The UEF library teaches several topics related to information retrieval and management. Take a closer look at the courses below. The most extensive teaching entity is the teaching of information retrieval. The learning path of information retrieval clarifies what kind of issues the library teaches at different stages of studies.
Courses arranged by the UEF library
UEF library offers several courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Most of the courses offer an open learning material which is suitable for independent studying, too.
- 1 credit point
- compulsory to some master programs
- optional to all master students
- exchange students can participate if there are any vacancies
- course is chosen according to the faculty
Contents:
- introduction to the most important subject-specific scholarly information sources of research publications
- basics of analysis of information search topic
- search query formulation
- skills in systematic information retrieval
See course descriptions and units from Peppi: Studies provided by UEF Library (scroll down the opening page to see the courses in English).
The course materials by UEF Library are open to all.
Information skills course in the student's curriculum can be substituted by a prior course with corresponding level and content. See the library's criteria for application.
- 2 credit points
- optional at UEF doctoral school
- course consists of five modules - student optionally selects at least four of these
- several modules can be conducted fully online
Contents:
- the basics of information retrieval
- discipline-specific information retrieval
- reference management
- publishing and research visibility
- research impact assessment and bibliometrics
Study material is freely available online.
See the course description and sign-up in Peppi.
- 2 cp
- optional
- independent studying online
Contents:
- basic concepts and principles of open and responsible science
- goals, benefits and challenges of conducting open science
- open access publishing
- open research data and its management
Study material is freely available online.
See the course description and sign-up in Peppi.
- teaching in Finnish only at academic year 2024-25
- optional course at UEF doctoral school
- course is open throughout the academic year
- online studying
Study material is openly available in English and Finnish.
See the course description and sign-up in Peppi.
Teacher, contact us
In addition to information retrieval courses, we offer free of charge revision on information retrieval e. g. for Bachelor's degree and Master's Thesis students. Teacher, please contact us and invite the discipline-specific information specialist of your field of science to your course.
Learning path of information retrieval : description of information retrieval teaching and guidance by UEF library
The purpose of teaching and guidance in information retrieval is to provide students with the skills and tools needed in a timely manner to acquire the scientific information, especially source literature, required for studying, learning assignments and theses.
Information retrieval teaching develops the following generic competences: academic learning skills, information retrieval skills, evaluation of information sources, critical literacy and evaluation, problem-solving skills and development of expertise.
Learn more about the different stages:
New students complete the UEF Digistartti, one section of which is produced by the library.
Purpose:
The library's Digistartti section will introduce students to the UEF library's search service UEF Primo and the library's website.
Content:
- registering as a library customer and library card
- retrieving and borrowing course books
- use of e-resources through UEF Primo
- accessing library services and instructions through the website
A separate library start (0.5-1 h) can be arranged for a specific group of students at the request of department staff. Tutors can book a tour in the library for their group. There is also a video from both campuses and a virtual presentation for introducing the premises and services.
For international students, UEF organizes an orientation webinar, which contains an introduction to library services.
Purpose:
The purpose of the course is to provide students with the skills to independently retrieve and evaluate scientific information from appropriate sources for extensive written work, such as a thesis or a broad essay. Teaching also strengthens the student's understanding of the different forms of scientific publications and the importance of referring to them.
Content:
- the scientific publishing process of one's own field
- main book and journal article databases
- other key sources of scientific knowledge, including open access sources
- conceptual analysis of the search topic, formulation of search queries, information retrieval and evaluation of results
- ethical and legally correct use of information sources
- similarities and differences of scientific and vocational information retrieval and sources of them
The course can be fixed to a specific time in studies (e.g. bachelor's thesis) or a student can freely choose the time, depending on the department.
The course is subject-specific, for instance Information skills in biology or Information skills and sources in educational sciences for international students.
The course is compulsory in almost all Finnish- and English-language bachelor's programmes.
Purpose:
The course includes several topics, of which information retrieval is one. In terms of information retrieval, the course deepens the knowledge of information retrieval and introduces students to various information management tools. This optional course is intended for those students who wish to refresh and expand their information retrieval skills while working on their own research topic of their master’s thesis.
