Welcome to the Research Camp for Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants and Graduate Students, brought to you by the Dalhousie Libraries. The Research Camp is designed to take you through the elements of research from basic to advanced. The program is offered through a combination of asynchronous modules on Brightspace and live sessions offered in-person, hybrid, or online through Teams (May and June only). Modules may include short video lectures and interactive exercises to help you brush up on your literature searching, writing, information management, and research skills. Some modules include recordings of our live sessions from Research Camp. Modules and sessions are prepared and delivered by research and writing specialists affiliated with Dalhousie Libraries and the Dalhousie University Writing Centre.
Register for Research Camp and you will have access to all of the asynchronous modules beginning on Monday, April 7, 2025. Registered participants can access and work through module content at their own pace. Participants are not required to complete all modules. You can pick and choose modules based on your individual interest and skill level. Several live online sessions will also be offered in May and June of 2025.
**During spring updates (April - May, 2026), the content will be temporarily unavailable. Participants will receive notice about this in advance.
Research Camp Badges are available for module completion, and Badges accumulate toward Awards. For a full list of available Awards, see the Certificates of completion page.
You can self-register in Brightspace by clicking Academic Support > Self registration, and selecting Research Camp 2025-2026. You can enroll anytime after April 7, but please note that the course does not open until May 12, 2025.
See the Dal Libraries' Events calendar for a list of live sessions, which require separate registration.
The objective of the program is to develop and/or refresh the literature searching and information management abilities of research assistants, teaching assistants, and other graduate students.
Learners will gain information search and management knowledge, including
Each module in the program contains specified learning outcomes.
| Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
Welcome to Research Camp! Asychronous module |
An introduction to Research Camp 2025-2026. Learn how the program works and how to make the most of the online format. | Lindsay McNiff, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Library research 101 Asychronous module |
The basics (or a refresher)! This module will introduce you to library supports for your research, including research guides, subject specialists, and how to get help with research. After completing this module, learners will be able to
|
Lindsay McNiff, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Researching for literature reviews Asychronous module |
The methodology of a literature review goes beyond just searching for information. Good literature review methodology follows a logical process and is well-documented. This module will cover this process, including how to effectively search for library and document your search methods in multiple disciplines. Attendees will leave with the tools to support them in the literature review research process. Note: For those wishing to learn more about the process for systematic or scoping reviews, check out the Research Synthesis Methods modules.
|
Erin MacPherson, Dalhousie Libraries |
Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
Writing the literature review Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Comprehensively and critically reviewing the literature allows authors to both situate their own work and persuade readers that the work is necessary and worthwhile. This module will focus on structuring the literature review using writing strategies to summarize and synthesize the literature while maintaining or establishing your own voice. | Janice MacDonald Eddington Dalhousie Writing Centre |
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Writing grants Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Writing grants can be a high-stakes and challenging activity. Focusing on Tri-Council grants, this module will tackle the difficult balance of writing a document that fits the expected form and provides the correct information, while setting the author(s) apart from other applicants. | Adam Auch, Dalhousie Writing Centre |
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Using source material in writing: Acknowledging other scholars while building your own contribution Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Academic integrity is, inherently, about being honest in the way you approach and complete your scholarly work. One key component of realizing this goal is by accurately acknowledging the work and contributions of others (your sources) in your writing. This module will illustrate how acknowledging, analyzing, and building on the work of others credits their contribution while making room for your own. | Janice MacDonald Eddington, Dalhousie Writing Centre |
|
Managing big writing projects Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Whether you are writing a lengthy paper, working on a graduate thesis or dissertation, or preparing a manuscript, it can sometimes be difficult to undertake a big writing project. This workshop will provide goal setting and time management techniques to help you stay on track. | Adam Auch, Dalhousie Writing Centre |
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Advanced writing strategies for international and multilingual researchers Hybrid in Halifax (recorded) |
International and multilingual graduate students have unique educational, linguistic, and cultural writing needs that go beyond the surface level of understanding and mastering vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. This module will explore key elements of academic writing within the Canadian university context to encourage more complex understandings of expectations around English writing in graduate school. | Vanessa Lent, Dalhousie Writing Centre |
Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter |
|
Intro to citation management Live session online via Teams (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Citation management software lets you store and organize your references, connect to full-text articles, and format your papers. This session will introduce you to Zotero, a popular citation management program that is freely available. It will also compare Zotero to EndNote and Mendeley, other major products. | Shelley McKibbon, Dalhousie Libraries |
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Copyright: Your rights & responsibilities as a user Asynchronous module |
Copyright considerations are relevant to many university activities in Canada, both for creators and users of copyright-protected material. This module looks at your rights and responsibilities as a user of third-party materials for educational purposes. Topics in this module include: introduction to key copyright concepts, Fair Dealing and other exceptions, licensing, copyright support @ Dal. After completing this module, participants will be able to:
|
Jaclyn Chambers Page Dalhousie Libraries |
Module |
Description |
Presenter(s) |
|
Searching PubMed Asynchronous module |
As a freely-available biomedical information resource, PubMed is an excellent research tool that is highly-regarded by students, researchers, librarians, and clinicians in the health disciplines. In this live session, participants will be introduced to searching in PubMed, including selecting search terms, constructing a thorough search strategy, using filters, the Clinical Queries feature, and saving and exporting results. | Jackie Phinney, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Searching Embase Asynchronous module |
Embase is a popular bibliographic database used for retrieving biomedical and pharmacological literature from across the globe. This live session will introduce participants to the scope of this resource and will provide an overview of Embase’s main features that can be used when developing, conducting, and reviewing results from a literature search. Live demonstrations will be shown, and participants will have a chance for hands-on practice during this session. | Jackie Phinney, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Humanities resources & research Asynchronous module |
This module, geared towards students in the humanities disciplines, will cover some of the key databases and information sources for humanities research. Participants will gain hands-on experience with distinguishing, locating, and selecting key humanities sources such as articles, books, reviews, and primary source material. After completing this module, learners will be able to
|
Lindsay McNiff, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Legal resources for non-law students Asynchronous module |
This is an introduction to the Canadian legal research process for those with little or no experience. At the end of this module, participants should have a broad understanding of the Canadian legal system, what the Common Law is, and be able to identify and retrieve both secondary and primary Canadian legal sources such as texts, articles, legislation, and case law. The session will use sources available via Dalhousie Libraries as well as freely available online legal tools. | Hannah Rosborough, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Engineering resources & research Asynchronous module |
This module, comprised of 10 videos, will introduce you to fundamental resources for research in engineering: the engineering librarians and research guides; research databases for engineering; finding and evaluating engineering journals; finding standards; finding patents; and a demonstration of the premier engineering research database: Compendex on Engineering Village. | Allie Fulford, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Searching for grey literature Asynchronous module |
Are you looking for content beyond what can be found in traditional books and journal articles? Are you wondering if a source is appropriate to cite? In this module, we will discuss what is considered “grey” literature, why it is valuable, and explore some tools and techniques to approach this type of research. And because this type of evidence may not have quality checks, like peer review, prior to distribution, we provide some tips for critically examining the results of your searches. Whether you need conference proceedings or government reports, we will check out a variety of sources for grey literature beyond standard databases and catalogues. This module will draw on examples from the disciplines of health and law, but the demonstrations are applicable for interdisciplinary searching across other science and social science disciplines. |
Hannah Rosborough & Robin Parker, Dalhousie Libraries |
Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter |
|
Using Google to find data like an expert Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
You’ve probably used Google before. But do you know the expert tips and tricks that make Google a surprisingly effective tool for finding data on the topic of your choice? Learn exciting new search skills, assess the possibilities and limitations offered by Google data searches, and practice with an exercise. After attending or viewing the workshop session, you will be able to:
|
Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Finding publicly available data Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Publicly available data shared by various organizations across the world are hosted in websites, open data portals, research data repositories, and other locations. But even though most of this data is meant to be yours to take for your own uses, datasets hosted in platforms and websites aren’t always indexed in search engines. Learn how to find publicly available data and practice navigating open data portals and research data repositories with some exercises. After attending or viewing the workshop session, you will be able to:
