Narration: Given the size of the web, without ways to filter results, you might find yourself looking for a metaphorical needle in a haystack.
Image: A person with short brown hair, a red jacket and an orange shirt looks at a stack of hay. They say, looking resigned “Time to find a pitchfork, I guess:

Panel 16: Databases have a variety of filters that allowTYPO us to be very specific regarding our searches. To use our haystack metaphorTYPO, an academic database is like searching with a metal detector.

Image: A women with a green shirt and long black hair holds out a metal detector towards the haystack. She says, excited “found it!” The person from the last panel, has their head poking out of the haystack, says “I’m never gonna get this hay out of my hair.”

Panel 17:
Narration: Finding Good medical information with google might not only take longer than a database but it might take you to a biased or out of date answer.
Image: Dorthy, from the wizard of Oz, holding Toto, explores what looks to be a dungeon with cobwebs, a bookshelf full of outdated books on “The 4 Humors and Miasma.” She says “I don’t think we’re in accurate medical literature anymore, Toto.”

Panel 20:
Narration: Google can also provide results that are flat out wrong.
Image: Dorthy still with Toto, stands in Mordor from lord of the rings. They eye of Saroun, Mnt Doom and fire can be seen in the distance. Near Dorthy, a sign reads “Sick? Try the one ring!” with a picture of the ring. Dorthy says “We’re definitely not in accurate medical literature anymore.”

Panel 21:
Narration: Back when I was in grad school, studying covid misinformation, the second result google gave me for “covid care” was an anti vax org.
Image: Rebecca, sitting at a desk with her computer, a cup of coffee and a lamp, leans back as a duck wearing a white lab coat pokes out of her computer screen. Rebecca, disgusted says “Ah! A Quack!” The Duck says “Have you tried my magic tonic water?!”

Panel 22:
Narration: (Also, Google’s AI summaries are making the false information problem worse. See the comic on AI for more info) (6).
Image: A robot holds a tray with a slice of hot pizza on it. On the monitor that us the robot’s head, text reads as “Menu: Pizza with Glue”

Panel 23:
Narration: This isn’t to say google has no uses: if you need to look up something straightforward, like the scientific name for viruses that can cause the common cold, it can probably do that (7).
Image: Three virus molecules are shown labeled as “rhinoviruses” ”Coronaviruses” and “adenoviruses.” The rhinoviruses has a rhino horn on it’s head. The coronaviruses says “please don’t confuse me with my cousin!” The Adenoviruses says “Time to pray at the porcelain throne.”

Panel 24:
Narration: But I wouldn’t necessarily go to google to get treatment advice for the common cold.
Panel: Three types of advice are shown. Next to an image of a glass of water and tea text reads: drink lots of fluids? Good. Next to the image of a variety of fruits such as orange, strawberries and lemons text reads :Eat stuff with vitamin C? Uh, well it won’t hurt you, I guess (and tasty)? Next to the image of three pills, text reads as “antibiotics? Noooo.” One of the pills says “Wait, did you say viruses?”

Panel 25:
Narration: Think of Google as one tool in your toolbelt. It’s good for some tasks, but that doesn’t mean you should use it for everything.
Image: A hammer labeled as google, tries to hammer a screw into a piece of wood.

Panel 26:
Narration: So make sure to use the right tool for the task. Dynamed or Epocrates for practice guidelines, pubmed or scopus for peer reviewed articles, access medicine or clinical key for textbooks.
Image: A toolbelt containing a scraper, a screwdriver and pliers hangs down the side of the page.

Panel 27:
Narration: And Google for where to find a snack after a job well done.
Image: Rebecca sits at a table with a giant bowl full of pasta. Her eyes are closed and she looks content, with little hearts next to her. In the bottom right hand corner, text reads as “fin.”

