The Disability Resource Centre 

Introduction

Welcome to the Disability Resource Centre Library. The Disability Resource Centre Library is committed to providing inclusive, accessible, and supportive learning resources for differently abled students. Our Library is dedicated to supporting differently abled students by providing accessible resources, inclusive services, and a quiet, user-friendly environment. Our services and tools are designed to ensure equal access to information, knowledge, and academic success. This guide will help you get the most out of your visit.

WHAT ARE THE DRC LIBRARY’S SERVICE STANDARDS?

The DRC Library is committed to providing exceptional services tailored to meet the unique needs of our differently abled patrons across all the Faculties. Guided by our Service Charter, we strive to offer customer-centric services that exceed expectations, creating memorable experiences and promoting continuous improvement. Our focus is on delivering responsive services that cater to the evolving academic requirements of all the Faculties. We take pride in our ability to curate a comprehensive collection of resources, provide knowledgeable assistance, facilitate efficient access to both physical and digital resources, and conduct engaging workshops. Our top priority is to ensure that every patron within all the Faculties has exceptional experience, and we warmly welcome your feedback to help us achieve this goal.

Client Expectations

Expect from us:

• Prompt and courteous service
• Helpful, well-trained staff who will treat you with respect
• Fair and equitable access to our collections and services
• Collections which aim to meet your needs and are well-maintained and accessible

Library Expectation

Help us to help you by:

• Treating other people in the library with respect and courtesy, whether these are other clients or library staff
• Treating library facilities, equipment, collections and property with due care
• Assisting staff understand your needs clearly
• Providing us with feedback on how we may improve our services or we can resolve a specific service problem

Access to Library Resources

The Library offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary collection that covers all academic programs offered by the Midlands State University. To access this diverse range of resources, individuals must be recognised as legitimate clients of MSU, which includes registered students and current employees of MSU. Non-MSU students or staff can gain library access by formally requesting authorisation and paying the applicable fees to be acknowledged as ‘Approved Readers.’ Borrowing privileges are specifically customised based on the client’s category, ensuring optimal and personalised access experience for each academic program within the Faculties. Prospective library users are recommended to familiarise themselves with the distinct borrowing privileges corresponding to their faculty status. At the DRC Library, we are committed to ensuring that all differently abled persons have equal access to academic resources and support tools necessary for successful learning. We provide a range of accessible materials and services tailored to meet individual needs. Types of resources available include Braille materials and electronic resources. We also offer assistive technologies such as eye-pal solo book reader, Po-Digy Connect 12, Kibo device for scanning and reading printed or handwritten text aloud and NVDIA screen readers for navigating digital resources to facilitate access to electronic/digital resources for our visually impaired patrons.

Who Can Use These Services?

• Students with mobility, visual, hearing, learning, or other disabilities.
• Staff members with disabilities.

The following are the borrowing privileges per cohort:

1. Teaching staff – Allowed to borrow a maximum of 8 books at a time for one month
2. Non-Teaching staff – Allowed to borrow a maximum of 6 books at a time for one month
3. Postgraduate students – Allowed to borrow a maximum of 3 books at a time for seven days
4. Undergraduate students – Allowed to borrow a maximum of 3 books at a time for seven days
5. Approved readers – Do not have any borrowing rights. They are only allowed access to library materials within the building.

Print Journals

A journal or periodical is a scholarly publication containing articles written by researchers, academics, practitioners and other experts. Journals usually focus on a specific discipline or field of study, such as biology, chemistry or computer science. Journals are published regularly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly; several authors contribute to each issue. Electronic journals are online versions of the printed journals, and they are only accessible over the internet.

How to access access Print Journals

1. 1. Go to www.msu.ac.zw and point your mouse to “Libraries”
   2. Select “Catalogue”
   3. On the Online catalogue page, click on “Advanced Search”
   4. Enter your keywords in the search form provided
   5. Under “Item Type”, select “Journal” to limit your results to journals only
   6. Click on the “Search” button to get results
   7. Click on a journal title of your choice to get the Call number
   8. Approach the appropriate shelf in the Special Collections section to retrieve the journal.

