Research Series: Identifying Keywords

Posted on by

image of a word cloud

What is a keyword?

A keyword is the main idea of your topic.

Why do we use keywords?

When doing research it is important to focus your search. Keywords can help you do this. Once you identify keywords for your topic, you can also identify synonyms or related terms to help you find more information. Finally, library resources produce better results when you use keywords.

Example:

Let’s say that your research question is this:

“What is the connection between running and weight loss among teenagers?”

Using this example, we might decide that our keywords are:

running, weight loss, teenagers

Some similar terms to use include:

jogging, aerobic exercise, cardiovascular exercise, fat loss, weight change, teens, adolescents, youth, high school students, college students

Need Help?

If you need help identifying keywords for your topic, please contact the NOVA Online Library (NOVA Online-Library@nvcc.edu). Happy searching!

This week at NOVA Online

Posted on by

Happy Veterans Day! The online advocacy center shows how we can use the power of social media to support and enlist others in the mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors.

451846227National Distance Learning Week– Join NOVA Online to celebrate the tremendous growth and accomplishments occurring in online learning programs. Follow our social media sites to find out more about our online student social and trivia to win NOVA Online goodies!

Check your Student Email for the NOVA Online Bulletin Board – NOVA Online’s Newsletter! We encourage you to take a look through the newsletter learn more information about what is happening at NOVA Online.

Tuesday, November 11 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm – Are you a first-time college student ages 17-24? Start Strong at NOVA – Attend a required online Student Orientation to gain information about NOVA Online and register for classes.

Wednesday, November 12 from 12:15 -1:15 – Focus on Your Career Planning is a 30 minute webinar that will introduce students to FOCUS 2 an online, interactive, self-guided career and education planning system.  The system can help students select a program/major based on their interests and aspirations, discover occupations matching their personal preferences and attributes, map out their career plans – present and future, and make informed career decisions.

Plan Ahead: Preparing for Finals Webinars – Are you ready for Finals Week? NOVA Online can help you prepare! The How to Prepare for Finals webinar will focus on topics and strategies to help ease anxiety and help you study smart such as: Early preparation, planning your approach and taking the exam.

Introducing: “To Be Me” Diversity Series

Posted on by

penciles

This fall, NOVA Online is introducing the “To Be Me” Series that celebrates student cultural diversity and gives students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to share and learn from the unique experiences of the many cultural groups represented at NOVA. This will serve as a way for individuals to connect, invite others into their experience, and acknowledge the differences within groups and find the commonalities between groups.

Culture encapsulates so much more than just race and ethnicity and expands to include age, military status, family style, employment status, etc. So we will acknowledge groups, such as first-generation college students, students with disabilities, active duty military students, senior citizen students, and many other student populations! We will even take your suggestions about who to feature each month.

How it works:

Each month we will highlight a specific student group and let students share short phrases, funny anecdotes, little known facts, misconceptions, etc. about all the struggles and triumphs that come along with belonging to these unique groups. Postings will be every other Friday on the NOVA Online blog,  Twitter, and Facebook. The first Friday of the month, we will introduce the cultural group of the month and, throughout the next two weeks, students can post comments on the NOVA Online blog,  Twitter, or Facebook posts. All comments to the postings should end in #tobeme. The following post will contain a summary of the themes from student responses along with resources for students, faculty, and staff specific to that population.

***Please make sure all comments are appropriate for an academic setting. Please refrain from posting obscenities, profanity, and otherwise offensive remarks***

In light of Career Development Month, we’re highlighting the unique experience of our employed students to kickoff the To Be Me Series. This month we will focus on those students who are juggling a job and the demands of school simultaneously.

Please share your experiences and tell us What it’s like to be…an employed student.

RESOURCE REVIEW: Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center

Posted on by

Happy National Career Development Month! A great resource to help you explore career options is Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center database provided by NOVA’s library.

Ferguson’s offers 3 major resources:

 Job and Industry Profiles picture  Job Hunting and Workplace Skills  Career and Industry Resources picture
Use the Job and Industry Profiles section to find detailed profiles of more than 3,000 jobs in over 94 industries. Use the Job-hunting and Workplace Skills section to learn valuable information for finding employment including tips on: etiquette, teamwork, resume writing, and leadership. Use the Career and Industry Resources section to find resources devoted to college and career advancement including scholarships, fellowships, internships and apprenticeships.

Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center offers everything above and more, including a career interest assessment. So, whether you are just starting out, you are interested in advancing your career, or you would like to change fields this database has something for you. Happy searching!

Need more guidance? Contact your career services counselor .