LibKey Nomad and Covidence: Two Great Tools Now Work Great Together

deborah.wassertzugAugust 26, 2024October 16, 2024

Pile of chocolate peanut butter cups with chocolate syrup poured over — Photo by Heather Barnes on Unsplash

Isn’t it great when two things which are already great on their own combine? Earlier this month, The Rotation spotlighted LibKey Nomad, a super-handy browser plugin which helps you access full text more quickly and easily. For those involved with evidence synthesis projects who use Covidence, there is some great news…

Banner advertising LibKey Nomad Covidence Integration

Now you can use LibKey Nomad to help you locate the full text of articles right from your Covidence screen!

Once you are logged in to Covidence, navigate to the Full text screening page, and look at your list. You will now find the LibKey Nomad icon that offers you the option to “Download PDF” – or may offer you other options of obtaining the full-text article. Here’s how it can work with Covidence:

Screenshot showing where to click to download a PDF

To access the full text, click the LibKey Nomad button to download a PDF. The PDF will open in a new browser tab…

…and you can download it from there.

Next, you will click the Upload full text button, and locate the PDF wherever you downloaded it:

Dialog box to upload full text to Covidence

Once you have uploaded the PDF, this will be reflected in the display on the Full text screening page:

Screenshot from Covidence showing full text of article uploaded

When you have completed this process for each study in your full text screening set, you are ready to resume your screening!

The integration of LibKey Nomad and Covidence makes what was previously a more time-consuming process quick and easy. If you aren’t using LibKey Nomad yet, install it in your browser today!

Welcome New Residents, Students, Faculty, and Staff!

Ruth BueterJune 14, 2024June 7, 2024

From all of us at Himmelfarb Library, we’d like to welcome all of the new residents, fellows, students, faculty, and staff who joined the GW SMHS, GWSPH, and GW Nursing community this month! We are thrilled that you’re here and we look forward to serving you during your time at GW! We know that the start of any new endeavor can be daunting, so we’d like to make it easier for you to get to know Himmelfarb Library.

To help you get the lay of the land, watch this short, video tour of the library with Himmelfarb’s Library Director, Laura Abate:

Himmelfarb Hours

Our physical space, accessible through Ross Hall, is open the following hours:

Monday - Thursday: 7:30 am - Midnight

Friday: 7:30 am - 10:00 pm

Saturday: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 am - Midnight

Our current hours of operation are available on our website and include exceptions to normal hours (i.e. holiday closures). If you can’t make it to the library in person, you can get help from our librarians and staff via chat or phone (202-994-2850), or email himmelfarb@gwu.edu. Our databases, journals, and e-books are available 24/7, so even when our building is closed, you can access our electronic resources from anywhere.

Himmelfarb Resources and Collections

Himmelfarb’s collection is much larger than just the books in our stacks. We have 125 databases to search, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. The search bar towards the top of our library homepage, known as Health Information @ Himmelfarb, can be used to search for physical and electronic books, journals, articles, dissertations, and more all in just a single search box!

You can also browse and access our collection of journals from our e-journals page, or by using BrowZine. You can use BrowZine directly from your internet browser, or download the app to your IOS or Android device. BrowZine allows you to create a personalized bookshelf of journal titles, follow your favorite journals, and create alerts for new issues and tables of contents.

Here’s another pro tip: installing the LibKey Nomad browser extension on your favorite browser will provide easy access to full text when searching PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO databases, Google Scholar, Amazon, publisher sites, and more. With LibKey Nomad, you’ll be alerted when the full-text articles and e-books are available from Himmelfarb, and be able to get the PDF with a single click in most cases.

We also provide a wide range of e-books from AccessMedicine, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, and R2 Digital Library. You can browse our e-book collections, view our special collections in Health Information @ Himmelfarb, or search for any book via the Health Information @ Himmelfarb search tool on our homepage. We also have print books on the basement level of Himmelfarb. Most print books can be borrowed for three weeks with an additional two renewals. If we don’t have a book or article that you need, we can get it for you through our Consortium Loan Service or Documents2Go services.

