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Easy referencing with ZoteroMaklike verwysings met Zotero

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

It’s safe to say that every university student will write at least one written piece (essay, report, etc.) requiring referencing during his/her time as student. It’s also safe to say that mentioning the word “referencing” to most of these students will, at the very least, make their smiles drop or, in a worst-case scenario, lead to them running away, screaming and wildly swinging their arms in the air.

This is quite understandable.

Manual referencing – keeping track of your sources, making sure you have the correct information on them and, finally, citing them in the right places in the right style – is a horrid experience. It’s mundane, laborious and very time-consuming. While many facets of doing research have evolved tremendously over the past decades, it’s rather curious that a simple and easy solution to this persistent problem has not yet been developed.[1]

That is, of course, until the advent of Zotero. In the following sections we’ll look briefly at how Zotero works in an effort to show why some consider it to be the best thing since sliced bread.

What is Zotero and how do I get it?

Zotero is a free, open source software package that you can install on your PC, Mac or Linux-based computer. It runs as an “add-on” within the Mozilla Firefox browser (which is also free and open source) and integrates deeply with your referencing process, greatly simplifying all of its steps: collecting sources, keeping them organised and citing them – in the correct style – in your paper, essay or report.

To install Zotero, make sure you have Firefox installed. If not, first download Firefox. Open Firefox. Then go to this page and click the “Zotero for Firefox” button.[2]

In our next edition we’ll have a closer look at how Zotero works and give you some advanced tips on how to get the most out of your Zotero.

[1] To be fair, a number of referencing software packages have been available for a considerable time. However, none of them have made the referencing experience truly frictionless to the extent that Zotero does.

[2] Zotero is also available as a standalone package (i.e. outside the Firefox browser), but it’s much easier to use within the Firefox browser.

[ARTICLE BY JOHANNES JONKER]

Daar is seker geen twyfel daaraan dat elke universiteitstudent ten minste een geskrewe stuk (opstel, verslag, ens.) in sy/haar tyd as student sal moet skryf wat verwysings benodig. Daar is ook seker geen twyfel daaraan dat net die noem van die woord “verwysings” die meeste studente hulle glimlagte sal laat verloor of, in ’n nagmerrie-scenario, veroorsaak dat hulle skreeuend weghardloop met hulle arms wat wild rondswaai.

Dit is heel verstaanbaar.

Om verwysings met die hand op te stel – deur tred te hou van jou bronne, seker te maak jy het die korrekte inligting oor hulle en laastens na hulle in die korrekte plekke en in die korrekte styl te verwys – is ’n aaklige ervaring. Dit is vervelig, moeisaam en baie tydrowend. Hoewel baie fasette van navorsing geweldig oor die afgelope dekades ontwikkel het, is dit nogal vreemd dat ’n eenvoudige en maklike oplossing vir hierdie hardnekkige probleem nog nie verskyn het nie[1].

Dit is natuurlik tot die opkoms van Zotero. In die volgende afdelings sal ons kortliks kyk na hoe Zotero funksioneer in ’n poging om jou te wys hoekom sommige mense dink dis die beste ding na brood en botter.

Wat is Zotero en hoe kry ek dit in die hande?

Zotero is ’n gratis, oopbron- sagtewarepakket wat op jou persoonlike rekenaar, Mac of Linux-gebaseerde rekenaar geïnstalleer kan word. Dit loop as ’n “byvoegsel” (add-on) binne die Mozilla Firefox blaaier (wat ook gratis en oopbron is) en integreer baie goed met jou verwysingsproses deur al die stappe daarin grootliks te vereenvoudig: versameling van bronne, organisering van bronne en aanhaling van bronne – in die korrekte styl – in jou skripsie, opstel of verslag.

Om Zotero te installeer, moet jy eers seker maak Firefox is geïnstalleer. Indien nie, laai eers Firefox af. Maak Firefox oop. Gaan dan na hierdie bladsy en klik op die “Zotero for Firefox” knoppie.[2]

In ons volgende uitgawe kyk ons meer in detail hoe Zotero werk en gee jou `n paar gevorderde wenke om te verseker jy gebruik jou Zotero op `n effektiewe manier.

[1] ’n Aantal sagtewarepakkette om verwysings mee op te stel, is wel reeds vir ’n lang tyd beskikbaar. Nie een van hulle kon nog egter die verwysingservaring waarlik wrywingloos gemaak in die mate waartoe Zotero dit doen nie.