    

   How to access e-Journals

   1. Go to msu.ac.zw
   2. On the main MSU website, click on the “Libraries” link
   3. You are taken to the MSU Library webpage
   4. On the MSU webpage, hover over the “Electronic Resources” link, and a dropdown menu featuring links to various e-resources will appear.
   5. Select the “E-Journals” link to navigate to a page that displays all available e-Journals.
   6. All e-Journal collections are arranged alphabetically, and you can use the A-Z index to navigate to an e-Journal collection of your choice, e.g. “Proquest Central”.
   7. Select an e-Journal collection by clicking on its name. You will receive a page requesting your MSU email address and password.
   8. Input your MSU email address and password, which will lead you to the e-Journal collection, allowing you to search and download.

    

   IMPORTANT JOURNAL COLLECTIONS

   	JOURNAL COLLECTION
   1.	JSTOR Journal Storage
   2.	Proquest Central
   3.	Sabinet – African Online Journals
   4.	Springer Nature Link
   5.	Sage Journals Online
   6.	Oxford Academic
   7.	Wiley Online Library
   8.	De Gruyter Brill
   9.	Duke University Press
   10.	Cambridge Core

    

Research at Midlands State University

REFERENCING

The MSU Library Research Support Section

The Research Support section of the MSU Library assists students and academic staff in their research endeavours. This section enables access to information and aids users in navigating the extensive array of print and electronic resources available through the library. Below are some key functions of the library’s research support services:

1. Reference and Information Services

1. • Assisting users in finding relevant resources, answering reference queries, and navigating library catalogues and databases.
   • They guide effective search strategies and help users refine their research topics.
   • Training sessions and workshops enhance users’ information literacy skills by teaching them to evaluate information critically, cite sources, and utilise library resources effectively.
   • Assisting users in accessing books, journals, databases, and multimedia materials.

1. Research Consultations

1. • One-on-one research consultations to provide personalised assistance, helping users develop research strategies and find relevant sources for their projects.

1. Reference Management

1. • Assisting students and staff in using and managing their references, including citation management tools such as Zotero and Mendeley.

1. Library Workshops and Training

1. • Organising workshops and training sessions on various topics related to research, academic writing, and information literacy to help users develop their academic and research skills.

1. Copyright and Fair Use Guidance

• Facilitating disseminating information regarding copyright regulations, fair use, and plagiarism, while supporting users in comprehending and conforming to legal and ethical standards in their research endeavours.

1. Assisting Researchers With Finding the Right Publisher

• The Research Support section also assists aspiring writers with identifying the right journal and publisher for their work. It uses specialised online tools such as Think-Check-and-Submit and publishers’ journal finders.
• Support is also given for authors to avoid predatory publishers by publishing  Beall’s List of predatory publishers.

For assistance with any of the services listed above, do not hesitate to contact the Library Research Support at libraryresearchsupportservices@library.msu.ac.zw or use the Library WhatsApp number – 0717 290 290. You may also approach the Information Desk at the Main Library and ask for further assistance.

Steps in the research process

Step 1: Identifying the Problem

The first step in the process is to identify a problem or develop a research question. You should specify a topic that interests you so that you can simplify the task.

Step 2: Review the Literature

Upon identifying the problem, the subsequent step involves gathering information regarding the issue or topic. Collecting literature pertinent to the subject will yield deeper insights into existing research, including methodologies utilised by other scholars and the results or conclusions they have drawn. It is essential to utilise the resources provided by the library to acquire this information, which encompasses the library catalogue, electronic books, electronic journals, and indexes.

Step 3: Research Purpose/Design

This framework offers a pragmatic approach to addressing the research inquiries. It encompasses decision-making regarding the type of data to be collected, the methods of collection employed, the temporal scale, and the geographical location of the research.

Step 4: Collect Data

This step involves gathering data regarding your research problem from the participants. Data may be collected through interviews, questionnaires, observations, and so on.

Step 5: Analyse and Interpret Data

All the activities completed in the previous steps now culminate in this one. Here, you will analyse the data so that the research questions can finally be answered.

Step 6: Report and Evaluate

At this stage, you are writing about the results obtained from the research. What conclusions were drawn regarding the problem you were investigating? What recommendations do you have? What actions can be taken to improve situations or avoid adverse outcomes?

(Blankenship, Diane. Applied Research and Evaluation Methods in Recreation, Human Kinetics 2010)

e-Reserves

.

Choosing where to publish

It is essential to identify the most relevant journal for publication so that your research output receives the attention it deserves. You should always check for certain important factors when selecting a journal to publish with. Some factors to consider include:

• Scope of the journal
• Peer review process
• Journal Metrics
• Open Access options
• How to spot a predatory Journal

Where is the Journal Indexed?