Clinical Resources

Himmelfarb provides specialized apps and information services to support those of you who provide patient care. DynaMed and Lexidrug are our go-to resources for easy access to clinical care resources. If you want resources available on your smartphone or other mobile device, check out our App Shelf to download apps to selected resources. Learn more about resources available to residents on our Residents and Fellows Guide!

Research Support

Himmelfarb is more than just a physical space with lots of study space and great databases, journals, books, and e-books! Our librarians and staff can support you in your research by helping with literature searches, conducting systematic reviews, and organizing sources with RefWorks or Covidence. We can also help guide you through the constantly evolving scholarly publishing landscape through our author services.

Get help with your research from our knowledgeable reference librarians and staff. Stop by our circulation desk to get your questions answered in person, or use our Ask a Librarian service to chat with a reference librarian virtually. Our Ask a Librarian service is staffed by real Himmelfarb librarians and staff so you can be sure you’re getting the help you need! We also have a wealth of research guides that can connect you with resources on a variety of topics.

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We look forward to serving you! Welcome to the GW community!

Research Showcase: Poster Tips!

Ruth BueterApril 10, 2024April 8, 2024

Picture of a student standing in front a research poster talking to another student. — Image from https://smhs.gwu.edu/news/celebrating-generation-knowledge-research-days

The GW Research Showcase is just around the corner! The School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) Research Showcase is at the University Student Center on April 25, 2024. This year’s Keynote Speaker, Omaida C. Velazquez, MD. will present “Gene-Modified MSCs and Direct Gene Therapy as Novel Strategies for Vascular Regeneration and Wound Healing.” The medical student poster session will be held from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

While the deadline for submitting abstracts has passed, you may still be working on putting your poster together. Himmelfarb Library can help! Our GW Research Day Resources Guide has helpful resources and tips that can help make your poster stand out. The Creating Effective Posters page has poster templates, official GW logos, and the official GW Color palette to help you stay consistent with GW’s brand. If you are creating your poster using PowerPoint, the video below on Designing an Effective Poster Using PowerPoint has useful tips on size, color selection, font choices, and including graphs, charts, and photographs in your poster.

The Poster Design and Layout page also has great tips on selecting the right font, resizing images, and getting posters printed. When choosing fonts, it’s best to keep things simple and use familiar fonts like Times New Roman or Arial. Images should be 300 dpi JPEG files or full-size PDF files. If you need to resize an image, make sure that you keep the proper proportions so the image doesn’t appear distorted and “squishy” looking on your poster.

Once your poster is ready, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll impress the judges. Here are some great videos that can help you prepare for giving your poster presentation:

How to Present Your Poster and Wow the Judges (access is restricted to members of the GW community)
Giving Effective Poster Presentations
Poster Presentation Practice and Feedback

The GW School of Public Health (GWSPH) Research Day was yesterday, April 9, 2024. If you participated in the GWSPH Research Day, don’t forget to submit your poster to Himmelfarb’s institutional repository, the Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC). Archiving your poster in the HSRC is a great way to ensure that your poster is available to the global community of scholars! Archiving your work in the HSRC has several advantages:

Your poster will have a unique URL that you can include in your CV and use to promote your research. This unique URL will remain active even after you graduate from GW.
The HSRC is indexed in Google Scholar, which allows other researchers to find your work through Google Scholar searches.

Submitting your poster to the Health Sciences Research Commons is easy! Simply email hsrc@gwu.edu to submit your poster directly or to ask for more information.

Have Questions? Speak with a Real Person via Chat!

Ruth BueterFebruary 21, 2024February 21, 2024

A pink background with two empty white chat bubbles. — Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán

If you’ve spent any time using Himmelfarb Library’s website, you’ve probably seen our Ask Us Chat. This chat reference service is one of the more popular ways Himmelfarb users get answers to their questions. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it’s natural to wonder if you’re actually speaking to a real person or just a chatbot when you interact with chat services online.

Screenshot of Himmelfarb Library's website with arrows pointing to the "Ask Us" chat feature on the right side of the page.

