This 2-hour online workshop focusses on bibliometric indicators and methods to assess research impact. Participants will learn to use bibliometric tools and databases to measure and analyse research productivity, citation impact, and collaboration patterns. They will also explore alternative metrics and the responsible use of research metrics in evaluation and decision-making. By the end of the module, participants should be able to apply bibliometric techniques to assess research impact and make informed decisions based on bibliometric data.

Topics covered:

• Introduction to bibliometrics and research impact
• What is bibliometrics?
• Traditional bibliometric indicators
• Bibliometric tools and databases
• Data collection and analysis
• Alternative metrics (Altmetrics)
• Responsible use of bibliometrics and research impact assessment
• Evaluating research impact in different disciplines
• Communicating research impact

This 2-hour online workshop equips scholarly librarians with the necessary knowledge and skills to support researchers conducting scholarly research, specifically focusing on emerging economies and the African context. Participants will gain an understanding of researchers' unique needs and challenges, develop skills to assess research quality, and provide assistance in research topic discovery and developing literature reviews. The workshop also explores the complexities of mentoring research capacity, addresses cross-cultural issues in research, offers approaches to developing student writing, and emphasizes the importance of research ethics, integrity, and responsible scholarly practices.

Upon successful completion, participants should be able to:

• Gain an understanding of researchers' needs, recognising their unique challenges and requirements in conducting scholarly research in emerging economies.
• Develop an understanding of postgraduate research in the African context.
• Acquire the necessary skills to help emerging scholars develop papers and theses, and evaluate research quality.
• Acquire the necessary skills to support researchers in research topic discovery, literature searches, and literature reviews.
• Recognize the challenges involved in mentoring research capacity.
• Explore cross-cultural issues in research and how worldview differences can affect approaches to research and engagement with research participants.
• Explore approaches to developing student writing.
• Gain insights into dealing with questionable science, research ethics, integrity, and responsible research practices.

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Research topic discovery in proposal and thesis writing traditionally involves library database searches, literature organization, and idea generation. AI-driven tools can streamline literature identification and summarizing, but may hinder reflexive thinking. Researchers need to remain vigilant to ensure ethical and relevant scientific endeavors.

This 2-hour online workshop introduces approaches to research topic discovery and how AI-driven tools can support the process.

Upon successful completion, participants should be able to:

• Key scientific claims that should guide the topic discovery phases of research.
• Generative writing and understanding writing as a form of thinking and reflection during topic discovery.
• How AI-driven research and discovery tools can assist in managing research discovery processes.
• The role of AI tools in starting literature reviews and organising literature, highlighting potential risks and benefits of AI.
• How AI can assist in dealing with information overload.
• How systematic rigour and knowing the frontiers in science should inform the use of AI-driven discovery tools.
• Techniques for crafting and assessing introductions to research.
• Assessment criteria for research topics and research questions and the potential benefits of AI tools.

This 2-hour online workshop explores core aspects of scientific inquiry and the emerging influence of artificial intelligence (AI). Specifically, participants will investigate whether AI strengthens or dilutes theorising, philosophy, and argumentation in scientific research. They will assess styles of reasoning and how AI can potentially introduce distorted conceptual lenses. The need for systematic rigour in science and the risks of utilising incoherent AI generated evidence will be discussed. Ethical considerations related to AI authorship will be explored, including consequences of questionable science, a publish-or-perish publication culture, and AI’s evolving landscape in science.

Upon successful completion, participants should be able to:

• Investigate theory, philosophy, and argumentation in scientific research, examining whether AI strengthens or dilutes these core principles of scientific inquiry.
• Evaluate different styles of reasoning and AI’s potential to create distorted conceptual lenses.
• Explore the need for systematic rigour in science and the possibility of utilising incoherent evidence generated by AI.
• Investigate the role of AI in theoretical elaboration and making data-theory links.
• Assess the impact of AI on qualitative data analysis, interpretation, and articulation of research findings, considering whether AI can distort the ability to analyse data and draw inferences.
• Evaluate the limitations of AI in ensuring constructive alignment and consider whether AI can assist in crafting a comprehensive ‘big picture’ in research.
• Explore the use of AI in generating ideas, considering whether AI can hinder thinking and reflection.
• Explore ethical considerations surrounding AI and its implications for authorship in scientific research.
• Examine the consequences of questionable science and the influence of a publish-or-perish publication culture in the wake of AI.

Our 2-hour virtual workshop on systematic literature reviews is crafted to assist participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills for conducting reviews of academic literature. The workshop begins by identifying different types of literature reviews and their requirements in a general context, providing a broad understanding of the landscape and how systematic reviews fit within it. It then delves into explaining the systematic review process and its stages, from formulating research questions to developing a review protocol, and from conducting a literature search to analysis. A key component of the session is a hands-on exercise where participants will learn to perform a quick literature search in Scopus or a similar tool to export the results in Excel for initial screening. This practical approach, combined with interactive discussions and expert guidance, ensures participants not only grasp the theoretical aspects of systematic literature reviews but also acquire the skills to apply these methods to their own research projects effectively.

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This 2 ½ hour online workshop on Research and Researcher Support aims to equip librarians with thebasic skills to provide effective support to researchers in navigating the complex landscape ofacademic resources, research tools, and information literacy.

Topics covered:

Introduction to Open Science

• Overview of open science principles
• The importance of openness, transparency, and collaboration in research
• Ethical considerations and benefits of practicing open science

Open Data and Data Management

• Understanding open data and its impact
• Best practices for data managementTools and platforms for sharing and archiving research data

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Reproducibility in Research

• The importance of reproducibility in scientific research
• Techniques for ensuring reproducibility in study design, methods, and analysis
• Using version control systems for code and data

Open Access Publishing

• Understanding open access publishing and open access agreements
• Benefits and challenges of publishing in open access journals
• Exploring open access repositories for preprints and publications

Community Engagement and Collaborative Platforms

• Building a collaborative and open research community
• Utilizing collaborative platforms for project management and communication
• Open science initiatives and networks

This 5-hour (two 2½ hour workshops) online workshop on Open Science aims to educate participants on the principles and practices of open science, fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration, and accessibility in research. The outline is designed to cover key aspects of open science, including data sharing, reproducibility, and community engagement.

Introduction to Open Science

• Overview of open science principles
• The importance of openness, transparency, and collaboration in research
• Ethical considerations and benefits of practicing open science

Open Data and Data Management

• Understanding open data and its impact
• Best practices for data management
• Tools and platforms for sharing and archiving research data

Reproducibility in Research

• The importance of reproducibility in scientific research
• Techniques for ensuring reproducibility in study design, methods, and analysis
• Using version control systems for code and data

Open Access Publishing

• Understanding open access publishing and open access agreements
• Benefits and challenges of publishing in open access journals
• Exploring open access repositories for preprints and publications

Community Engagement and Collaborative Platforms

• Building a collaborative and open research community
• Utilizing collaborative platforms for project management and communication
• Open science initiatives and networks
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By the end of the workshop, participants should have gained a foundational understanding of openscience principles and practical skills to implement open practices in their research workflows

This 2-hour online workshop is designed to help librarians help researchers build their online profile.

“Self-promotion is not bragging, it’s vital for professional success”

Researchers can no longer afford to build careers within the walls of academia only. In the competition for positions, promotions, and research funding, researchers need to learn critical skills of promoting their research and themselves on the many varied platforms that now exist. This includes ORCID, Google Scholar, LinkedIn, ResearchGate, and more. It starts with simple steps like making your research Open Access, if you want the public and policy makers to be able to access your work.