Session Descriptions

• 11:10 AM—12 noon, Library MAC/PC Lab, B182, Lower Level
• David Easterbrook [1], Curator, Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies [2]
• Li (Qunying) Li [3], East Asian Studies Librarian and Liaison for Education & Social Policy
• Jeannette Moss [4], Reference Librarian and Liaison for Slavic Languages & Literatures

• 10:10 AM—11 AM, Reference Classroom, 2699A, 2nd Floor, East Tower
• Kathleen Bethel [6], African American Studies Librarian and Liaison for Gender Studies
• Kristine Thorsen [7], Lecturer in German

Electronic Resources for Education and Social Policy

• 9:10 AM—10 AM, Library MAC/PC Lab, B182, Lower Level
• Qunying Li [3], East Asian Studies Librarian and Liaison for Education & Social Policy
• William McHugh [8], Reference Collection Management Librarian and Liaison for Classics

This session will introduce students to electronic resources central to the study of education and social policy. Among the resources to be discussed will be Eric; Education Administration Abstracts; PAIS; Policy File; and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

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EndNote Test Drive: Get Started using EndNote® in a Hands-on Environment

• 2:35 PM—3:25 PM, Library MAC/PC Lab, B182, Lower Level
• Scott Garton [9], Acting Head of Reference and Liaison for Anthropology
• Geoffrey Morse [10], Reference Librarian and Liaison for Religion
• Julie Borden Patton [11], Digital Projects Librarian

Film and Television Resources

• 12:10 PM—1 PM, Library PC Lab, B183, Lower Level
• Charlotte Cubbage [12], Humanities Coordinator and Liaison for Radio/TV/Film, Dance, Drama, Performance Studies, & Theatre

Explore the variety of resources available to researchers in film and television. This session provides an introduction to both the multimedia and textual materials available through the library for the advanced study of non-news-reporting television and film studies.

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Finding Primary Sources Online: The Unlikely but Happy Marriage of Technology and Archives

• 9:10 AM—10 AM, Forum Room, 2nd Floor, South Tower
• Janet Olson [13], Assistant University Archivist

Personal papers, institutional records, correspondence, diaries, and other primary sources are crucial to research in the humanities. These unique materials, however, are more difficult to track down and use than published sources because they are organized, described, and indexed very differently from books and periodicals. Fortunately, researchers can now benefit from technologies that make archival and manuscript collections much easier to locate. This session will discuss what to expect when you search for historical primary sources; how to use archival finding aids; and how to locate archival and other primary-source materials (including images) through a variety of online databases.

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Hands on Images: An Introduction to Digital Image Resources

• 11:10 AM—12 noon, Library PC Lab, B183, Lower Level
• Russ Clement [14], Art Librarian
• Julie R. Rudder [15], Outreach and Training Specialist, Digital Collections
• Sarah Teasley, [16]Assistant Professor, Art History

What are some of the digital tools available to those interested in finding and using images in their research and teaching? In this session, we introduce these resources including databases and bibliographic resources specifically geared toward scholarly research. We will focus on art images; the session will also be of use for disciplines such as Theater, History, and Literature that engage increasingly with images. We'll focus on how the viewing platforms and tools these powerful databases provide can enrich your knowledge, both visual and factual. Topics will include moving images and time-based art.

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Integrating Spatial Information into Your Research: An Introduction to GIS

• 10:10 AM—11 AM, Library PC Lab, 183, Lower Level
• Chieko Maene [17], Maps and State Documents Librarian and Liaison for Geography
  
• Geoffrey D. Swindells [18], Head, Government and Geographic Information and Data Services [19]
  

Over the past ten years geospatial analysis has emerged as an important research methodology across the disciplines, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are fast becoming an essential part of the scholarly toolkit. At the same time, there has been tremendous growth in both the volume of geospatial data available to researchers, and in the analytical power of spatial technologies.

In this workshop we will discuss examples of GIS maps and techniques from a variety of disciplines, introduce you to the major government and commercial sources of geospatial data, and give you hands-on experience using ArcGIS, the most popular desktop GIS software in the U.S. We'll also describe the geospatial reference, consultation and instruction services available through the University Library.

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International Statistical and Data Resources

• 9:10 AM—10 AM, Reference Classroom, 2699A, 2nd Floor, East Tower
• Kathleen Murphy [20], Data Services Librarian
• Louis Takács [21], International Documents Librarian

Participants in this session will be introduced to key electronic and print sources for International statistics and data related to demography, socio-economics, political and social public opinion, infrastructure, agriculture and business. These statistical and data resources can be used for research and teaching in the social sciences and related fields such as journalism, education, health, transportation studies and management. Participants will have the opportunity to review a number of sources by topic and to learn how to access the resources for their own research.

