Dr. Christine Davies' session aims to raise awareness of various computer-based technologies that assist researchers, including useful websites, online tools for communication, and resources for collaboration. The session covers a range of topics such as survey tools, social media for research, referencing tools, and online storage options. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and can access the presentation afterward for further information.

1. Information Technology to
support research
Dr Christine Davies

2. Objectives of this session
• To raise awareness of a
range of computer-
based technologies that
can help the researcher
• To understand how to
make use of some key
technologies

3. What we will cover
• Websites with useful information
for researchers
• Some generic online tools for
aspects of research
• Tools for Communication and
collaboration

4. • Ask questions at
any time, or add
comments/
suggestions: use
the chat pane
• Presentation will
be made
available after
the session

5. Websites with useful information for
researchers

6. Useful information for researchers 1:
UWTSD 
• RDP: Researcher Developer programme:
http://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/rdp/
• Library: http://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/library/
• Moodle: Skills for Research Students:
http://dysgu.ydds.ac.uk/course/view.php?i
d=5529
• Research data management:
http://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/library/research-
data-management/
• TEL Resource Centre:
https://uowtsd.sharepoint.com/tel/resourc
es/SitePages/Home.aspx

7. • Emerald:
http://www.emeraldgrouppublishin
g.com/research/guides/methods/
• Sage:
http://methods.sagepub.com/meth
ods-map
• OER (including MOOCs)
Useful information for researchers 2

8. OER: Open Educational Resources
Examples:
• MIT Open Course Ware:
https://ocw.mit.edu/index.ht
m
• unow, University of
Nottingham:
http://unow.nottingham.ac.u
k/
• OU’s Openlearn:
http://www.open.edu/openle
arn/
• OER Wales/ Cymru:
http://www.oerwales.ac.uk/

9. MOOCs:
Massive Open Online Courses
Examples:
• Stanford University:
http://online.stanford.edu/
courses
• Coursera:
https://www.coursera.org/
• Ou’s ‘Futurelearn’:
https://www.futurelearn.co
m/

10. iTunesU

11. YouTube

12. Audio files/ podcasts
• Audio can be an
useful way of
learning/revising
whilst travelling/
waiting etc

13. Finding specialist information
• UWTSD Library:
http://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/li
brary/
• Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.co.
uk/
Specialist databases eg.
• Pubmed (medicine)
• SocINDEX (sociology)

14. Online Tools for researchers

15. Survey tools
• Surveymonkey:
https://www.surveymon
key.co.uk/
• Sogosurvey:
http://www.sogosurvey.
com/
• Google forms:
https://support.google.c
om/docs/answer/87809
?hl=en

16. Survey-related tools
Estimators of Sample
size and related
concepts
http://www.raosoft.co
m/samplesize.html

17. Planning and reviewing tools 1
Mind-maps eg. Mindmeister
(https://www.mindmeister.com )
• Online
• Options for real-time
collaboration
• Several downloadable (offline)
mind-map applications eg.
Freemind

18. ‘Flowchart’ tools such
as:
• Gliffy: www.gliffy.com
• Diagramo:
www.diagramo.com
Planning and reviewing tools 2

19. Social bookmarking
• Allows collation of
useful web-pages; use
of searchable tags;
access to similar
content used by others
• Eg. Diigo:
https://www.diigo.com

20. Social media: Twitter, Facebook,
Blogs
• Opportunities to
‘follow’ experts
• share your knowledge
• Promote your
research
• Receive feedback
from peers

21. Other websites for academic links/
dissemination/ sources
• Academica.edu
• Slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/
• Figshare: https://figshare.com/
(science)
• Citeulike:
http://www.citeulike.org/home
• (NB: ‘ORCID’ for academic
ID): http://orcid.org/
• Personal blogs (eg.
Wordpress; Blogger)

22. Image-sharing websites
• Brainstorming and
sharing ideas
• Showcasing work
• Eg. Pinterest:
https://uk.pinterest.co
m/

23. Social media dashboards
• Ways of aggregating RSS
feeds from twitter, blogs,
podcasts, news etc
• Convenient way of
accessing information
• Eg. Hootesuite:
https://hootsuite.com/en-
gb/
• Eg. netvibes:
https://www.netvibes.com

24. Referencing tools 1
Refworks (UWTSD) References in ‘Word’

25. Referencing tools 2: Mendeley
Mendeley:
https://www.mendeley.co
m
• Online store of articles
etc
• Options to locate
similar sources
• Referencing plug-in for
Word
• Options to share
• Similar: zotero;
Endnote

26. • Refme:
https://www.refme.co
m/uk/
• Use of barcode
readers on
smartphones to
import references
Referencing tools 3: Refme

27. Tools for Collaboration and
Communication

28. • Many useful sites for online
storage and collaboration
• Access from different
devices
• BUT: must be online!
• Microsoft ‘OneDrive’
(UWTSD)
• Dropbox:
www.Dropbox.com
• Google Drive:
https://www.google.com/driv
e/
Online/ cloud storage and sharing 1

29. Online/ cloud storage 2
• Web platforms for
collecting notes,
pictures, video-clips
etc
• Useful on mobile
devices
• Collaborative options
• Eg. Evernote:
https://evernote.com/

30. www.padlet.com
A online group
note wall for
participants to
post text,
images and
links

31. Online notepads
• No need to create an
account
• Several individuals can
work simultaneously on a
text document and then
export in Word format.
• Eg. Piratepad:
http://piratepad.net
• Try it out: go online to
http://piratepad.net/MPMeSr
LRlc and write something!

32. Listening and discussing

33. Some final thoughts

34. Mobile apps
• Many of the
applications
described are
available on
smartphones and
other devices
• Access any place,
any time
From: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/03/20-
must-have-ipad-apps-for-student.html

35. Caveats 
• Note the need to be online for many
of these applications
• Sometimes applications change or
disappear eg. Delicious, Titanpad.
• Some websites aren’t as good as
they say they are!
• Worth keeping any really important
documents on a hard-drive as well
as in the Cloud
• New applications appearing
constantly!

36. More information at….
• http://connectedresea
rchers.com/online-
tools-for-researchers/
• http://www.educatorst
echnology.com/2013/
06/10-great-tools-for-
academic-
research.html

37. Any questions?
Contact:
• Dr Christine Davies
• Christine.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk
• Ext. 5148 (Carmarthen)