Himmelfarb’s Ask Us Chat service is staffed by real people Monday through Thursday from 8am to 8pm, and on Friday from 8am to 5pm. You’re not only chatting with a real person, but you’re chatting with a member of Himmelfarb’s dedicated reference department who are trained and skilled at finding answers to your toughest reference questions! You’ve probably even seen the person you’re chatting with around the library, or leading a webinar or tutorial you’ve watched. They might even be embedded in one of your classes!

We thought it was time that we introduce ourselves, so you can get to know some of the folks on the other side of the chat who are answering your questions. Without further ado, we’d like you to meet three of our amazing Reference Librarians: Rachel, Tom, and Deborah!

Rachel Brill

Rachel joined Himmelfarb’s reference and instruction department about two years ago, and has been a vital part of the Himmelfarb team ever since! When asked what her favorite part of working reference at Himmelfarb was, she said “It’s a really special feeling when someone’s been struggling to find that piece of information they need, and I’m able to locate it for them.” When Rachel isn’t at work, she likes to play with her cat and listen to show tunes.

Rachel wants our library users to know that “there are no ‘stupid’ questions that you can ask us - the Himmelfarb librarians are passionate about helping you learn, so ask away!”

Tom Harrod

Tom has been with Himmelfarb for about 13 and a half years and is one of the longest-serving reference librarians on staff. He now oversees the Reference and Instruction and Circulation departments at Himmelfarb as Associate Director of Reference, Instruction, and Access.

Tom’s favorite part of working reference is: “the feeling of knowing you’ve helped someone do something that had previously been a source of anxiety or uncertainty for them.” Tom gave the example of being able to help a student who wants to do a systematic review but doesn’t know what that entails. He enjoys “being able to talk them through the process, breaking it down into discrete steps they can take, and eventually, they have a growing feeling of comfort with the project because they now have a direction to go.”

Tom explained that there’s such a variety of chat questions - some quick questions that can be answered in 30 seconds or less, and other, more complex questions that can go on for multiple hours! Tom shared that “after having answered many chat questions over the years, there’s always something new you’ve never heard before that presents a challenge.”

When asked about his hobbies outside of work, Tom said “I used to have hobbies but instead, I now have a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old child. I am currently able to make some time for reading and last summer I embraced the typical ‘dad’ activity of becoming enthusiastic about BBQing/smoking food on the grill.”

Tom wants our users to know that “though we do our best to answer every question that comes in via chat, we’re also happy to set up a phone, in-person, or virtual meeting to handle more complicated, in-depth consultations.” Reach out to us via email (himmelfarb@gwu.edu) to schedule a meeting!

Deborah Wassertzug

Deborah has been a valued member of our reference team since December 2022. Her favorite part of working reference at Himmelfarb is all of the people she comes into contact with, whether online or in person.

When asked about a memorable chat interaction, she had two to share:

“When I worked at another university, someone signed onto library chat and demanded to know whether I was a human being or a bot. I assured them I was human."

“At GW, my favorite chat interactions turn into consultations! Sometimes there is a quick answer, but other times it is the tip of an iceberg -- it is always fun to get to delve more in-depth with a research project someone is just starting on.”

Outside of work, Deborah enjoys going to a lot of concerts, mostly classical and indie rock. She also writes poetry. Deborah wants our users to know that “Everyone who works at Himmelfarb is truly dedicated to providing the best possible library service and the strongest support for researchers.”

Ask Us! Real People are Waiting to Answer Your Questions!

So now you’ve met some of the real people who answer your Ask Us chat questions every day! Please reach out via chat, email (himmelfarb@gwu.edu), or call us at 202-994-2850 with your questions. Regardless of your preferred method of communication, you’ll be connected to a real person who can answer your questions. And rest assured, we’ll always work to find answers to your toughest questions.

"I do not know that answer right now - but I will do everything in my power to get that information for you. Please hold..."

Streamline Your Writing With RefWorks

Using RefWorks shouldn't be intimidating, check out our tutorials to start importing references today.

randy.plymJanuary 31, 2024January 31, 2024

Overcoming the inertia to write a research project can be more difficult than actually writing it.