[2] Zotero is ook as ’n alleenstaande pakket beskikbaar (m.a.w. buite die Firefox blaaier), maar dit is baie makliker om dit binne die Firefox blaaier te gebruik.

[ARTIKEL DEUR JOHANNES JONKER]

Tags: Research
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Easily manage your postgraduate students’ informationBestuur jou nagraadse studente inligting sonder moeite

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Managing postgraduate students is a lot of work, but NAO can help you. Have you ever wished that information about postgraduate students of your Faculty or Department was more readily available? If you have never used NAO before, now is the time to to find out more and save yourself a lot of trouble in future.

The following remarks have been made about the system and you can decide for yourself whether they sound promising or not:

“Why haven’t I heard about the system before … grrrr.”
“NAO is the best thing that has happened in my career during the past few years!”
“Wow! Now I never have to hunt for a student number again … “

NAO is the abbreviation for Nagraadse Akademiese Ondersteuning/Postgraduate Academic Support; a web-based system designed specifically for staff members involved with the management of postgraduate students.

Honestly, you can get rid of the spreadsheets you have used year after year to keep track of important information, because everything you need is available via NAO, fresh from the central system every single morning.

Below is a list of various types of information available to make your life a bit easier:

Undergraduate final year students (for recruitment purposes)
Applicants from elsewhere – see how far the applications have progressed
Registered postgraduate students
Postgraduate students not registered yet
Lists of graduates form previous years
Historic information as far back as 2000

Excel reports are available with as little effort as a mouse click, to enable you to do further data crunching, filter options will narrow down your searches to only the records you are interested in and data on the screen can be sorted by clicking column headings.

At a glance and without lifting a finger the system shows whether a student

is from abroad as well as his/her nationality,
is currently being funded or has received funding in the past,
already has a study leader and / or thesis title captured to the central system,
has passed away and
information such as SU number, nickname, surname, programme, anchor module, email address, telephone number and much more is also immediately available.

Something extra about the system worth mentioning, is that e-mails can be sent to groups of students. Just create your own wording in both English and Afrikaans and e-mails will be sent to students in the correspondence language which they have chosen at registration. The same wording can be used year after year, for example to remind slowcoaches to register before a certain date to avoid paying a fine!

You will be able to create your own notes per student (e.g. John was out of action for a certain time as a result of influenza), get access to full study records, check funding to make sure departmental bursaries were awarded and get hold of lots more information.

The best news of all is that Study Leaders and Thesis Titles can be captured to the central system via NAO, which will spare you a lot of worrying about your hard drive crashing and destroying all your hard work of the past 6 months!

If you need more information, click here to see a Powerpoint presentation. Send email to Rita de Jager, Head: Postgraduate Academic Support at rd@sun.ac.za to be given access, scheduled for a training session or to ask further questions about NAO.

[Article by Rita de Jager with much appreciated input from prof Keith Palmer, Dept of E & E Engineering]

Die bestuur van nagraadse studente is baie werk, maar NAO kan jou help. Het jy al ooit gewens dat jy op ‘n maklike manier inligting van jou Fakulteit of Departement se nagraadse studente in die hande kan kry? As jy nog nie met NAO kennis gemaak het nie, is dit dalk nou die tyd om meer uit te vind en jouself in die toekoms baie moeite te spaar.

Die volgende opmerkings is al oor die stelsel gemaak en oordeel maar self of dit nie belowend klink nie:

“Hoekom hoor ek nou eers van die stelsel… grrrr .”
“NAO is die beste ding wat die afgelope paar jaar in my loopbaan gebeur het!”
“Nou hoef ek nooit weer ‘n us-nommer van ‘n student te soek nie …”

NAO is die afkorting vir Nagraadse Akademiese Ondersteuning; ‘n webstelsel wat spesiaal vir personeel ontwerp is om hulle lewe makliker te maak wat die bestuur van nagraadse studente betref.

Eerlikwaar, jy kan maar ontslae raak van jou eie sigblaaie waarmee jy jaar vir jaar probeer tred hou het van belangrike inligting, want jy kry elke oggend alles wat jy nodig het, vars uit die sentrale stelsel via NAO.

