Workshops
Find descriptions of library workshops below. For more information on workshops or to register for a workshop, see the Events page. Not seeing a workshop scheduled on the Events page that you are interested in? Please contact us and we will make arrangements.
Workshops are typically held in a hybrid format -- attend at the library or on Zoom.
Your Research Journey: The Foundations of Library Research
Workshop series, offered on a rotating basis.
The workshops associated with this series will help you build the skills for successful graduate-level research. You will be introduced to the tools, concepts, and strategies for navigating the research process of your scholarly work with confidence and ease. The content presented is well suited for both new graduate students or those looking for a refresher on the specific topic presented.
Charting Your Path
Graduate school research may feel daunting, but this foundational workshop will address the key concepts, strategies, and tools to help develop your research skills. Charting Your Path will start with a broad overview of what library research can look like, including the terms you may come across in your journey. We will also cover how to use Gottesman Libraries and the Columbia University Libraries to access physical and digital resources; discuss reference management tools; show how to create strong keyword searches; and end with a review of strategies for better search results. Attendees will leave this workshop with the information needed to be successful in Library research across all research disciplines.
Searching Strategies
How do you know you are retrieving all the relevant information needed for your research topic? Do you find your catalog and database searches are not giving you the best results? This workshop will cover the strategies and concepts needed to give you confidence that you are finding the best results in your searches and take you beyond conducting simple searches by using tools to search in a variety of contexts. The workshop host will review how to use Educat+, the catalog of the Gottesman Libraries; CLIO, the Columbia University Libraries catalog; and database providers, like EBSCO and Proquest. We will then show how you can optimize your queries by using Boolean logic and punctuation to refine your search style and retrieve exactly the resources you seek.
Managing Your Citations with Zotero
Learn how to download, install, and use Zotero to organize and manage your citations as you do research. This workshop provides a quick start introduction including: downloading; tour of the interface; nuts and bolts of how to ingest references through a web connector; and different ways of citing.
The Literature Review
The Literature Review is an essential element of scholarly inquiry, allowing researchers to understand the context and conclusions around a specific topic. A literature review can be conducted as a section in a main project such as a thesis or dissertation, or it can be a standalone project for a course or publication. For whatever reason you are embarking on your literature review process, this workshop will introduce you to the concepts and guidelines behind the three primary types of literature reviews; the narrative review, scoping review, and systematic review.
Reading the Contemporary Information Landscape: Principles of Source Evaluation
In an era of AI-generated content and information overload, how can you confidently determine a source’s credibility? This workshop equips graduate students with a sophisticated toolkit for navigating the modern information landscape. We will move beyond basic checklists to master practical evaluation frameworks and review core principles like the peer-review process and source types. You will leave feeling empowered to critically analyze any information and enhance the quality of your scholarly work.
Elevate Your Research: Advanced Topics in Library Research
Workshop series, offered on a rotating basis.
The workshops in this series will elevate your research skills to the next level. The content in this series builds upon the foundational topics covered in the Your Research Journey series but is presented so those with a range of research experience - from novice to expert - will be comfortable with the concepts discussed therein. This series will also provide opportunities to engage with different disciplines at Teachers College as well as exciting developments within the Libraries. Bring your research topics and questions for discussion as we work through interesting and varied topics that will make you a strong, capable researcher.
Building a Classroom Library
In this workshop, you'll learn how to create a dynamic, inclusive, and effective library space for your students. Explore theory behind a well-designed K-12 classroom library, including its role in literacy development and curriculum support. We will discuss practical strategies for curating, organizing, and maintaining a diverse collection. You'll also dive into the logistics of selecting materials utilizing K-12 and library resources. We hope you leave the workshop with new ideas and tools to begin building a classroom library that reflects your teaching goals and your students’ needs!
Citation Analysis and Research Impact: Measuring the Impact of Knowledge
How do you determine the influence of a journal, article, or author within your field of study? This workshop will introduce bibliometrics, the use of quantitative data from the use of citations, as a means for measuring impact, influence, and assumed quality of a journal, article, or researcher. Attendees will explore many tools and resources as a means of assisting authors, reviewers, and others in making their quantitative and qualitative assessments. Topics covered include citation searching and analysis; altmetrics; and research impact utilizing the database Scopus, Web of Science, and others.
