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Virtual Librarian Examples

Example Notes & Options

The example announcements below are from a specific course. Each announcement can be customized for your course, just let us know what you'd like covered. 

In addition you can choose how many announcements you'd like for your students to receive:

  • Option 1 Just the Introduction 
    We can limit to just an introduction announcement so students know where to go for research help, as well as other basic library information. 
  • Option 2 Introduction & Best Sources
    We can limit to an Intro and a 2nd announcement on best sources for their course.
  • Option 3 Introduction, Best Sources & Specific Aspect
    We can send an Intro, 2nd announcement on best sources for their course and a 3rd announcement that is focused on a specific aspect of student research or presentation. 

Great Resources for Health Info & AI [2nd announcement example]

Looking for Help? We're Here for you! Hello everyone! Here are some great resources for your research assignment that can make your research, citations and presentations easier. 

Health Information & AI

The Health Information & AI guide has great sources for your assignment. It includes some of the resources listed in this message plus more! The resources on the Articles and Open Access pages will be the most useful. You can access this and all our resources online 24/7.

Here are a few examples of what you can find in the guide: 

Search Tips

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There are so many articles on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and even AI and healthcare, that it is difficult to narrow down your results to articles specific to AI and health information. That can be overwhelming, but here are some search techniques you can use to narrow down your search results to the articles you'll be most likely to use: 
 
  • Use Quotes Around Artificial Intelligence in Your Search
    Using quotes around phrases an make your search more precise, retrieving more articles that are relevant and fewer that are not a good fit.
    • For example "artificial intelligence" is more precise than artificial intelligence in a search.
  • Add Similar Terms to Your Search
    Though we commonly use AI, there are other terms that can be used to retrieve relevant articles, such as:
    • "artificial intelligence" OR ai OR a.i. OR "machine learning" OR "deep learning"

FYI, for the most part you don't need to use capital letters in searches...except when using the words AND, OR, NOT. By capitalizing these terms in your search, you are telling the database that you want to use those words how to combine your other search terms, not search for the words AND, OR, NOT. 

  • Combine Concepts in Your Search
    So one concept for your search is artificial intelligence. But that will be too broad to find the articles you need, so you need another concept, health information. Also, putting the most important concept first in your search will tell the databases that this is the most important concept, which will make your results more relevant. So one search that might be effective is:
    • "health information" AND "artificial intelligence" OR ai OR a.i. OR "machine learning" OR "deep learning"
  • Use Advanced Search
    Using the advanced search options in a database will also get more relevant results. For instance, you can try experimenting with searches for your search terms in the subject or title field to get better results. 
    • Try putting "health information" in the first filed of advanced search and select Subject. 
    • Combine the two concepts with AND
    • Now put "artificial intelligence" OR ai OR a.i. OR "machine learning" OR "deep learning" and select Title
Something else to consider: These techniques get you to some very specific articles that otherwise might be buried because there are so many results, but some of the broader articles on AI and healthcare will still be relevant to health information. So for a broader search you could try:
  • healthcare AND "artificial intelligence" OR ai OR a.i. OR "machine learning" OR "deep learning"

A Place to Study

Don't forget, the library has great places for you to get away and study. Whiteboards, small and large study rooms, and tech workstations can all be booked in advanced. We've even got a coffee and snack station! Book a study space. 

I can Help With...

I can help you with grabbing citations, finding sources, doing research, or other library questions. You can ask your questions on the Ask the Virtual Librarian page via live chat call, or get face-to-face help in the library during our open hours. When we are closed you can find answers in our Knowledge Base or send an email. Here is some contact info:

If you have questions, please, contact me. Have a great semester!

~Your Virtual Librarian

3rd Announcement (Citation & Powerpoint)

Looking for Help? We're Here for you! Here are some tips for citations and presentations. 

Grab Citations from Databases & Tips from APA Style Guide

Did you know? You can grab APA style citations for your sources right from these and our other databases! We have a Cite APA Style guide that shows you how to grab citations from our databases, how to tweak them and even gives formatting tips like how to create a hanging indent in Word (it's easy when you know the tricks!)

If you are citing a website, zoterbib is free and very quick. Just type in your URL to get a citation in the style of your choice. 

Academic Writer (APA)

COM students have full access to Academic Writer online! You can Browse Lessons & Samples, to get citation examples for just about everything, and see sample papers. The APA Sample Papers can be especially helpful. Want more? How to Use Academic Writer (APA). 

Tips for PowerPoint & Presentations

The best ways to get help with PowerPoint are to come to the Library Lab to get one on one help, use one of our great how to eBooks on PowerPoint, or go to Microsoft's tutorials on using PowerPoint. You can go to Tips for PowerPoint & Presentations to learn more about these great resources that are all free for you to access. You'll find:

  • The top two recommended eBooks for PowerPoint that you can access for free, 24/7. 
  • Microsoft PowerPoint tutorials
  • Hours for the Library Lab, where lab staff can help you one on one. 
  • The top PowerPoint tips that we get asked about the most. 
  • How to get Office 365 for your device. 
  • How to use sources in your presentation. 

As a Reminder, You Can Get Help With...

I can help you with grabbing citations, finding sources, doing research, or other library questions. You can ask your questions on the Ask the Virtual Librarian page via live chat call, or get face-to-face help in the library during our open hours. When we are closed you can find answers in our Knowledge Base or send an email. Here is some contact info:

If you have questions, please, contact me. Have a great semester!

~Your Virtual Librarian