Brain: a journal of neurology - the app

There is an app for the journal Brain. Birkbeck Library subscribes to this journal which you can access through the elibrary using your Birkbeck username and password. 
You can download and use the app for free from the App Store or Google Play to:

• Download articles and issues
• Read issues by swiping through articles

• Use the in-app search feature

• Add notes to your articles

• Bookmark your favourite articles

More information can be found at the Brain app page from Oxford Academic.

JoVE: Film your Research contest

JoVE creates and publishes videos that increase productivity in scientific research and learning. We subscribe to various sections of it that you can access through Birkbeck's elibrary.  

JoVE are holding a 'Film your Research' contest in an effort to get scientists connected with

the concept of “visual science” by making a 2-minute video featuring yourself or a lab member performing a scientific experiment/technique in the lab or in the field. There are four cash prizes available. 

All applicants must currently be pursuing scientific research in an academic institution and fit the following criteria:

• Undergraduate student pursuing scientific research
• Graduate student (M.S./Ph.D.) pursuing scientific research
• Post-doctoral researcher
• Scientist who has received his/her highest degree within the last ten years and currently pursuing research (e.g. research professors, research associates, lab managers, etc.)

For more information and to apply visit the JoVE 'Film your Research' contest.

Event: What does it mean to decolonise Science?

Birkbeck's Centre for Transformative Practice in Learning and Teaching has organised an

event with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (University of Washington) as the main speaker. The topic being presented is: What does it mean to decolonise Science? 

The event is free and is happening on Friday 5th May, 15:00-17:00 at Birkbeck in room MAL 416. Please register to attend the lecture. 

 

A perspective on science communication...

In his article, Scientists, Stop Thinking Explaining Science Will Fix Things,

Tim Requarth suggests that Scientists need to take a different approach to communicating the findings of their research in order for the public to understand and engage with it in a meaningful way. 

If you're studying a science then it might be an interesting read for you, encouraging you to consider how you communicate the key findings of your research and how you might do that more effectively, depending on your purpose and desired outcome. Do you want simply to inform? Entertain? Inspire? Change minds? All of those things?

Requarth, T. (2017) Scientists, Stop Thinking Explaining Science Will Fix Things.Slate. Accessed: 27/04/2017.

Science week study tip 5: Read, read, read!

As the events of Science week come to an end, I'll leave you with one final study tip and that is to read. Read and read well. 

Critical reading is an essential part of your study. You need to read the books, articles, blogs recommended by your lecturers to get a good understanding of your subject and to be able to engage in discussion as well as complete your assignments. If you have the time, go beyond the recommended reading to explore more. Your lecturers will always have more reading that they can suggest on a given topic. 

The amount of reading required for your course may feel overwhelming at times, so make the most of the resources available to help you manage your reading and do it more efficiently, such as the Birkbeck Learning Skills module and the Study Skills Resources in Birkbeck Library. The Open University also have a section about Critical Reading Techniques that you may find useful. 

Reading for your course will help you progress in your studies. Reading more widely will help you in pretty much any other aspect of your life. 

The Counselling Service at Birkbeck has put together a list of recommended reading addressing many different aspects of life in their Bibliotherapy section.

The Times Higher Education asked students for their reading recommendations, so take a look and see if there's anything there that will broaden your world and inspire. 

Remember that through the Library you have access to books, articles, programmes on such a wide variety of subjects. If you're interested in reading beyond your subject area, then the Library subject guides are a good place to start to learn about where to find information on different subject areas. 

Happy Reading! 

Science week study tip 4: creating search alerts

Science week study tip 4 is just one way that you can make those databases work for you by creating search alerts. You're busy people with full lives, so anything that can save you a bit of time must be a good thing. 

Search alerts are a great way of keeping up to date with new articles in your research area. Once you've got a search that gives you the most relevant results, create a search alert and you'll be notified when new articles that match your search criteria are added to the database. 

The following screencasts show you how it's done in a selection of the databases you have access to through the Library and also through Google Scholar.

Create a search alert - Scopus

Create a search alert - EBSCO databases (eg. PsycInfo, PsycArticles, Academic Search Complete)

Create a search alert - Google Scholar

Remember you can see which databases are the most useful for your subject area via your Subject Guide:

• Biological Sciences
• Earth and Planetary Sciences

Science week study tip 3: study skills support on Moodle

Welcome to Science week study tip number 3. It's short and sweet today; just to draw your attention to the amazing amount of quality resources on developing your learning skills while you're studying here at Birkbeck. 

The Birkbeck Learning Skills and the Library and Information Skills sections on Moodle bring together a great range of resources to help you with different aspects of studying; time management, planning your search for information, how to summarise, paraphrase, quote correctly, managing and using information and much more. 

This short screencast shows you how to get to them and gives and overview of what's in them.