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Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie Libraries |
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Excel 1: Easy Excel for beginners Asynchronous module |
In this hands-on workshop, you will use a carefully crafted Excel instructional file to learn to clean and transform messy external data into beautifully formatted and printer-friendly data. You will also practice using Excel’s built-in tools to explore data. This beginner-friendly module covers navigating, selecting, formatting, filtering, and conditional formatting. Prerequisite: Excel 2016+ for desktop. After attending or viewing the workshop session, you will be able to:
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Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie Libraries |
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Excel 2: Data visualization with Excel pivot charts Asynchronous module |
In this whirlwind hands-on introduction to visualizing data with pivot tables and pivot charts, you will use a carefully crafted Excel instructional file to create a pivot table and pivot chart. You will then practice changing the look of your pivot table/chart and working with built-in Excel features to display and filter data in your table and chart. This beginner-friendly workshop covers creating, formatting, filtering, and configuring pivot tables and pivot charts. Prerequisite: Excel 2016+ for desktop (Windows) or a really recent copy of Excel (Mac). After attending or viewing the workshop session, you will be able to:
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Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie Libraries |
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Excel 3: Excel experts Asynchronous module |
In this hands-on workshop, you will use comprehensive Excel learning files to learn more about what Excel can do – and maybe even become an Excel expert! You will practice using advanced Excel formulas and Excel features specifically chosen for their broad applicability and utility to complete a variety of exercises. Prerequisite: ability to manually create simple formulas, Excel 365 for desktop preferred, but content is almost entirely compatible with Excel 2016+ (Windows or Mac). After attending or viewing the workshop session, you will be able to:
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Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Excel 4: Intro to Excel macros Asynchronous module |
Did you know that Excel macros can help you magically automate Excel tasks? This hands-on workshop uses an instructional file complete with examples of useful bits of macro code to go over the logistics of creating, working with, and modifying macros. You don’t need any programming or coding skills to attend this introductory session. Prerequisite: Excel 2016+ (Windows) or a really recent copy of Excel (Mac). After attending or viewing the workshop session, you will be able to:
|
Julie Marcoux, Dalhousie Libraries |
Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter(s) |
|
Research data management basics Asynchronous module |
Discover how research data management (RDM) can help you save time, guard against loss, and improve the quality of your research, while fulfilling granting body and publisher requirements. This module will cover best practices in RDM and introduce you to helpful resources including the free, online Data Management Plan (DMP) Assistant tool. | Louise Gillis, Dalhousie LIbraries |
|
Guidance for ethics applications: Research involving human participants Asynchronous module |
Applying for ethics approval through Dalhousie University’s Research Ethics Boards (REB) can feel like an overwhelming step in your research journey. However, understanding and navigating this process is crucial to conducting ethical and responsible research. This session provides an overview of:
|
Hannah Rosborough, Dalhousie Libraries in consultation with Angela Hersey, Office of Research Services |
|
Copyright and data licensing Asynchronous module |
Did you know that Creative Commons (CC) licenses are non-revocable? This means once you release a dataset under a CC licence, you cannot change the terms. Therefore, choosing your licence is significant step that deserves careful thought. Data repositories make licensing your data easy with built-in licensing templates, but the simplicity of a drop-down menu masks an important choice. In this session, we’ll explore how copyright relates to data and some key factors to consider before accepting a default license. | Jaclyn Chambers Page, Dalhousie Libraries |
Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter |
|
Introduction to evidence synthesis methods Asychronous module |
Are you deciding whether you should complete a systematic review or a scoping review? Maybe another research synthesis method is a better fit for your question and purpose? This introductory overview of evidence synthesis methods will help you understand the differences across this family of research methods so that you can decide which approach is appropriate to your specific research questions and purpose. Example reviews from multiple fields of research will illustrate good research practices for selected review methodologies. We will also point out common pitfalls and how to avoid them when conducting and reporting your own research synthesis. Participants will be directed to sources of reliable methodological guidance and other training resources to continue their learning. |
Robin Parker, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Overview of the steps in systematic and scoping review methods Live session online via Teams (recorded for Asychronous module) |
