Class Descriptions
Accessing Electronic Resources
This class shows users how to register for and use remote access to full-text electronic resources available through our affiliation with the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center (HAM-TMC) Library. The class explores both subscription and freely accessible electronic journals, databases, websites and books. Participants learn how to navigate a variety of full text article database interfaces, and to take advantage of both html and pdf article formats. Finally, the class introduces e-books available through HAM-TMC Library and free e-books available through the PubMed interface.
PubMed Navigation
This introductory class focuses on manipulating various features of the PubMed interface to facilitate effective searching. In addition to learning how to perform basic searches, participants learn how to use the history feature to combine searches and the limits feature to narrow results. Efficient ways to store, e-mail, print, and update citations are also covered. Other topics for discussion include the preview/index features, the clinical queries filter, the journals database, and the citation matcher feature.
PubMed Search Strategies
In this class, participants learn how to search more effectively using a variety of advanced techniques and strategies. Topics include using Boolean operators to combine search terms, building on past searches by using the history feature, and focusing results by using the limits feature. Truncating search terms, searching phrases, and using search tags as a means of limiting a search are also covered. This class also demonstrates the use of medical subject headings (MeSH) terms, the controlled vocabulary used for indexing articles and effectively determining the focus of a search.
Basics of Library Use
This class is designed as a one-on-one session that introduces users to the resources, services, and policies of the L&LRC. Users learn to locate books, journals, and audiovisual materials in the collection using SydneyPLUS, the department's online catalog.
Beginning PowerPoint
This class is designed for beginning PowerPoint users or for students who have minimum exposure to the program. Participants learn about the PowerPoint interface, including toolbars and menus, and are taught how to create new presentations using the Texas Heart Institute template. Opening existing presentations, saving files, and deleting, moving, and printing slides are also covered in this beginner's class.
Intermediate PowerPoint
Participants in this class should have taken the Beginning PowerPoint class or have a good, working knowledge of PowerPoint. In addition to learning how to create tables and graphs, students learn how to insert pictures, objects, and video clips into their presentations. Applying animation and special effects is also covered.
EndNote
Participants learn how to create EndNote libraries and populate them by importing references directly from Medline using the PubMed and OVID interfaces. The EndNote menus and toolbars are described, and participants learn how to organize and search references within libraries. The class uses Microsoft Word to demonstrate how to insert and manage bibliographic citations within manuscripts.
Classes about information retrieval and management are offered monthly in the Library and Learning Resource Center (L&LRC). The class schedule and descriptions are listed below. You may now register online.
