On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
Tools and Strategies for Managing Your Research
1. Rebecca K. Miller
Heather Moorefield-Lang
Faculty Development Institute
Virginia Tech
March 2012
2. Rebecca is the College Librarian for Science,
Life Sciences, and Engineering
Heather is the College Librarian for Education
and Applied Social Sciences
3. Citation
Management Tools
Organization & Task Management Tools
Cloud Storage
Research & Information Management
On-the-Fly Data Gathering Tools
Presentation Tools
Q & A
5. Strengths:
• Very sophisticated, robust product
• Available to all faculty and students at VT through a site
license
• No space limit for PDFs and other attachments
• Supported by VT Libraries, and a strong network of
other users
• Cite While You Write feature
Weaknesses:
• Steep(ish) learning curve
• No group/shared library function
• EndNote Web is a bit clunky
• Expense (if researcher leaves VT)
7. Strengths:
• Group library function
• Free
• Open source
• Intuitive/ease of use
• Cite While You Write Plug-ing
• Includes stand-alone & web-based components
• Syncing across devices
• Active user community
Weaknesses:
• 100 MB limit for attachments
• Support (since it’s not proprietary)
9. Strengths:
• Free
• Desktop & web-based versions
• Syncing across devices
• Cite While You Write plug-in
• Social networking aspect
• Has an iPad/iPhone app
Weaknesses:
• 500 MB limit for attachments
• Support
10. This is the “web”
side—Mendeley
also has a desktop
version that will
sync with your
“web” version and
make sure that you
always have a local
copy of your library.
12. Zotero now has a
stand-alone
version (can be
used with
Chrome, Safari)
The collaboration
aspect is HUGE.
Consider whether or
not the tool is
capable of creating
group or shared
libraries.
14. Easy to add in notes,
bookmarks, sites,
anything you want to
remember
Create notebooks to
categorize your material
Use multiple devices
15. Download an
Evernote Web
clipper that will
be a part of your
toolbar. Click on
it to save any
website.
Designate
notebooks.
16. PathBrite: A n e-
portfolio option.
A cloud based
tool, visually
based, very
smart, and fun to
look at. Open
access tool that
can be linked to
other pages.
17. Instapaper gives you a “read later” bookmark
You clip webpages, and then read them when you
have the time!
Instapaper is available on laptops, desktops,
iPhone, iPad, and e-readers
20. • Syncs with Google,
Outlook, Twitter, the RMT
app
• Collaboration/sharing
lists and tasks
• Data can be backed
up/exported
21. • Integrates with Google, outlook
• Data can be backed up/exported
• Has collaboration/share option
• Has many levels of organization
• Has a strong user forum
22. • Simple, minimalistic
• Tasks roll over from
day to day
• Does not integrate
with Google Calendar
or Outlook, but is
accessible via the
www and its app
($2.99)
23. Manage projects
and share with
others.
Assign tasks to
yourself or to
others and monitor
them.
Multiple
platforms from
desktop to
various
Smartphone
apps.
26. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. (2011). 7 things you should know
about…organizing files in the cloud. Retrieved from
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7073.pdf
Pinola, M. (2011). Dropbox v. the alternatives: which one is right for you?
Lifehacker. Retrieved from http://lifehacker.com/5818908/dropbox-vs-the-
alternatives-which-online-syncing-service-is-right-for-you
Summary:
• Consider how much storage space you will need
• Consider the security and privacy issues
• Consider collaboration
• Consider syncing
• Consider organization options
27. 2 GB of space free
Store anything
you need to
save. Access it
from anywhere.
Share in groups/
collaborate
28. 5 GB for free
Sync across devices
Folder selections & privacy settings at the
folder level
Collaboration and sharing at the folder
level
Includes media streaming
29. Stillin early beta
Shares data across your devices
(unlimited amount of “storage”)
Gives you an option of whether you want it
backed up in the cloud
File sharing at the folder level
30. 5 GB storage space free
Mobile app access
Sharing and collaboration at the folder
level
No password protected sharing at the free
level
Syncing across devices
31. LibX
Email search alerts & RSS feeds
• Addison
• Summon
• PubMed
• Engineering Village
• Ebsco
• Google
RSS readers
Google Scholar
32. Develop here at Virginia Tech Libraries, LibX
is a tool used by libraries around the world in
order to help their users gain access to their
resources as efficiently as possible.
It lives in your browser, and quickly connects
you to VT Libraries information resources.
http://www.lib.vt.edu/libX/
33. Read about RSS feeds:
http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/alerts/rss/
Read about email alerts:
http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/alerts/publisher/i
ndex.html
47. Associated with your Google account
Is available as a gadget
48. Use your email client to have RSS
feeds delivered directly to your
inbox
49. Web
• Bloglines
• My Yahoo!
• NewsGator
Windows
• FeedDemon
• Awasu
Mac OS X
• NetNewsWire
Mobile devices
• Viigo
• Search for more apps!
50. You can use Google Scholar to help find VT Libraries
resources and send citations to your reference
manager.
You can set your preferences so that it works for you…
57. Online presentation
tool with a paid
desktop option
Zooming, sweeping
movement in
presentation.
100 MB free for
educators. Low pro
cost for educators.
58. Projeqt: Slide based
online tool. Slides
can go side to side
or can be stacked
behind each other.
Very graphic, can be
connected to 16
different social
media tools.