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Online Periodicals and Newspapers as a Transformative Research Resource

• 11:10 AM—12 noon, Forum Room, 2nd Floor, South Tower
• Carl Smith [22], Professor of English, American Studies, and History
• Rachel Blumenthal [23], Doctoral Student, Department of English
  
• Hugh McIntosh [24], Doctoral Student, Department of English
  

Searchable full-text periodical and newspaper databases have literally transformed research in multiple fields by greatly facilitating access to these major scholarly resources and radically reducing the time and effort required to find information relevant to a wide range of projects. In some instances the dynamism and convenience of these databases have even qualitatively affected the kinds of projects individuals have undertaken. This session will follow a very brief overview of these databases with a presentation of specific examples of scholarship based upon them conducted by graduate students and faculty at Northwestern.

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Religion in Cyberspace

• 9:10 AM—10 AM, Conference Room, 2628, 2nd Floor, East Tower
• Geoffrey Morse [10], Reference Librarian and Liaison for Religion
• Stuart R. Sarbacker [25], Lecturer in Religion

This introduction to the essential mastery of electronic research through the Northwestern Library system will focus on databases linked to the Religion website. We will explore additional electronic resources from the Library’s webpage. Navigating cross-database searching will be demonstrated, and time will be devoted to research on various religions, faiths, and denominations as well as related subjects, such as the philosophy and sociology of religion. Special attention will be paid to the importance of technological literacy in academic research, and the integration of electronic and conventional methodologies. It will be demonstrated how the skillful use of technology can make performing research dramatically more efficient and rewarding.

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Resources for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies

• 9:10 AM—10 AM, Library PC Lab, B183, Lower Level
• Charlotte Cubbage [12], Humanities Coordinator and Liaison for Radio/TV/Film, Dance, Drama, Performance Studies, & Theatre

This session combines text and performance aspects of drama and theatre, providing a snapshot of research resources available to you. Highlighting electronic texts and archive databases, we will also examine a variety of secondary sources appropriate to the interdisciplinary nature of theatre, including historical newspapers, electronic journal sets and multimedia resources.

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Resources in Comparative Literature, Philosophy, and Critical Theory

• 12:10 PM—1 PM, Library MAC/PC Lab, B182, Lower Level
• Jeffrey Garrett [26], Associate University Librarian for Special Libraries and Liaison for Linguistics
  

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Social Sciences Computing Cluster

• 2:35 PM—3:25 PM, Library PC Lab, B183, Lower Level
• Bruce Foster [27], SSCC Architect, Academic Technologies

The Social Sciences Computing Cluster (SSCC) provides a rich suite of statistical software applications, an advanced computational capability, and a centrally-managed data storage service to support the research activities of Northwestern social scientists. Accounts on the SSCC are available free of charge to Northwestern social sciences faculty researchers and to their graduate students. The cluster of Linux systems provides two interactive systems, a batch cluster with 80 CPU cores that could run up to 80 simultaneous jobs, a network file service with 3.7 TB of storage, a wide variety of statistical software applications, online access to NU Library's datalib files, and consulting and education services.

In this session, instructors will introduce participants to these resources and discuss their role in your doctoral research. A brief demonstration of the SSCC will complete this presentation.

Students interested in the Social Sciences Computing Cluster can learn more by visiting <http://sscc.northwestern.edu/ [28]>.

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Student Projects: Graduate Stipends in the Humanities and Social Sciences

• 2:35 PM—3:25 PM, Forum Room, 2nd Floor, South Tower
   
• Gergely Baics [29], Graduate Student, Department of History
  
  Historical GIS: A Spatial Analysis of 19th Century Urban Public Markets
  Space has become increasingly important in urban historical analysis. The use of GIS for history, however, is much confined by the lack of readily available data. In the workshop, I will discuss how applying GIS to archival data opens up new interpretations about the spatial transformation of food provisioning in New York between 1780 and 1860.
   
• Amanda Baugh [30], Graduate Student, Department of Religion
  
  Using Technology to Make Sense of Data
  Ethnographic research involves the collection of great volumes of data, and turning that data into a finished project can be a daunting task. I will show how NVivo software has helped me organize my data -- field notes, voice recordings, and articles -- into a manageable collection of information.
  