The blank document only grows more intimidating if you don’t remember previous research, or if you know that after writing, you’ll still need to find and compile all of your sources from note apps, half-references in drafts, and scraps of memory.

Fortunately, tools like RefWorks help smooth the path during both research and writing.

With RefWorks, you can aggregate and save references from our major databases like PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus; collaborate with the Google Docs add-on; and create bibliographies (in APA 7th, AMA, etc), importing them with the Microsoft word plug-in.

Himmelfarb staff have created a great one-stop RefWorks guide.

However, if that’s overwhelming, check out this video tutorial on importing citations from PubMed or CINAHL into Refworks and start using RefWorks today!

If you have any questions, reach out to our Reference and Instructional staff at himmelfarb@gwu.edu, or 202-994-2850.

January: Thyroid Awareness Month

puroaJanuary 17, 2024January 30, 2024

Image from Wikipedia Commons.

As we embark on a new year, it is a fantastic time to focus on an often underestimated facet of our well-being: thyroid health. January marks Thyroid Awareness Month, providing an opportunity for students, teachers, and researchers within the field of medicine to understand the importance of a well-functioning thyroid. Beyond its role in supporting our metabolism, the thyroid holds a profound connection to cognitive function and the overall energy levels we feel throughout the day which gives us all the more reason to take a moment to further understand the thyroid, and why promoting thyroid health matters.

Thyroid imbalances can manifest in symptoms such as fatigue, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and mood swings which may hinder our ability to function during daily activities or study. If you are experiencing unexplained symptoms, it may be beneficial to seek medical advice and also to encourage your patients to as well. Early detection and management of thyroid disorders can not only alleviate symptoms but can also contribute to an improvement in the quality of life.

This January, Thyroid Awareness Month serves as a timely reminder for universities to actively promote a culture of health and well-being. Encouraging a proactive approach towards health fosters a community that prioritizes both physical and mental wellness.

In many ways, the silent hero in our well-being is the thyroid. If we take the time to understand the profound impact it has on our ability to function cognitively and advocate for regular screenings, we can collectively create a culture that empowers minds and supports the pursuit of knowledge. This thyroid awareness month, let's not only spread awareness but also take concrete steps towards a healthier, more resilient academic community.

Further reading on Thyroid health at Himmelfarb can be found at:

Scholarly Publishing Tutorials at Himmelfarb!

Ruth BueterNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023

Screenshot of the Scholarly Communications Videos playlist from YouTube.

Are you interested in scholarly publishing, but aren’t sure where to start? Himmelfarb Library has a library of short video tutorials focused on a variety of scholarly publishing topics! We add new videos to this library each semester, so the library is always growing. Videos range from 3 to 10 minutes in length, so you can learn in small chunks of time that fit your schedule. Here are some of our newest videos!

Journal Impact Factors: What You Need to Know

In this video, Tom Harrod, Himmelfarb’s Associate Director of Reference, Instruction, and Access discusses journal impact factors. You’ve probably heard that journals with higher Impact Factors are more reputable, and are more desirable when the time comes to publish your research. But what is a journal Impact Factor exactly? And how is an Impact Factor calculated? This six-minute video answers both of these questions and also explores how to address Impact Factors in context and why some journals don’t have an Impact Factor.

Artificial Intelligence Tools & Citations

In this 6-minute video, Himmelfarb’s Metadata Specialist, Brittany Smith, explores generative artificial intelligence tools. This video starts off by discussing the emergence of AI and the importance of checking current guidelines and rules regarding AI, as this is a new and constantly evolving field. This video discusses how AI can help with your research, discusses GW’s AI policy, and how to create citations for AI in your research.

Updating Your Biosketch via SciENcv

Tom Harrod discusses the differences between NIH’s ScieENcv and Biosketch and demonstrates how to use SciENcv to populate a Biosketch profile in this 5-minute video.