You should verify whether the journal is indexed in major databases such as Scopus and Web of Scientific databases assess the quality of a journal prior to its indexing, and consequently, your research is more likely to achieve greater discoverability if published in journals that are included in these databases.

Journal Finders

Several publishers provide tools that aspiring authors can use to help choose the most suitable and reputable journal title. Below are some links to the most common tools for selecting a journal.

• Elsevier Journal Finder
• Springer Link Journal Suggester
• Wiley Journal Finder
• Sage Journal Selector
• Emerald Journal Finder
• Web of Science Master List
• Check. Submit
• Scopus Journal Analyser
• Dimensions

RESEARCH IMPACT AND METRICS

Metrics assess the significance or influence of a journal or author. Various metrics can be employed to indicate a journal’s importance. Author-level metrics can also demonstrate an author’s impact on the scientific community or field of study.

Journal Metrics

Journal Impact Factor

The Journal Impact Factor measures a journal’s importance by calculating the number of times its articles are cited within a specific year. You can find the impact factors of journals in Clarivate Analytics’ Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

CiteScore

CiteScore represents the average number of citations received by articles recently published in the journal. It is applicable to journals and book series that are indexed in Scopus.

SJR – Scimago Journal Rank

The SJR aims to capture the effect of subject field, quality, and reputation of a journal on citations. It calculates the prestige of a journal by considering the value of the sources that cite it, rather than counting all citations equally. It is useful for comparing and analysing journals within the same discipline and forms the basis of the subject category ranking.

SNIP

The SNIP (Source Normalised Impact per Paper) measures citations weighted according to the subject field. It is useful for comparing journals, not only within the same field but also across disciplines. SNIP is available through Scopus.

ALTERNATIVE METRICS – ALMETRICS

Article-level metrics assist researchers in understanding how their work is being utilised in the digital or online space through factors such as downloads, page views, and mentions on social media platforms. Numerous publishers, including Elsevier, Oxford University Press, PLOS, and Springer Nature, now offer alternative metrics on the search results page using the Altmetric bookmarklet or Plum Analytics. You can gauge the attention your research is receiving from fellow researchers through mentions on Twitter, Researchgate, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

RESEARCHER IDENTIFIERS AND DISAMBIGUATION

An important aspect of research is maintaining a record of your research output and distinguishing yourself among numerous other researchers. There are several author identifier tools available that can assist you in achieving this.

ORCID – Open Researcher and Contributor ID

This provides a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes an author from others with similar names. It facilitates researchers in compiling their research output, even if they change their affiliation or if their name is spelt differently in other publications. Researchers can assemble their profiles, research interests, educational qualifications, contact details, and more.

ResearcherID

Similar to ORCID, this tool is free and can provide a unique identifier. You can also link your ResearcherID to ORCID to benefit from using both systems.

Scopus

Scopus enables researchers to create an author profile that encompasses all citations in this multidisciplinary database, even in cases of name and affiliation changes. Researchers can also receive email alerts when their articles are cited by others.

Google Scholar

Google Scholar Profiles provide a straightforward way for authors to showcase their academic publications. You can check who cites your articles, chart citations over time, and compute various citation metrics. Additionally, you can make your profile public, allowing it to appear in Google Scholar results when people search for your name.

How to Spot a Predatory Journal or Publisher

Predatory publishers frequently make misleading assertions regarding their peer review processes in order to impose article processing fees on unwary researchers. A significant number of predatory publishers inundate the email inboxes of potential authors with solicitations for expedited publication.

Here are some factors you may need to consider:

• Use the Think Check Submit checklist for journals
• Lookup titles in the Directory of Open Access Journals
• Lookup titles in the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)
• Use indexes such as Scopus and Web of Science to check if the journal is listed there

You can also follow the links below for more information on identifying predatory publishers.

BEAL’s List of Predatory Publishers – Criteria for determining predatory publishers

Rx Comunications – 6 Ways to Spot a Predatory Journal

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR RESEARCH VISIBILITY

Efforts directed towards augmenting the visibility of research outputs are essential to the advancement of an academic’s career. Enhancing the visibility of research guarantees that a broader spectrum of researchers encounters the findings, consequently amplifying the recognition and influence of the work. This, in addition, fosters the success of the researcher.