Finding Funding Tools & Sources
Learn how to use the top grant seeking resources, including PIVOT, a tool for locating sponsored funding opportunities and collaborators for your research.
This workshop is occasionally offered.
Introduction to Course Resource Lists for Instructors
This workshop walks faculty members and course assistants through the basics of using Course Resource Lists, the Gottesman Libraries’ course reserves platform and collaborative tool located within credit-bearing Teachers College courses in Canvas.
This workshop is occasionally offered.
Making the Most of Course Resource Lists for Instructors
This workshop highlights some additional features of Course Resource Lists—the Gottesman Libraries’ course reserves platform, located within credit-bearing Teachers College courses in Canvas—and offers tips for creating lists that will engage students and encourage usage.
This workshop is occasionally offered.
K-12 Curriculum Resources
Focuses on ways of finding K-12 children's books, textbooks, and other curriculum resources typically used in classrooms and available through the Gottesman Libraries.
Navigating for Accessibility
How do major databases interact with accessibility tools? Is there a difference between EPUB and PDF? Which one should I be using? What is digital rights management and how can it impact assistive technology? Researchers at Gottesman Libraries have access to a robust collection of online resources. Navigating the features as well as the gaps in accessibility of these resources can be a challenge. This workshop will explain how and why assistive technologies function differently between our many databases. We will become familiar with digital rights management, EPUB and PDF file formats, and available resources within the Gottesman Libraries and Teachers College.
This workshop is occasionally offered.
Open Access
Covers all aspects of Open Access (OA) including the ethics and copyright around OA; the use of digital tools for locating resources; and searching for articles, and the process for publishing your work as an Open Access resource.
Open Educational Resources
Open education resources can dramatically decrease the costs of education, while leveraging access to and visibility of information and research. This workshop focuses on the benefits of open education resources and integrated learning practices, with examples that include textbook repositories, journals, and more.
Piecing it Together: Deconstructing and Interpreting Systematic Reviews
Systematic reviews are a core part of evidence-based research, but how are they made? This workshop is for graduate students who want to learn the methods and concepts that make up systematic and scoping reviews. By deconstructing published reviews, you will gain a deeper understanding of how evidence is synthesized and learn how to critically evaluate and use these reviews in your own research.
The ABC's of Copyright
Covers the ABC's of copyright and fair usage, most specifically in educational settings. This workshop explores meaning and importance of copyright protection; looks at resources that highlight the basic do's and don'ts; and points to further sources of information that can help you navigate the law’s complexity and make more informed determinations.
With growing scholarly open source and public domain materials in an unprecedented time of remote learning, the workshop also explores options for using and leveraging such freely available resources in coursework and research.
Understanding Primary Sources
Recognize how archives can be a valuable resource for certain types of projects, and how archivists can be helpful research partners; and understand the basic methodology of conducting research with primary sources.
Using Artificial Intelligence in Research
Navigating AI in Research: Pitfalls and Possibilities
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a pivotal component of modern research, offering innovative tools and approaches that can transform your academic work. This introductory workshop is designed for students and researchers in education, psychology, and health fields, aiming to provide you with a foundational understanding of AI and its potential impact on your research.
Down the Lit Review Rabbit Hole: Leveraging Databases, Citation Mining, and Chatbots for Discovery
In this interactive workshop, we explore traditional and new ways to find sources for your literature reviews. You'll learn how to use academic databases, citation mining platforms, and AI-powered tools together to improve your searches. From refining your queries to finding patterns in citation networks, this workshop will help you create a tailored plan for literature reviews that fits your research goals and projects.
Making Systematic Reviews Manageable with Covidence
Planning a major review for your thesis or research project? If you're taking on a systematic review, scoping review, or meta-analysis, you know they can generate a huge list of search results. Sifting through thousands of articles to find the ones that fit your criteria is a massive undertaking, especially when you're working with a team. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, but there's a tool designed to help. This workshop introduces Covidence, a web-based platform that makes the entire review process smoother, clearer, and much less stressful. We'll guide you step-by-step through the main stages of a review and show you how Covidence can help you stay organized and on track.
Unlock PubMed: Find the Best Evidence for Your Research