UN Sustainable Development Goals: Finding Publications

In this 5-minute video, Stacy Brody explores why the United Nations' sustainable development goals were developed, and the intended achievements of these goals. This video discusses how to find publications related to these goals using Scopus.

Dimensions Analytics: An Introduction

Sara Hoover, Himmelfarb’s Metadata and Scholarly Publishing Librarian provides a brief overview of the Dimensions database and discusses how to access Dimensions from Himmelfarb. This 7-minute video also provides several examples of use cases for this great resource!

In addition to these great videos, you can find the full 37-video library on the Scholarly Communications YouTube Playlist and on the Scholarly Publishing Research Guide. Additional videos cover a wide range of topics including:

Project planning and development videos:
- Research life cycle
- Advanced literature searches using PubMed MeSH search builder
- CREDiT taxonomy
- Human participants' research support
Publishing-related videos:
- Clarivate Manuscript Matcher
- Including Article Processing Charges (APCs) in funding proposals
- Changing from AMA to APA citation style
- How to cite legal resources using APA style
Project promotion and preservation videos:
- Tracking citations with Scopus
- Creating a Google Scholar profile
- Archiving scholarship in an institutional repository
- How to promote your research.

Archiving Conference Papers in the HSRC

bsmith91September 27, 2023September 27, 2023

Did you recently present at a conference or during a workshop? Would you like to share your conference poster with other scholars? Are you interested in archiving your research in a central location? The Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC) is Himmelfarb Library’s online institutional repository and allows researchers to store their research in a reliable location so it may be accessed by other researchers.

Here are a few benefits to storing your research in the HSRC:

Your conference poster will be placed in a permanent collection with a consistent link. This link may be embedded in your resume/CV or on your researcher’s website. It may also be shared with your peers and connect them with your conference poster.
Your work is archived according to your departmental affiliation, so your work is situated among the collective output of your colleagues.
Your research is discoverable via search engines such as Google Scholar, thus allowing your work to reach a broader audience.
Lastly, you can measure the impact and reach of your research through PlumX metrics and Altmetrics data.

Archiving your poster in the HSRC is a reliable alternative to conference websites which may not be maintained once the conference ends. The HSRC is able to accept most file formats and you may upload a full image of your poster. Library staff members maintain the repository and will archive your research for you. Send an email hsrc@gwu.edu and a Himmelfarb Library staff member will respond to collect more information.

Are you interested in a preview of how your poster will appear in the institutional repository? Visit the 2023 Research Days Posters collection or any of the other collections in the repository.

Fall 2023 NIH and NSF Grant Application Updates

Sara HooverSeptember 11, 2023September 11, 2023

Picture of a monthly planner with a red and blue pen lying on top. — Photo by 2H Media on U n splash

Fall means more than pumpkin spice. Fall grant application season is also here with October submission deadlines for both NIH and NSF. Both organizations have modified the grant application process and here’s what you need to know:

NIH: NIH has rescinded the single budget line item requirement for data management and sharing costs.
- Applications with a due date of October 5, 2023, or later will not be required to include a single line item for Data Management and Sharing Plan activities in the budget. These costs should be placed in other appropriate categories, such as personnel, equipment, supplies, and other expenses. Read the full announcement on the NIH website.
NSF: NSF now requires the use of the SciENcv or the Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae for biographical information.
- The mandate to use SciENcv only for preparation of the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support will go into effect for new proposals submitted or due on or after October 23, 2023. Read more on the NSF website.

Need additional resources to help you with the grant application process?

The GW Office of Sponsored Projects can assist with the full project lifecycle ranging from the initial concept to the management of the award.
For the 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy, Himmelfarb maintains a related DMSP research guide and created a brief video tutorial highlighting important resources.
Information on how to update your Biosketch is also available via a brief video tutorial from Himmelfarb.

For additional information reach out to Sara Hoover, Metadata and Scholarly Communications Librarian at shoover@gwu.edu or Himmelfarb at himmelfarb@gwu.edu.

Category: Research Support