BananaSlug: add serendipity to your Google search

http://bananaslug.com/

Here you can search google with the addition of a random word – selected from a useful category e.g. “great ideas” or jargon or cities etc.  It shifts results to a new focus, which can be serendipitous. And I’m a big fan of chaos.

graduation t-shirt

Wasana Bandara wins ALTC Citation!

Congratulations to Wasana Bandara for winning an ALTC (Australian Learning & Teaching Council) 2009 Teaching Citation.

This listing of winner is here: http://www.altc.edu.au/july2009-citation-winners-announced

Research Student Orientation for 2009 – Semester 2

THE RESEARCH STUDENTS CENTRE
Invites you to
–
Research Student Orientation for 2009
-
WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST | 9:30AM – 1:30PM | V714 | LIBRARY | GARDENS POINT

RSVP REGISTER ONLINE: http://www.rsctraining.qut.edu.au/default.aspx

REGISTER ONLINE BY: THURSDAY 30th JULY 2009

NOTE: If you are an International Student you are required to attend an additional orientation on the 11th of August at Kelvin Grove campus, as well as the general orientation listed on this invite.

If you have any trouble registering then please contact: training.rsc@qut.edu.au
(For catering purposes we need to have an idea of numbers so please let us know if you are planning to attend and if you have any special catering needs)

For further information contact KERRY KRUGER: k2.kruger@qut.edu.au or refer to the
RSC WEBSITE: http://www.rsc.qut.edu.au/studentsstaff/induction/index.jsp Look also at the Checklist on the induction site.

If you are unable to attend the Orientation you may wish to view the resources available in Blackboard

Journal Citation Reports on the Web – Science and Social Science Edition 2008 (via ISI Web of Knowledge) : Now Available

The 2008 edition of the Journal Citation Reports on the Web – Science and Social Science Edition has just been released.

Briefly (ISI) Journal Citation Reports (JCR)allows you to evaluate and compare journals using citation data drawn from over 10,000 scholarly and technical journals from more than 3,300 publishers in over 60 countries.

It is one of the major sources of citation data on journals, and includes virtually all specialties in the areas of science, technology, and social sciences.

By using this database one can generate lists of top journals by impact factor for a given subject category/ies for any of the years 2003-2008 inclusive.

You can search JCR by Subject Category, specific journal or you can view all journals.

Remember the impact factor is calculated by dividing the number of citations in the JCR year (e.g., 2008) to items published in the 2 previous years (e.g., 2006 and 2007) by the total number of articles published in the two previous years (e.g., 2006 and 2007).

For example for Nature:

2008 Journal Impact Factor

Cites in 2008 to items published in:	2007 =	25365		Number of items published in:	2007 =	841
	2006 =	31311			2006 =	962
	Sum:	56676			Sum:	1803

Calculation:	Cites to recent items	56676	=	31.434
	Number of recent items	1803

To access Journal Citation Reports on the Web – Science and Social Science Edition 2008go to the QUT Library homepage and select databases.

In the Database title fieldenterjcr and click the Find databases button. On the next page click the database name hyperlink to connect to the database.

Or you may click the More detailslink to bring up a full one page description for this database.

Then, on the front page select View a group of journals by subject category. Click Submit.

Choose 1 or more subject categories. (I suggest you choose them 1 subject category at a time).

Then select View Journal Data : Sort by Impact Factor.

Be sure to identify not only the Impact Factor value but also the ranking of the journal in its subject category to determine the journals relative importance within a field.

Be aware that there is another indicator that is rapidly becoming known to rank journals called the SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) Indicator.

For a detailed description of how this value is determined go to http://www.scimagojr.com/SCImagoJournalRank.pdf. (If you can understand how the SJR value is derived from this formula pls let me know. )

One can assess the SJR values for journals by going to SCImago available at http://www.scimagojr.com/.

NOTE: SCImago uses the Scopus dataset as compared to JCR which is based on the Web of Science dataset from Thomson Reuters.

At the SCImago homepage at http://www.scimagojr.com/ select Journal Indicators, then the subject area and subject category Sort by SJR.

If you have any questions about using JCR and/or SCImago please do not hesitate to contact me.

Research Skills Classes : Semester 2 2009

If you would like me to assist with ensuring the students can do research, find the books & articles they need, reference & evaluate them effectively in your units in Semester 2 2009 please let me know.

I am able to help by assisting with the development of resources for lecturers’ own use during classes, or give the students a bit of a song & dance spectacular.

For more information please go to http://www.library.qut.edu.au/services/teaching/infolit/index.jsp

QUT Library on Twitter!

Find out about the latest news & events at QUT Library via our twitter feed: http://twitter.com/qutlibrary

Of course I’ve been twittering (privately) for 2 years but I promise that this feed is more about what’s on & less about my lunch!

ALLY Network: lesbian gay bi transgender intersex queer

I’m now a part of the ALLY network of QUT, supporting staff and students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ).

I’m happy to catch up for a chat & a cup of tea if you’re seeking some friendship, support or information about the community – confidential of course.

For more information: http://www.equity.qut.edu.au/everyone/allynetwork/

Computational Knowledge Engine

http://www.wolframalpha.com/about.html

Wolfram|Alpha’s long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone. We aim to collect and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method, and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed about anything. Our goal is to build on the achievements of science and other systematizations of knowledge to provide a single source that can be relied on by everyone for definitive answers to factual queries.

Wolfram|Alpha aims to bring expert-level knowledge and capabilities to the broadest possible range of people—spanning all professions and education levels. Our goal is to accept completely free-form input, and to serve as a knowledge engine that generates powerful results and presents them with maximum clarity.

Wolfram|Alpha is an ambitious, long-term intellectual endeavor that we intend will deliver increasing capabilities over the years and decades to come. With a world-class team and participation from top outside experts in countless fields, our goal is to create something that will stand as a major milestone of 21st century intellectual achievement.

Welcome to QUT

Are you new to QUT? or

Are you ‘not so new’ and would like to know more about your work place?

Welcome to QUT will give you detailed information on University wide matters to assist

with your integration into the University. You will hear from the Vice-Chancellor and

representatives from HR and Technology, Information & Learning Support (TILS) and have the

opportunity to network with other new staff and senior managers at an informal morning

tea and expo. At the expo you will be able to talk to service providers from across the

University.

You will become acquainted with -

• QUT’s Blueprint, mission, goals and structure;
• teaching, learning and research support available to academic staff;
• QUT practices, policies and processes, including your rights and responsibilities;
• the services and benefits available to QUT staff;
• how to access further training and development opportunities.

Interested? Here are the details…

When: Thursday 30 July, 2009

Start: 9:00am (8.45am Registration)

Finish: 11:30am (Includes morning tea)

Where: Gibson Room, Z1064, Gardens Point campus

Link to flyer and registration details –

https://fileshare.qut.edu.au/qut-only/woodak/WTQ_Flyer_30_July_2009.pdf