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Category: Research Support

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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:

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.

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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

Headshot of 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

Headshot of 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

Headshot of 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..."

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

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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: 

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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.

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Health Sciences Research Commons

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:

  1. 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. 
  2. Your work is archived according to your departmental affiliation, so your work is situated among the collective output of your colleagues. 
  3. Your research is discoverable via search engines such as Google Scholar, thus allowing your work to reach a broader audience. 
  4. 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.

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Picture of a monthly planner with a red and blue pen lying on top.
Photo by 2H Media on Unsplash

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? 

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

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The staff at Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library would like to extend a warm welcome to the incoming Medical Student class of 2027! Over the coming days and weeks, you will grow familiar with the George Washington University campus and begin your medical school coursework. To help you learn more about Himmelfarb Library and the services available to you as students, this article will serve as a primer for everything you should know about the library. 

Himmelfarb Library is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Reference services are available Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am-8:00 pm, Fridays from 8:00 am- 4:00 pm and Sundays from 4:00 pm- 8:00 pm. 

The library has a collection of physical and electronic media including books, audiovisual media, scholarly journals, and databases. There are several special collections within the library, including the MD Program: Required Books & Information Resources, Himmelfarb Library New Books, and Humanities & Health Collection. Please see our full list of special collections for access to these and other special collections.

Our physical collection is spread across the library’s four floors with most books shelved on the basement level. If you are unsure of an item’s location, a staff member at the circulation desk will assist you. The collection catalog is located on the homepage at himmelfarb.gwu.edu. The search box’s default setting is ‘Articles + Himmelfarb Catalog.’ and will display results within our collection. If you would like a more in-depth overview of the library search box, read Tips for Using Himmelfarb’s Library Search Box. 

Himmelfarb has several interactive pieces of technology in its collection. There are two 3D printers in the library and faculty, students, and staff members are able to submit print job requests online. There is no charge for most print requests and pricing will be clearly communicated before printing begins. Our 3D Printing at Himmelfarb guide contains more information about the 3D printing program and explains Himmelfarb’s 3D printing policies. 

The BodyViz virtual anatomy software suite located in Himmelfarb 305 is an interactive software that lets you examine and manipulate anatomical models. There are over 1,000 data sets loaded onto the BodyViz software. To reserve the BodyViz suite, please use the online reservation system. The library also has two Quest VR headsets available for checkout. Both headsets are loaded with the Medicalholodeck Medical Virtual Reality platform and may be used to explore anatomical models. To check out the VR headsets, visit the circulation desk. 

There are multiple ways to contact a librarian if you need assistance. The Ask A Librarian service is available through our website. You may send an instant message to a member of the reference staff via the chat feature on our homepage or call the desk at (202) 994-2962. You may also send an email to himmelfarb@gwu.edu or stop by the circulation desk to speak with someone from the Himmelfarb team. 

In addition to our electronic and physical media, the library maintains general and subject-specific research guides to help you complete your coursework or engage in the research process. Some guides that may be useful as you start your time at GWU are the AMA Citation Style, APA Citation Style, Borrow from Himmelfarb, Borrow from Other Libraries, Library Tutorials, and Study Design 101 guides. There are also subject-specific research guides that provide links to readings, tutorials, databases, journals, and other resources related to the specific health sciences subject. Visit our homepage or our dedicated Research Guides page to see the current list of research guides. 

Study spaces are located on each floor of the library. Some spaces, such as the tables located on the first floor, are on a first-come, first-served basis. The study rooms on the basement, 2nd and 3rd levels must be reserved. If you are using a room without a reservation, you may be asked to move to honor a pre-existing reservation. To reserve a study room, visit our online reservation system. To learn about the quiet level zones in the library, please see our Studying at Himmelfarb? Know Our Zones article. 

Follow Himmelfarb Library’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to learn more about future events or changes to our collection. We look forward to working with you during your time at the George Washington University.

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photo of coffee in teacup with open notebook, pen and laptop
Image from pxfuel.com

Himmelfarb Library’s Scholarly Communications Committee produces short tutorial videos on scholarly publishing and communications topics for SMHS, GWSPH, and GW School of Nursing students, faculty, and staff. Five new videos are now available on our YouTube channel and Scholarly Publishing Research Guide!

2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy Resources by Sara Hoover - Sara is our resident expert on data management policy and resources. She provides an overview of the NIH policy, the essential elements of a data management and sharing plan, and highlights GW and non-GW resources that can aid you in putting together a data management and sharing plan. The video is 10 minutes in length. 

