Why do some students rush to do an assignment while other procrastinate?

I finally gave my class to chemical engineering students yesterday.  I gave it in a computer lab so I observed students doing other work on their computers while I lectured.  I stressed that databases like Scifinder Scholar and Scopus are very fast but can't evaluate the data retrieved.  The researcher must take the time to read the abstract to see if the paper answers their question. 

When I gave the assignment I suggested to the students that they should execute the search while they are in class since the training passwords were valid for just one day.  I said they should retrieve a relative large answer set and take them home and take the time to evaluate them.  5 of the 13 students completed the assignment and sent me the results that afternoon even though they had a week to complete it.  Some of my thoughts:

• The students found the assignment too easy
• They were just disinterested and wanted to get it over with ASAP
• Other students just procrastinate

When I grade the assignments I will see if there is any difference in the grades between the "eager beavers" and procrastinators.

I will finally give my lecture to chemical engineering students today

I was originally scheduled to give this lecture on September 30, but it had to be changed 4 times on account of j--- d--- .  Anyway, this lecture consists of 3 parts:

1. Introduction to the literature of chemical engineering and chemistry
2. Scifinder Scholar and Chemical Abstracts
3. Scopus and other database relevent to chemical engineers

The students will then be given an assignment where they will have to use Scifinder Scholar or Scopus to answer one of the following questions:

• Liquid hold-up in packed columns (or towers) for any of the following packing types: Jaeger rings, tri-packs, Novalox saddles, pall rings


• Heat transfer coefficients for a flat plate exchanger

• A model for particle elutriation from a fluidized bed of particles

• Model for rotary kiln drier (dryer)

10th Anniversary of METRO Science Librarians SIG

As I stated below one of my disappointments about my recently concluded jury duty ordeal was that I missed the METRO Science Librarians SIG meeting on October 15.  I never thought my jury service would last so long.  I was going to announce the 10th Anniversary of the SIG.  We've had some interesting speakers  over the years and I have met some top notch people.  I would like to thank Suzanne Fedunok of NYU who has since retired from letting me use the Bobst Library for the planning meeting in 2000.  I also thank Claudia Lascar of CCNY who gave the idea of affilliating with METRO.  I also thank the current and past staff members of METRO who have been just wonderful in their support of the SIG:

• Dottie Hiebing
• Jason Kucsma
• Tom Nielsen
• Joan Napolitano
• Linda Braun
• Susan Salomone

I thank anybody who came to meetings either once or regularly over these 10 years.  I am aware that some of the regulars relocated to other parts of the country for new positions.  I certainly plan to keep the SIG going.

Thank you Jason LaPorte of Chemical Abstracts Service

Throughout my 30+ years as an information professional I have always been pleased with the service that I received from Chemical Abstracts Service.  I asked Jason LaPorte for training passwords for students in a chemical engineering class.  Due to my jury duty ordeal, I had to change the date of my class 5 times and had to ask Jason to activate the passwords on different dates. Thanks Jason.

Jury Duty is over!!

Some readers of this blog may be following this story.  If you want further details, please read the entry in my personal journal . I would to thank my colleagues in the NJIT Library for being their understanding during this ordeal:

• Heather Huey
• Haymwantee Singh
• Davida Scharf
• Richard Sweeney

I would like to also thank Professor Robert Barat of the Chemical Engineering Department at NJIT.  I had to change the date of an information class to his students five times.

I scheduled a meeting for the METRO Science Librarians SIG for October 15 thinking my jury service would be over long before that.  I couldn't attend a meeting that I organized.  I thank Tom Nielsen of METRO for pinch hitting for me.

I do feel that all citizens should serve on a jury to learn about the criminal justice system.  However my recent experience was extremely inconvenient to me and my colleagues at NJIT.

How to Create and Maintain on Online Presence

Today I went to METRO to attend a seminar by noted library expert Ellyssa Kroski titled How to Create & Manage Your Online Presence.  I certainly have used many social networking sites in my personal and professional life, but there is always more to learn on how to take advantage of the services available.  Hopefully, they become useful and not a waste of time.

She set up a wiki so that the attendees can refer to the notes any time in the future.  Some of the points covered were:

• Professional Websites
• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Tumblr
• Flavors.me

The last two resources are new for me so I will have to spend some time at home seeing how they can be used.