Happy National Career Development Month!

Posted on by

November is National Career Development Month. To kick-off NCDM NOVA Online will be offering an Exploring Career Options. This 45 minute webinar will focus on using various online resources to research career options. The relationship between programs of study at NOVA, college majors, and career options will be discussed.  Resources presented will provide information on nature of work, educational requirements, job outlook, and wages. The webinar is free, but registration is required.  Both live and recorded sessions are available.

In addition to this and other webinars that will be offered throughout the month, follow NOVA Online staff on Twitter to receive a daily inspirational quote. Join the conversation on Facebook.  Visit the Virtual Student Union to learn more about career development and related resources. Return to NOVA Onlineife regularly for tips, stories, and to stay connected.

Advising Week is here!

Posted on by

Advising week for Spring 2015 is November 3 – November 7. Jump start advising week by participating in a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar. This one hour webinar for NOVA students will focus on answering key questions students have about preparing for their next semester. Topics covered will include program identification, course selection, college resources, schedule planning, and registration/payment tips. The webinar is free, but registration is required.

Remember, advising week is a great time to connect with your advisor about your academic and career goals. It is also a good time to discuss any concerns you may have about achieving your goals. Check NOVAConnect to identify your advisor. If you have not been assigned an advisor, have not declared a program of study, or are not pursuing a certificate or degree at NOVA contact an NOVA Online Counselor for assistance.Advising_Week_Flyer

NOVA Idol 2015 Audition Information

Posted on by

NOVA_idol

Are you the next singing sensation to be named the champion of NOVA Idol?  Northern Virginia Community College is seeking its most talented singers to compete in the College’s annual singing competition.

Winners receive a cash prize!  In addition, NOVA Idol finalists each get free vocal and performance coaching.

The auditions for NOVA Idol 2015 begin on Monday, November 3 at the Alexandria Campus and conclude on Tuesday, November 11 at the Woodbridge Campus.  Auditions will take place on each campus from 4-8 p.m.  The complete audition schedule is below.

Interested participants will be asked to sing without accompaniment for no longer than two minutes.  Please apply online (http://www.nvcc.edu/depts/novaidol/application.htm) to assist with the audition process.  For more information contact Dr. Brenda Lewis-Holmes (blewisholme@nvcc.edu).

For more information visit www.NOVAIdol.com!

NOVA Idol 2015 Audition Information

ALEXANDRIA

Monday, Nov. 3, 2014
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Tyler 121

 

ANNANDALE

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

CA 302

 

MANASSAS

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Colgan Theater

 

MEDICAL EDUCATION

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Faculty Lounge, 304

 

LOUDOUN

Monday, Nov. 10, 2014
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Fitness Center, LR 111

WOODBRIDGE
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Theater

 

RESOURCE REVIEW: LEXISNEXIS

Posted on by

Let’s say you wanted to look up the U.S. Supreme Court Case involving Apple Computer and Microsoft. Where would you go? Luckily, NOVA has a database for that!

LexisNexis offers court documents on thousands of American legal cases. You can search by citation (513 U.S. 1184), parties (Apple v Microsoft), or topic (interstate commerce).

However, LexisNexis is not just for legal cases. You can find information on U.S. and world news and research on over 80 million companies!

If you need help using this database, contact me at NOVA Online-Library@nvcc.edu and/or view this video tutorial. Happy searching!

Picture of LexisNexis Homepage

This week at NOVA Online!

Posted on by

Transfer Sessions – Transfer Counselor, Kim Burkle has scheduled several schools to give presentations on the transfer policies. If you are interested in Excelsior College, University of Mary Washington, or Troy University, check out the calendar and join in to learn more. It’s never too early to start thinking about your transfer plans.

Also, plan to play the virtual Game of Transfer on Thursday, October 30 from noon – 1:00 pm. This game will require knowledge of transfer planning.

Did you miss the Transfer Planning webinar? You can access a recording to get a better understanding of transfer guides and policies! Email NOVA Online Counselor, Kim Burkle, for more information.

Take Back the Night – Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at 6:30 pm at the Loudoun Campus!

Marcus EngelMEC_Speaker will speak on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 from noon – 1:00 pm. MEC room 152. This presentation will be recorded and made available to you! After being blinded and suffering catastrophic injuries at the hands of a drunk driver, Marcus Engel witnessed health care form the other end of the stethoscope. Through 300 hours of reconstructive facial surgery and years of hospitalization, rehab and recover, Marcus witness first hand the good, the bad and the ugly of patient care.

Have a great week, NOVA Online!