This intermediate-level module will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about the steps involved in planning and conducting systematic or scoping reviews We will use specialized review management software, Covidence, to illustrate operationalizing the plan or protocol for a comprehensive review. This module will highlight the importance of rigour in research reviews including documenting decisions and processes for transparent reporting. Participants will come away with the ability to efficiently handle literature-intensive research methods, from planning the review to screening and selection of included evidence. While we will use an example data set from a health topic, participants are welcome to apply the methods to their own data or topic during the module. Methods for analysis (quantitative or qualitative) will NOT be covered in this module, but resources for further learning will be provided. | Robin Parker, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Advanced searching skills for comprehensive reviews Live session online via Teams (recorded for Asychronous module) |
The systematic and comprehensive approaches of retrieving and identifying relevant evidence for research syntheses require advanced searching skills and thorough documentation. This advanced-level module dives into the processes and considerations necessary for the types of searches used in systematic and scoping reviews. Through demonstration with an example search and provision of instructional resources to help you apply the practices to your own topic, this module will guide you through breaking down your research question into search concepts, selection of sources to search, identification of search terms, and application of the search in multiple databases. Furthermore, we will cover best practices in documenting your searching and results, with a focus on using the PRISMA-S checklist to ensure transparency of your search methods. |
Robin Parker, Dalhousie Libraries |
Module & registration |
Description |
Presenter |
|
Publishing an article Asynchronous module |
Research Impact, author rights, open access, preprints, predatory publishers, funder policies, peer review – publishing in academic journals is a key way of communicating research. However, navigating the options and variables it involves can be overwhelming. This module will provide an introduction to scholarly publishing literacy to make sure that you make informed decisions about when, where, and how you share your research for the most benefit to your field and your career. After completing this module, participants will be able to:
|
Melissa Rothfus, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Intro to creating conference posters Asynchronous module |
Create effective posters for your projects, research, and conference presentations. Participants will learn how to use PowerPoint to create a 4x6 poster. The module will include setting dimensions, inserting text boxes and headings (font styles and sizes), choosing colour schemes, and more. After completing this module, learners will be able to
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Lindsay McNiff, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Copyright: Your rights & responsibilities as a creator Asynchronous module |
Copyright considerations are relevant to many university activities in Canada, both for creators and users of copyright-protected material. This module looks at your rights and responsibilities as a creator of new, original material (i.e, a copyright owner). Topics in this module include introduction to key copyright concepts for creators, publishing agreements, open licensing, and copyright support @ Dal. After completing this module, participants will be able to:
|
Jaclyn Chambers Page, Dalhousie Libraries |
|
Intellectual property ownership for students Hybrid in Halifax (recorded for Asychronous module) |
Intellectual property (IP) includes copyright, patents, copyright, industrial designs, trademarks, and trade secrets. Faculty, staff, and students all develop IP day-to-day at Dalhousie. These may take the form of innovative inventions, or a student's thesis. This session will explore Dalhousie’s Intellectual Property Policy, who owns your work and common IP issues. By attending this session you will learn who owns your intellectual property in various work and study scenarios at Dalhousie. This session will cover both academic and work scenarios for graduate students at Dalhousie. |
Lachlan MacLeod, Dalhousie Legal Counsel Office |
|
ORCiD: A quick how and why Asynchronous module |
ORCiD is a persistent identifier used by authors to ensure that they are credited for all of their work – and only their work. Changing affiliation, interdisciplinary research, publishing under different versions of your name, and other factors can result in confusion over who you are and what you do. Using ORCiD can help. This module will introduce the value of ORCiD as a unique identifier and the use of the optional web profile. After completing this module, participants will be able to:
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Melissa Rothfus, Dalhousie Libraries |
While the primary audience for Research Camp is Dalhousie University graduate students, all Dalhousie students, staff and faculty are welcome to register.
Nothing. Research Camp is free!
No. You can pick and choose modules to complete based on your interests. We do recommend, however, that all participants complete the modules in Core Skills 1, 2 and 3, as the content in these modules is foundational for developing core research and writing skills.
No, this program is for professional and scholarly development only. However, Badges are issued for module completion, and Badges accumulate toward Certificates of completion for completing subsets of the modules. Visit the Certificates of completion page for more information.
The modules will be available for roughly 10 months. Each spring, we will refresh the content in Research Camp. Participants from previous years are welcome to register again in subsequent years.