More Adventures in Chat Reference

Don't you just love it when the patron changes his question during a chat reference session?  Check out this question:

Chat Transcript: Do you have information regarding strategic marketing in Hollywood?
Librarian 1:
15:21:20 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Note: Patron's screen name: -
Librarian 1:
15:22:15 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Librarian 'NJ INSTofTECH Bruce' has joined the session.
Librarian 1:
15:22:32 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Hi, I'm Bruce Slutsky, a librarian at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Your library and my library are part of a nationwide cooperative of libraries that staff this service. I'm reading your question now.
Librarian 1:
15:22:54 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Are you looking for web sites or articles on this topic?
Librarian 1:
15:25:27 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Are you still on the line?
Patron:
15:25:29 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Actually, it might be more advantageous to focus on the advertising industry.
Librarian 1:
15:26:14 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Please give me a few minutes. It would be helpful if you sent me an e-mail address. Many databases offer the capability of sending article to an e-mail
Patron:
15:26:17 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Do you know if there is database that compiles traditional 30 second tv commercials ?
Librarian 1:
15:27:37 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) You can try this database http://www.clipland.com/ or you can do a search in Youtube on television commericals
Patron:
15:27:41 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) During the 1980s, he was spokesman for American Express, reminding cardholders "Don't leave home without it".
Librarian 1:
15:27:56 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) That is Karl Malden
Patron:
15:31:23 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Do you know if American Express receives royalties from The Oscar winning film ' A Streetcar Named Desire?
Librarian 1:
15:33:25 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Please be specific on what you want. You are shooting one question after another at me. What question do you want me to answer?
Patron:
15:34:48 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) I would like to find a comprehensive dtabase that analyzes 'media' information.
Librarian 1:
15:35:07 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Please give me a few minutes
Librarian 1:
15:37:19 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Please check this site http://www.vocus.com/content/prmediadb.asp
Librarian 1:
15:38:23 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Here is another database http://us.cision.com/media-database/media-database-overview.asp
Librarian 1:
15:39:53 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Here is another one http://www.mediadatabasesolutions.com/index.htm
Librarian 1:
15:40:34 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) this is the internet movie database http://www.imdb.com
Librarian 1:
15:42:21 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) May I suggest that you take some time to analyze the information that I sent you. If you need more assistance, you can log into this chat service again.
Librarian 1:
15:42:37 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Librarian ended chat session.
Librarian 1:
15:42:41 2010/10/12 (GMT-5) Note: Set Resolution: Answered

Back at Work for 3 days

The latest on the jury duty is that we won't have to return until Thursday since the court in closed on Columbus Day and the judge has other tasks to do on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I was able to answer most of my e-mail queries at home.  From 10 until 11:30 I gave my class to environmental engineering students.  Since the professor was in the room while I lectured, they were attentive.  Here are some of the topics assigned:

1. Green and sustainable technologies for construction materials
2. Green and sustainable technologies for pavement operations
3. Carbon Footprints of Transportation Vehicles; alternative manufacturing and fuels
4. Carbon Footprints of Construction Materials; alternatives
5. Nanoparticles in Personal Care Products; Types, characteristics, problems
6. Recycling of Wastewater
7. Superfund program; current status
8. Bottled Water vs. Tap Water; comparing regulatory requirements and quality

I demonstrated Scopus and Environment Complete, an Ebscohost database.

I also performed a cited reference search for a professor who is applying for tenure.

Jury Duty Update

I hope regular readers of this blog haven't abandoned me since I haven't posted recently.  I am still on jury duty.  Today we heard the last two witnesses for the defense.  It was just before lunch so the judge let us go home.  He said that the case would resume next Thursday since Monday is a holiday and he had to take care of other business on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Finally on Thursday there will be final arguments by the attorneys and the judge will instruct the jurors on how to judge the case.  The case and my inconvenience will have moved into a 5th week.

For more details, please see my personal journal.

Trying to get some work done during jury duty

It is relatively easy to work at home in this Internet era.  I obviously can't sit at the reference desk and answer questions from students but I was able to spend time answering e-mail queries.  I also composed and edited a few Libguides that we will publish at the beginning of the Spring semester.

On Sunday there was an article in the New York Times about jury duty. (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/nyregion/03critic.html?ref=city_critic)

The author ask for comments. Mine was published at http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/nyregion/03critic.html

Still on Jury Duty

For the last 3 weeks I have been on and off with jury duty. It is a real nuisance, but I have to do my civic duty.  If it is Monday, it is off to the court house.  Hopefully, this civil case will be settled out of court so that I can return to work.  I am scheduled to give a class to chemical engineering students on Thursday.  If you want to read my daily rants about the jury duty process, please see my personal journal.  We'll have to take things one day at a time.