Content related to the information retrieval section of the course:
- basics of searching in UEF Primo
- databases and data archives in one's own field
- introduction to open science
- information retrieval connected to the topic of one’s own thesis
- special features of systematic literature review information retrieval
In addition to information retrieval, the course includes sections on referencing and reference management systems, research data management and keyword indexing.
The course is optional for a student and is not part of the curricula of the master's programmes. The course is suitable for students of all departments and can be completed at the time that best serves to completing one’s own thesis.
This course is taught only in Finnish.
Purpose:
The purpose of the course is to bring international students to uniform level in their information retrieval skills, regardless of their backgrounds and previous studies. The course provides students with the skills to independently seek and evaluate scientific knowledge from appropriate sources for extensive written work, such as a thesis or a broad essay.
Content:
- scientific publishing process of one's own field
- main book and journal article databases
- other key sources of scientific knowledge, including open access sources
- conceptual analysis of a search topic, formulation of search queries, information retrieval and evaluation of results
- ethical and legally correct use of information sources
- similarities and differences of scientific and vocational information retrieval and sources of them
The course is the same as the English-language information retrieval course offered to bachelor's level students. However, the contents can be emphasized in slightly different ways, considering that students in the master's phase already have some experience in information retrieval.
The course is faculty-specific. It is included in some master’s degree programmes as compulsory and some as optional. Regardless of this, students in all master's programmes in English can participate in the course.
Purpose:
The purpose of teaching is to recall the basics of information retrieval before starting a thesis. Also, it is gone through where to find instructions and help.
Contents:
The content is designed according to the needs of the teaching group, e.g. finding correct databases, making search queries or dealing with one's own topic. Possible updates in databases are highlighted.
Teaching is always given at the initiative of the department or teacher. Contact: information.services@uef.fi.
The course contains two modules related to information retrieval. The rest of the modules of the course deal with reference management, publishing and research evaluation.
Modules are optional for students. In practice, at least one of the information retrieval modules must be completed.
The course is part of UEF doctoral school studies.
Module 1: Basics of information retrieval
Purpose:
The purpose of the module 1 is to give the basic knowledge and techniques of information retrieval to those students who do not have previous information retrieval studies. The module serves as a refresher for those students whose information retrieval studies have a longer period of time. As a new technique, proximity operators will be introduced.
Contents:
- analysing the topic and selecting valid search terms for information search
- searching techniques and formation of queries
- basic functionalities of databases
Module 2: Discipline specific information retrieval
Purpose:
The purpose of the module 2 is to provide students with the skills to independently retrieve scientific information from appropriate sources for dissertation work. The module can also serve as a refresher for students who has previously completed a course in information retrieval in their field. The module clarifies the process of systematic information retrieval and provides tools for monitoring new releases.
Contents:
- the most important scholarly databases of own discipline
- information search about own topic
- systematic information retrieval
- evaluating search results
- alerts and other means for keeping up-to-date
Staff training by request
Staff training is organised for a specific target group on request. The content and implementation of the training will be tailored as needed. Training is short-term, from 0,5 to 3 hours.
Staff training open to all
The library organises training on the use of individual databases, for example. The training is featured in the UEF training calendar and is announced on the library's website and Viva Engage.
Short training for student groups
The department or teacher can ask the library for a short-term teaching for students, for example, at the beginning of their studies; or in relation to a specific topic, for example, a review of the use of databases. Teaching may be occasional or repeated annually in connection with a particular course.
Contact: information.services@uef.fi.
By request, the library organises short-term teaching in the open university, continuing education, specialization studies and non-degree studies, as well as courses connected to education export.
Contact: information.services@uef.fi.
Purpose:
Information retrieval guidance supports the efficient use of information sources and databases during thesis and research work, or individual questions related to information retrieval and database use.
Objectives:
The aim is to strengthen the competence of the individual in information retrieval and to guide him/her to develop and strengthen the skills of information retrieval independently.
Guidance is given to an individual or group. The initiative for guidance comes from a client who may be a library customer, individual student, student group or teacher. Guidance focuses on a single question or problem and is thus more limited in content than training for a particular group.
The learning materials as well as guides and instructions for information retrieval are freely available online.
The library bot Uffe contains an information searching -section.