University Library News

The Georgia State University Library’s Research Data Services (RDS) Team offers a wide variety of workshops on data analysis tools & methods, mapping & data visualization, finding data & statistics, and survey design. This Spring 2019 semester the RDS Team is offering 54 workshops — the most offerings we’ve had in a single semester to date. We’re even offering some evening workshops this semester to better accommodate campus researchers’ needs.

Why should you attend the Research Data Services (RDS) Team’s data workshops?

Data skills — even just basic data skills — are highly valued by today’s employers — being called “the most lucrative skill[s] to have” and “the most valuable skill[s] you can learn.” So, attending our data workshops will give you a leg up once you’re out there looking for a job.

Best of all, our data workshops are all free.

You may be thinking, “So what if they’re free?” Well, we researched how much workshops on our various topics would cost out in the real-world market, and what we found may make you re-think that “so what” reaction:

• You could expect to pay $110 on average for a 1.5-hour workshop (the typical length of our workshops).
• You could pay as low as $61/1.5-hour workshop, or as high as $200/1.5-hour workshop.
• So, the 54 workshops that the RDS Team is offering for *FREE* in this coming semester equates to an average $5,940 total cost at the market price, and it could range from $3,294 to $10,800 in total cost.

In other words, our free workshops are clearly quite a bargain and something you should be taking advantage of while you can…

Need even more incentive to come to our data workshops?

Okay, how about this for an incentive:

You can get RDS@GSU Data Certified!

• Register for Research Data Services (RDS) workshops on the Library Calendar.
  • Look for the logo with the GET DATA CERTIFIED seal (see image at right).
• Attend a minimum of five unique RDS workshops in the Spring 2019 semester.
  • Make sure you sign-in on the paper sign-in sheet at the workshop so we can track your attendance.
  • While you’re welcome to attend the same workshop multiple times to hone your skills, to earn the data certificate you need to attend a minimum of five *unique* workshops.
  • Attending a Data in the ATL talk *does not* count as a workshop toward the certificate.
• By April 24 if you’ve attended a minimum five workshops, you’ll be invited to a ceremony in the Library (date TBD) where you can mingle with others committed to getting RDS@GSU Data Certified *and* receive a custom certificate signed by our Dean of Libraries and the Leader of the Research Data Services Team (see example below).
  • ​If you are unable to attend the ceremony, we will send a PDF version of the certificate to your campus email.

Yes, it’s that easy! And by getting RDS@GSU Data Certified, you demonstrate to potential employers that you are committed to growing the data skills that they look for in hires.

So, get RDS@GSU Data Certified! It’s free, and it’s worth it.

Are you looking for help with data analysis tools and methods? With research data visualization or data management? The Library’s Research Data Services (RDS) Team can help. The RDS Team offers:

• One-on-One Help — Contact an RDS Team member to schedule a consult, or check out our Drop In! hours.
• Workshops — Check out the RDS workshop listings.
• Custom sessions for GSU courses and research teams — email us at libdatahelp@gsu.edu to learn more.