Hieronder is ‘n lys van verskillende tipes inligting beskikbaar om jou lewe ‘n bietjie makliker te maak:

Voorgraadse finalejaars (vir werwing )
Aansoekers van elders – stel vas hoe ver die aansoek gevorder het
Geregistreerde nagraadse studente
Nagraadse studente nog nie geregistreer
Graduandi lyste van vorige jare
Historiese inligting tot sover terug as 2000

Excel verslae is beskikbaar met ‘n muisklik sodat jy verdere verwerking van die data kan doen, filteropsies kan gebruik word om groepe studente te verklein en data kan gesorteer word deur op verskillende kolomhofies te klik.

Met ‘n oogopslag en sonder om ‘n vinger te verroer wys die stelsel vir jou of ‘n student

afkomstig is uit die buiteland sowel as sy/haar nasionaliteit,
befonds word of in die verlede befondsing ontvang het,
reeds studieleiers het en of die tesis-titel al vasgelê is,
oorlede is en
inligting soos US-nommer, noemnaam, van, program, ankermodule, e-pos adres, telefoonnommer en nog baie meer, is onmiddellik beskikbaar.

‘n Ekstra lekkerte van die stelsel is dat jy e-pos aan groepe studente kan stuur. Stel slegs bewoording in Afrikaans en Engels op en elke student ontvang sy/haar e-pos in die korrespondesietaal wat by registrasie vasgelê is. Dieselfde bewoording kan jaar na jaar gebruik word, byvoorbeeld om laatslapers te herinner om betyds te registreer en sodoende ‘n boete vry te spring!

Jy kan jou eie notas maak ivm studente (byvoorbeeld Jannie was vir ‘n sekere tydperk buite aksie a.g.v. griep), volledige studierekords bekyk, befondsing kontroleer om te bepaal of ‘n departementele beurs reeds toegeken is en nog baie meer.

Die beste nuus van alles is dat jy Studieleiers en Tesistitels sentraal via NAO kan vaslê en nooit weer bekommerd hoef te wees dat jou hardeskyf gaan oppak en al jou werk van 6 maande lank tot niet maak nie.

Indien jy meer oor die stelsel te wete wil kom, kliek hier vir die Powerpoint-voorlegging. Stuur epos aan Rita de Jager, Hoof: Nagraadse Akademiese Ondersteuning by rd@sun.ac.za om toegang te kry, in te skakel by ‘n opleidingsessie of sommer enige vrae oor die stelsel te vra.

[Artikel deur Rita de Jager met gewaardeerde insette van prof Keith Palmer, Dept E & E Ingenieurswese]

Tags: Research
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Plugged or unplugged?In- of uitgeprop?

Friday, April 11th, 2014

Until recently our area of work was determined by the length of the cable connecting our computer to the network point. This was before Wi-fi became the norm in our lives.

Wi-Fi services provide staff and students with wireless connection to the US network. Unfortunately, with wi-fi, the expectation is created that it will always work perfectly and be accessible. Expectation and reality don’t necessarily correspond and this leads to frustration amongst users.

Realistically speaking Wi-fi is a best effort and various factors such as your physical distance from the wireless access point (WAP), WAPs influencing each other and structures in the way of the signal, play a large role.

Let’s look at the technical details –

Wi-fi networks have a limited range. The standard WAP uses 802.11b or 802.11g and with a standard antenna it will cover a range of 35 metres indoors and 100 metres outside. Reception can be improved by installing a higher gain antenna and adapting the antenna’s direction.

Due to the complex nature of radio propagation at typical wi-fi frequencies, especially the effect of signals bouncing off trees and buildings, algorithms can only approximately predict Wi-Fi signal strength for any given area in relation to a transmitter.

Wi-fi connections can also be interrupted or slowed down due to other devices in the environment. Wi-fi pollution or too many access points can prevent access and interfere with other devices’ use of other access points. This is caused by overlapping channels on the 802.11g/b spectrum and can lead to a problem in densely populated areas or office buildings with many Wi-fi access points.

On our campuses the maximum connections to a hotspot (or WAP) are limited to 25 to 35 and the rest are denied access. The devices connected to a hotspot at a given moment have to share the output and the higher the number of devices, the less efficient the communications.

Other devices such as microwave ovens, ISM band devices, security cameras, cordless phones, baby monitors and amateur radios also use the 2.4 GHz band and this can cause significant interference.

Given all these factors, it is clear that Wi-fi isn’t always the best option for a stable, dependable network connection. If you are working from your office, rather plug your computer in at the network point and use Wi-fi only for emergencies or when you move around on campus.

