Ready, Set, Go Workshops
Fri. Sep. 5, 2025
Join our librarians to level up your research skills!
“Ready, Set, Go” are practical workshops to help you with the academic research process. You will explore the library collections, learn how to construct thoughtful searches, discover new databases that will help you in your studies, and much more. All sessions are held online, and no previous knowledge is required. Join us for one session or more to level up your research skills!
Fall Term Schedule
Searching the Library: Basic (September 15, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You will learn how to do basic keyword searches for titles, authors, and topics, how to use search refinements and limiters to narrow the focus of your search, and how to find known titles in the library.
Searching the Library: Advanced (September 22, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You will learn how to create Boolean searches to improve your search results, how to use existing bibliographies to find other relevant sources, and how to search within specific journals for relevant articles.
Crafting a Good Research Question (September 29, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You will learn how to brainstorm potential topics and research questions, identify different aspects of a topic for focus, and use information sources to get reliable background information.
Navigating the Library as a Graduate Student (October 6, 12:00-1:00 p.m..)
This workshop is a collaboration between the library and the Faculty of Graduate Studies. You'll learn about the library's print and electronic resources and how to access them. You'll also discover strategies for managing your sources and developing bibliographies.
Finding Canadian Data: An Introduction to Statistics Canada (October 15, 12:30-1:15 p.m..)
You will learn how to quickly and accurately find and explore Canadian data on a wide range of subjects applicable to your studies and interests.
Tracing the Scholarly Conversation (October 20, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You will learn how to use references and bibliographies to find previous sources, how to leverage the "cited by" feature of the databases to see how scholarly ideas have developed over time, and how to determine the importance of a source by tracing its relationship to others.
Mapping Canadian Data: An Introduction to the Canadian Census and GIS Software (October 22, 12:30-1:15 p.m..)
You will learn how to find and download Canadian census data from a Library database called CHASS Census Analyzer, prepare the data in QGIS (a free and open GIS software) and display geographic information in a final map.
Library Databases: Most Popular (October 27, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You'll learn how to find a list of the most popular databases at UW, how to conduct basic searches in these databases, and how to identify the unique features of each.
Library Databases: AI Assistants (November 3, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You'll learn how to identify and differentiate AI-generated summaries from human-authored text and descriptions, adopt a critical but playful attitude towards new database features, like AI assistants, and decide when such tools may be useful and when they should be ignored.
Library Databases: Google Scholar (November 10, 12:30-1:00 p.m.)
You'll learn how to link your Google Scholar account to your UW library access, how to identify the unique features of Google Scholar, and how to use the metrics feature to identify quality academic journals.
Citing and Referencing Your Sources (November 17, 12:30-1:00 p.m..)
You'll discover the reasons for citing and referencing in academic writing. You'll also learn how to identify your sources in-text using an appropriate citation style, and how to develop a complete list of references of all the sources you have cited.
Instructors
Librarian Ian Fraser is the Head of Reference and Instruction at the Library. He has professional expertise in critical information literacy, learning theory, academic integrity, and generative AI. He is teaching the first two workshops.
Data Librarian Jaime Orr is the functional lead for data services. She supports Research Data Management planning, policy and dissemination. She will teach the data workshops.