Here are some methods that can help in increasing the visibility of research:

1. Register to get unique author identifiers and create your profiles:

• ORCID
• ResearcherID
• Scopus ID
• Google Scholar

1. Share Outputs of Your Research Through Open Access

Evidence of your research output includes research articles, conference papers, posters, presentations, papers, preprints, and research data. By making these publicly accessible, you increase the likelihood of your work being discovered and cited. Furthermore, many funding institutions and universities now stipulate that publications and their accompanying research data be made available through Open Access.

To make your work Open Access, you can use the following:

• MSU Institutional Repository
• CiteSeer– (Computer and Information Science)  
• PubMed Central is a repository for US federally funded research outputs in Medicine.

Share Your Research Data

Apart from publications, you can also share your research data through various platforms listed below.

• F1000Research – Useful to researchers in Life sciences
• Mendeley Data
• JSTOR Data For Research
• OpenAire
• Dryad
• Slideshare

1. Keep an Updated Online Profile or Web CV

Several platforms can be used to create profiles where you can capture your research interests, make a list of your publications and highlight your professional accomplishments.

• Google Scholar Citation Profile
• ImpactStory

ImpactStory is a free online platform that allows you to showcase your research outputs (publications, presentations, data, code, posters, etc.) along with measures of their impact.  Impactstory uses ORCID profiles to find and import scholarly works.  To ensure that your Impactstory includes all your outputs, import them to ORCID and synchronise your ORCID profile with Impactstory.

• Kudos

This is a relatively new tool that assists researchers in promoting their research outputs. It is free to use and enables you to showcase your publications by creating links to the full text. Kudos will always monitor:

• Number of times the publication is downloaded from the publisher’s site
• Number of times the publication’s abstract is clicked on or viewed on the publisher’s site
• Number of tweets posted by the author to promote the publication
• Number of Facebook posts by the author to promote the publication
• Number of visits to the publication page on Kudos that is generated by sharing activities via email or social media
• Number of times the author has sent an email to colleagues/friends with a link to the publication page on Kudos or with a link to the article page on the publisher’s site
• Total number of visits to the publication page on Kudos
• A score generated by Altmetric.com (which includes tweets, Mendeley and CiteULike readership)

1. Engage and Participate in Social Networking Communities

Another effective way to disseminate research and build a reputation is through active engagement in research networking communities. Engaging in research networking allows you to create online profiles, showcase your research outputs, discover communities of interest, and participate in discussions by posting and answering questions within your network. Additionally, these platforms will inform you about the impact of your activities in these networks, such as downloads of your publications, views of your profile, and levels of activity compared to others in the network.

• • Researchgate
  • Mendeley
  • Academi.edu
  • Linkedin

Frequently Asked Questions

LIBRARY SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES

The Library is committed to providing equitable access to information and resources for all students, including those with visual disabilities. We offer a range of specialised services and adaptive technologies designed to support your academic success and ensure a seamless library experience.

Assistive technologies

These include print to audio scanners such as Kibo, screen readers such as NVDA and magnifiers. Our trained staff can assist you in using these technologies as well as training in their use.

You can also gain access to online databases that have inbuilt assistive technology such as text-to-audio. These include multidisciplinary collections such as Proquest e-Book Central as well as Proquest Central. All other online resources can be converted to audio using our existing tools.

Alternative format materials

Our accessible collections include braille-converted book sections and chapters, available upon request. Working with certified transcribers, we provide high-quality braille materials tailored to your coursework or research needs.

 Accessible Study Spaces

Our study spaces offer a comfortable, quiet environment fitted with height-adjustable ergonomic chairs to accommodate diverse needs.

Personalised Assistance

Our helpful Library staff are there to assist you with navigation and resource retrieval to make your experience seamless and productive. Whether you need help locating materials, using assistive technology, or accessing alternative formats, we provide personalized support to meet your learning needs.

Assistance with Research

One-on-one consultations tailored to your accessibility needs.

Accessible Library Services

• Wheelchair-accessible entrances
• Adjustable-ergonomic chairs and reading desks
• Reserved quiet study spaces

Interlibrary Loans

This facility is a cooperative arrangement whereby a patron of the MSU library can borrow books or journals that are owned by another university library for a specific period of time. All active MSU staff and registered students may use this service. Should you need additional assistance visit any of our libraries and request to see the Client Service Librarian or email your Librarian at magwatit@staff.msu.ac.zw  or WhatsApp +263 71 501 6426