  
• Lora Koycheva [31], Graduate Student, Department of Anthropology
  
  

  Technology in Context: On Using Digital Equipment in Ethnographic Research
  Ethnographic research relies heavily on interviews, participant observation, and archival research as data gathering techniques, and digital technology has introduced faster and more effective ways to collect and analyze data in the work of the cultural anthropologist. Using examples from a recent ethnography on religious nationalism conducted in Bulgaria, this presentation will showcase two considerations when employing digital technology in ethnographic research: choosing the right equipment during pre-fieldwork preparation, and making successful use of the technology during fieldwork.

• Lisa Overholtzer [32], Graduate Student, Department of Anthropology
  
  

  Visualizing the Past: Using Video in Archaeology for Analysis and Dissemination
  Like many other disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, archaeological practice is thoroughly visual—we use our eyes to describe sites, soils, and artifacts. Modern digital technologies, such as video, offer new analytical possibilities by recording the on-the-spot interpretive process and by presenting fluid, 3-dimensional views of artifacts, architecture, and the landscape. These technologies also enable the dissemination of this information to students, the general public, and the academic community. This presentation will explore the ways in which video is being used within archaeological research in Central Mexico, and will offer some suggestions and lessons learned for scholars who might want to incorporate videography into their research.

• Zhang Qi [33], Graduate Student, Department of Political Science
  
  Stata for Data Analysis: Based on My Field Survey
  During this summer I conducted a tentative field survey on business environment of private enterprises in China. I collected some data and will show how I use Stata software to do some data analysis and draw policy implications from it.

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Using Electronic Content in the Age of Copyright Protection: What Every Graduate Student Needs to Know about Scholarly Communications

• 10:10 AM—11 AM, Forum Room, 2nd Floor, South Tower
• Mariann Burright [34], Scholarly Communication Librarian and Liaison for Life Sciences & Environmental Studies

This session will introduce new graduate students to their rights and responsibilities in using electronic content, whether images, text, or music files, for their teaching and research. Through hypothetical situations, participants will learn ways to avoid copyright infringement of protected works, while also learning about using material in the public domain and fair use of protected works for their research and teaching. A special emphasis will be placed on the rights of graduate students as authors of research papers and dissertations, and the implications of those in re-publishing works.

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Using Simulations to Explore Social Networks

• 10:10 AM—11 AM, Library MAC/PC Lab, B182, Lower Level
• Matthew Goldrick [35], Assistant Professor of Linguistics

Everyone knows about the "six degrees of separation" that link you to anyone else on the planet (including, for example, Kevin Bacon--see http://oracleofbacon.org [36]). In fact, the networks of interactions that define our social groupings--and their consequences for human behavior--have been studied scientifically for many years in a number of fields (sociology, political science, linguistics, psychology, communications, etc.).

Recently, there has been a great deal of research using mathematical and computational methods to approach these problems. This session will introduce you to one such tool developed here at Northwestern--NetLogo [37]. During the session you will use this tool explore some of the properties of simple network theories. The application of these tools to problems in language change will be discussed.

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• 12:10 PM—1 PM, Reference Classroom, 2699A, 2nd Floor, East Tower
• Harriet Lightman [38], Head, Academic Liaison Services and Liaison for History and Economics
• William McHugh [8], Reference Collection Management Librarian and Liaison for Classics
  

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• 10:10 AM—11 AM, Conference Room, 2628, 2nd Floor, East Tower
• Jeffrey Garrett [26], Associate University Librarian for Special Libraries and Liaison for Linguistics

What You Need to Know about Social Science Data Services

• 11:10 AM—12 noon, Reference Classroom, 2699A, 2nd Floor, East Tower
• Kathleen Murphy [20], Data Services Librarian and Liaison for Cognitive Science, Psychology, and Sociology

Participants in this session will be introduced to the research process and data consulting services which are available through the Social Science Data Services (SSDS) [39]. Data Services maintains access to thousands of data files acquired from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research and identifies other data resources which are available for the Northwestern students and faculty. These data can be used for research and teaching in the social sciences and related fields such as education, health, transportation studies and management. Participants will have the opportunity to review a number of sources by topic and to learn how to access the resources for their own research.

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• 12:10 PM—1 PM, Forum Room, 2nd Floor, South Tower
• Scott Garton [9], Acting Head of Reference and Liaison for Anthropology
• Geoffrey Morse [10], Reference Librarian and Liaison for Religion

ERF Homepage [5]| Go to Top | Last updated: 09/16/08