If you want to register for use of Wi-fi on campus, contact the IT Service desk at +27 21 808 4367 or send an e-mail to help@sun.ac.za with the following information:

Building
Room number
US number
Username
Asset number of device or description of the device
Network card address (also known as the MAC address)

Access to Wi-fi services on campus take place via the Secure or MatiesWifi SSIDs. Devices with asset numbers are generally registered on Secure, where they have access to all network services. Other devices are registered on MatiesWifi with limited access to services. Both these SSIDs provide a speed of up to 54 Mbps.

For more information, contact the IT Service Desk or telecom@sun.ac.za

[SOURCE: www.wikipedia.org]

Tot nie te lank gelede nie was ons area van werk ingeperk deur die lengte van die kabel wat die netwerkpunt aan ons rekenaar verbind. Dit was voordat wi-fi `n gegewe in ons lewens geword het.

WI-FI op die US-kampus is ‘n kabellose verbinding aan die netwerk vir studente en personeel. Met wi-fi word die verwagting dikwels geskep dat dit oral 100% reg gaan werk en altyd beskikbaar sal wees. Wat verwag word en die werklike aanbod, stem ongelukkig nie ooreen nie en kan lei tot frustrasie by gebruikers.

Die realiteit is dat wi-fi `n beste poging is en faktore soos fisiese afstand vanaf die WAPs, WAPs wat mekaar beinvloed en fisiese strukture is in die pad van die sein is, speel `n groot rol.

Kom ons kyk na die tegniese details –

Wi-Fi netwerke het `n beperkte sendbereik. Die standaard WAP (wireless access point) gebruik 802.11b of 802.11g en met `n gewone antenna sal dit `n ontvangsgebied van 35 meter binneshuis en 100 meter buite kan dek. Ontvangs kan wel verbeter word met `n sterker antenna en deur die antenna-rigting aan te pas.

Weens die komplekse aard van radioverspreiding op tipiese Wi-fi frekwensies, veral die effek van seine wat weerkaats teen bome en geboue, kan algoritmes net `n beraamde seinsterkte voorspel vir `n area in verhouding tot `n sender.

Wi-Fi verbindings kan onderbreek word of die internet spoed verlaag word weens ander toestelle in die omgewing. Wi-fi besoedeling of `n oormatige hoeveelheid toegangspunte kan toegang belemmer en inmeng met ander toestelle se toegang. Dit word veroorsaak deur oorvleueling op die 802.11g/b spektrum en kan `n probleem word in digbevolkte areas soos groot woonstelblokke of kantoorgeboue met baie wi-fi toegangspunte.

Op ons kampus word die maksimum verbindings na `n “hotspot” beperk tot 25 tot 35 en die res word toegang geweier. Die hoeveelheid toestelle wat op een oomblik aan `n “hotspot” gekoppel word moet dus die deurset deel en verlaag effektiwiteit.

Boonop gebruik ander toestelle ook die 2.4 GHz band, insluitende mikrogolfoonde, ISM band toestelle, sekuriteitskameras, koordlose telefone, babamonitors en amateur-radios en dit kan beduidende steurings veroorsaak.

Met bogenoemde in ag geneem, is dit duidelik dat wi-fi nie altyd die beste opsie is vir `n stabiele, betroubare netwerkkonneksie nie. As jy in jou kantoor is, prop eerder jou rekenaar by die netwerkpunt in en gebruik wi-fi slegs vir noodgevalle of wanneer jy rondbeweeg op kampus.

As jy wil registreer vir die gebruik van wi-fi op kampus, kontak die IT Dienstoonbank by +27 21 808 4367 of stuur `n e-pos na help@sun.ac.za met die volgende informasie:

Gebou
Kamer
US nommer
Gebruikersnaam
Batenommer van toestel of beskrywing van die toestel
Netwerkkaartadres (of te wel die MAC-adres)

Toegang tot Wi-fi dienste op kampus kan verkry word deur die Secure of MatiesWifi SSIDs. Toestelle met batenommers word normaalweg op Secure geregistreer met toegang tot alle netwerkdienste, terwyl alle ander toestelle op MatiesWifi geregistreer word met beperkte toegang tot dienste. Beide hierdie wifi-verbindings gee `n spoed van tot 54 Mbps.