Animal Research Alternatives by Paul Levett - Paul demonstrates how to conduct 3Rs alternatives literature searches for animal research protocols. He defines the 3Rs and explains how to report the search in the GW Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) application form. Paul is currently a member of the GW IACUC. The video is 13 minutes long.

Artificial Intelligence Tools and Citations by Brittany Smith - As a Library Science graduate student, Brittany has an interest in how AI is impacting the student experience. She discusses how tools like Chat GPT can assist with your research, the GW policy on AI, and how to create citations for these resources. The video is 6.5 minutes in length.

UN Sustainable Development Goals: Finding Publications by Stacy Brody - Stacy addresses why the goals were developed, what they hope to achieve, and shows ways to find related publications in Scopus. The video is 5 minutes long.

Updating Your Biosketch via SciEncv by Tom Harrod - Tom talks about the differences between NIH’s SciEncv and Biosketch and demonstrates how to use SciEncv to populate a Biosketch profile. Tom advises GW SMHS, School of Nursing, and GWSPH researchers on creating and maintaining research profiles and he and Sara provide research profile audit services. The video is 5 minutes long.

You can find the rest of the videos in the Scholarly Communications series in this YouTube playlist or on the Scholarly Publishing Research Guide.

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We’d like to welcome everyone joining the SMHS, GW Nursing and GWSPH communities this month! Himmelfarb Library has a wealth of resources and services to meet your patient care, education, and research needs and you don’t need to visit the building to take advantage of most of what we offer. Our electronic collections are available 24/7 from anywhere, on campus or off campus when using VPN or web authentication services.  

Himmelfarb Resources and Collections

Himmelfarb has 125 databases to search, including PubMed, Scopus, and our library discovery service Health Information @ Himmelfarb. Health Information @ Himmelfarb enables users to search physical and electronic books, journals, articles, dissertations, and more from one search box.

To browse and access our collection of e-journals we recommend using BrowZine. BrowZine can be accessed on a browser or you can download the app to your IOS or Android device. You can assemble a personalized bookshelf of journal titles, follow your favorite journals, and be alerted to new issues with a table of contents.

We also recommend installing LibKey Nomad on your favorite browser for easy access to full-text when searching PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO databases, Google Scholar, Amazon, publisher sites, and more. Nomad will alert you to the full-text availability of articles and e-books from Himmelfarb and in many cases deliver a PDF with one click.

Himmelfarb provides a wide range of electronic book titles from Access Medicine, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, and R2 Digital Library. You can browse our e-book collections or view our special collections in Health Information @ Himmelfarb. We also have many print books! Our main book collection is on the basement level and most books can be borrowed for 3 weeks with up to 2 renewals.

If we don’t have what you need, we can get it for you through the Consortium Loan Service or Documents2Go. Consortium Loan Service provides free loans of materials from most of the academic libraries in the DC metro area. Documents2Go provides scanned article and chapter copies or physical book loans with up to 30 free requests for Himmelfarb users a year.

Clinical Tools and Applications

For those providing patient care, Himmelfarb has specialized apps and information services to support you. DynaMed, Lexicomp, and others are available to be downloaded as apps for easy access from your device. Check our App Shelf to browse for tools.

For residents specifically, we offer NEJM Resident 360. This resource contains interactive cases, videos, rotation prep materials, clinical pearls, morning reports, and more! To learn more about NEJM Resident 360 and our many resources for residents, check out our Residents and Fellows Research Guide.

Research Support

Himmelfarb can support you in your research from helping with literature searches or systematic reviews to organizing sources with RefWorks or Covidence. We can even assist with your data management and sharing plan if you are applying for NIH funding. See our Resources for Early Career Research Guide if you’re just getting started with research. Our Scholarly Publishing tutorials are a great way to learn about all aspects of the scholarly publishing lifecycle at your own pace. For more seasoned researchers, we offer a Research Profile Audit Service to get the most out of the various profile services, like ORCiD and SciENcv.

24/7 Access

For most of the academic year, the Himmelfarb Library facility is open 24/7. We will be observing shorter hours during the month of July - but will still be open nightly until midnight. Note that from June 12 to July 26, 2023 entry to both Himmelfarb Library and Ross Hall will be through the Himmelfarb courtyard entrance doors from 7pm to 7am Monday through Friday and on weekends. You need your GWorld badge to enter the library. There is space for quiet conversation and group work on the first floor and quieter spaces for study on the second floor. Reserve our study rooms in advance. 

Can’t come to the library? Our librarians can assist you via chat or phone (202-994-2850) during business hours or email us anytime at himmelfarb@gwu.edu. We look forward to seeing you in the library or assisting you remotely!

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