Vir verdere navrae kontak die IT Dienstoonbank of telecom@sun.ac.za

[BRON: www.wikipedia.org]

Posted in Communication, Connectivity, Students | 1 Comment »

Download the mobile Inetkey application Laai die Inetkey mobile toepassing af

Friday, February 14th, 2014

[:en]With the growing amount of mobile applications used on a daily basis, a need arose for a simple, effective Inetkey application that can be used on all devices and platforms – including Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows.

After extensive testing on most available platforms, the official Inetkey app was launched on iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry. You can download the appropriate version by clicking on the links below.

Non-official Inetkey mobile applications exist, but have been developed by independent individuals and are not supported or endorsed by Information Technology. Unofficial Inetkey apps carry the risk that they may intercept users’ credentials, which could be abused or stolen. A user keys credentials into an app and does not know how or where they are stored or communicated, or even if it’s secured.

We can accept no responsibility if users download these apps and experience problems.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INTERNET AND INETKEY, PLEASE CONSULT OUR SERVICE CATALOGUE

[:af]Met die groeiende hoeveelheid mobiele applikasies wat daagliks gebruik word, het die behoefte ontstaan om `n eenvoudige, effektiewe Inetkey-toepassing te skep wat bruikbaar is op alle toestelle en platforms. – insluitend Android, iOS, Blackberry en Windows.

IT se mobiele Inetkey-toepassing is ontwikkel en is beskikbaar vir die verskeie platforms. Laai die gepaste weergawes af deur op die ikone te kliek.

Daar bestaan reeds nie-amptelike Inetkey mobiele toepassings wat deur privaatpersone ontwikkel is, maar geensins deur Informasietegnologie onderskraag word nie. Nie-amptelike Inetkey toepassings dra die risiko dat dit gebruikers se inligting kan onderskep, wat op die beurt kan misbruik of gesteel word. Gebruikers sleutel besonderhede in op `n toepassing terwyl hulle nie weet hoe of waar dit gestoor word, hoe dit gekommunikeer word of selfs of dit sekuur is nie.

Ons kan dus geen verantwoordelikheid aanvaar indien gebruikers die toepassings gebruik en probleme ondervind nie.

VIR MEER INLIGTING OOR INTERNET EN INETKEY, RAADPLEEG ASB. ONS DIENSKATALOGUS.

Posted in Apps, Connectivity, Internet, Students | 8 Comments »

Cell C offers now available for students and staffCell C-aanbiedinge nou beskikbaar vir studente en personeel

Friday, January 31st, 2014

Students, as well as staff, can now obtain cheaper cellular data offerings through a joint offering by the University and Cell C.

These deals brings the cost per MB from 15c a megabyte down to around 3.3 cent/meg. The offer includes 3GB of data per month for six months at R600-00, but there are also deals available for 12 months.

Cell C will be on site on the Rooi Plein under the bridge between Admin A and B until 7 February, so make use of this opportunity! You need to take basic RICA documents: ID and proof of residence to the Cell C stall to make use of these special deals.

Telkom mobile will also introduce their offerings during the month of February, in case you miss out.

For more information e-mail the IT HUB at student@sun.ac.za, visit them (entrance below the bridge on the Rooi Plein) or visit the Cell C stall.

Studente, sowel as personeel, kan dié jaar van goedkoop selfoon data-aanbiedinge gebruik maak te danke aan `n gesamentlike poging deur die Universiteit en Cell C.

Hierdie aanbiedinge bring die normale koste per MB van 15c per megagreep af na ongeveer 3.3 sent/meg. Die aanbod sluit 3gb data per maand vir ses maande in teen R600-00, maar daar is ook pakette vir 12 maande as jy dit so sou verkies.

Cell C sal gedurende dié tydperk `n stalletjie beman op die Rooiplein, onder die brug tussen Admin A en B tot en met 7 Februarie. Al wat jy hoef te doen om die stalletjie te besoek en jou basiese RICA-dokumente – ID en bewys van verblyf te wys.

Gedurende Februarie sal Telkom ook hul eie aanbiedinge aan kampus kom bekendstel – net vir ingeval jy uitmis dié rondte.

Vir meer inligting, stuur e-pos die IT HUB by student@sun.ac.za, loer in by hulle kantoor (ingang onder die brug op die Rooiplein) of besoek Cell C se stalletjie.

Posted in Connectivity, Internet, Students | 5 Comments »

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