Support : eNewsletters : Training Updates : Issue 4, July 2010

From the Editor

Check out the latest training classes, new self-paced learning tools, search tips and techniques in this issue of Training Updates. This issue highlights Dialog’s new tools providing reinforcement to enhance the learning experience. Read the article “Self-paced materials complement live training” and learn more about the value of self-paced instruction. Check the search tip on how to develop expertise in searching the patent files. Register for the training sessions on the Free Files and the highlighted courses on competitive intelligence.

New tools enhance the learning experience

The learning process is a two-way street; it is dynamic, interactive and cooperative, and each person participating in a training session has some responsibility for its success or failure. The content presented, the way it is delivered and the reinforcements provided will ensure you leave the session with a feeling of confidence in using Dialog.

One of the goals of Dialog training sessions is to promote active learning and not passive consumption. To facilitate this “from knowing to doing” hurdle, we’ve created some new reinforcement modules, practice exercises and handouts to help you assess your abilities to conduct Dialog searches.

Reinforcement and practice make perfect

Have you ever left a class and feel your brain is muddled with all the information you are trying to retain? This is the time when you need some reinforcement! These follow-up activities and materials to Fast Start, Parts 1 and 2 will enhance your learning experience.

• Fast Start reviews — short five-minute, self-paced modules provide a review of what you learned in each Fast Start class. Each module contains a series of questions on the major concepts covered in the training session.

Complete the Part 1 module after your training session and before you take Fast Start, Part 2. Question types include multiple choice, matching, short answer, true/false. You have two tries to complete each question. Following the second try, you will receive the correct answer.

Once you complete all of the questions, you will see an accounting of how you did. This summary identifies any concepts you may need to review in more detail.

• Practice exercises — a list of five practice questions offer practice in the ONTAP databases at no cost. The questions encompass the techniques you learned in your Fast Start sessions. Answers are available on the Dialog Web site.

• Course handouts — 3-5-page PDF documents (Part 1 and Part 2) synthesize all concepts and techniques you learned in your Fast Start sessions. These handouts let you review areas where you are unclear to refresh your skills. Place them near your computer as you do your own searches.

These materials are currently available for Fast Start to Dialog, Parts 1 and 2.

Scheduled Training Courses

Mark your calendar: Instructor-led Web-based courses

Dialog’s live Web-based training, offered worldwide and in different languages, is designed to expand your search skills and knowledge of Dialog and DataStar, whatever your skill level — novice to power searcher.

Free files for July and August

Each month Dialog offers an opportunity to try out new or unfamiliar sources by offering $100 of free searching (either DialUnits or connect time). Output and Alerts charges are not included. Learn more about the featured files—for July Chinese Patents Fulltext (File 325) and August Adis databases:

• Review the pre-recorded overview of the databases.
• Register for a live Webinar on Chinese Patents Fulltext, scheduled for July 20, 28, designed to provide additional details on this featured file's coverage and value-added indexing and features.

Focus on Competitive Intelligence

Whether your industry changes often or is a little slower, you need to monitor industry trends to make sure your company stays competitive. Get the lowdown on your competition and gather competitive intelligence to create an on-target marketing program and tailor your services or products to position against the competition. The following workshops will provide techniques and show you how:

• Using Patent Information for Competitive Intelligence (July 20, Aug 12) — focuses on applications and techniques to retrieve important competitive intelligence available in key patent databases
• Creating Intellectual Property Business Intelligence with Innography ® Analysis Software (July 21) — demonstrates Innography applications for targeting licensing opportunities and identifying litigation
• Using Trademark Information for Competitive Intelligence (July 27) — highlights searching the trademark files for products and competitors, using trademark filings for advance notification of new product development and identifying trademarks and companies involved in litigation

For German-speaking users, register for Competitive Intelligence with Patents on Dialog or Business Intelligence on DataStarWeb or Business Intelligence on Dialog.

Other live Web-based training

Register for basic courses, subject-specific patent, scientific or business courses, or others highlighting specific techniques such as the MAP command or finding experts for a specific subject. Register now for these new courses:

• What’s New at Dialog (August 3) — hear the latest on The New Dialog and find out more about developments with our products, content, services, including update on development and release of our next generation product, new and enhanced files and content, post-processing, analytical and visualization tools including RefWorks and Innography ®, enhancements to customer service and support and new opportunities and resources for developing your research expertise.
• Patents 101 and Patents 102 (August 3 and 5) — is a two-part class, presented by our own patent expert Ron Kaminecki, designed to provide an overview of the patent process for novice searchers who are required to conduct research in patent files or for more experienced searchers seeking a refresher.
• Supercharge Your Patent Research with Derwent World Patents Index ® (File 351) (July 29, Aug 26) presented by Donald Walter, Thomson Reuters
• Finding Corporate Family Information in the Business Files on Dialog (August 5) — learn about the business files and how to find corporate parents and their subsidiaries

These are only some of the courses we are offering. Read detailed descriptions of all course content and register now.

Training in French and German

Check the training sites in French and German to see offered courses and email the instructors to register. You can also register for any of the Webinar courses worldwide.

Click the My Learning tab on the Support Home page for a list of all classes available.

Self-paced materials complement live training

Self-paced training materials are often a good complement to live training classes. They allow you to review what you learned, practice the techniques or refresh your knowledge. They also offer models from which to formulate your own searches.

In the last issue of Training Updates, we emphasized the importance of “learning by doing.” You now have some new reinforcement tools to enhance your Dialog learning. However, there are other self-paced tools on the Dialog Web site you may have yet to use to your advantage. In this issue we’ll look at some of the materials that complement our competitive intelligence courses highlighted above.

Competitive intelligence self-paced tools

Whether you are using patents or trademarks or business, market or news databases to gather your intelligence, Dialog’s standalone materials will help you.

• How Do I...? — Try some of the following concise, step-by-step instructions in business, patent and trademark subject areas. Just substitute your own topics in the command summaries to pinpoint applications specific to your competitive intelligence needs.
• Locate the Top Companies in X Industry?
• Find Industry Investment Reports in Investext® PDF Fulltext?
• Track Down Industry R&D and Forecasts?
• Find Out Who the Competition Is for a Specific Company by Identifying Who Is Citing Their Patents?
• Locate All Patents for a Specific Company?
• Create an Alert to Track Newly Filed Applications in the U. S. Trademark Office That Are Similar to My Marks?

• Online Competitive Intelligence course — Review this course to find techniques to locate product information, analyst reports, mergers, acquisitions and partnerships and monitor company and industry news.

• Company Intelligence and Market Intelligence PDF workbooks — Reinforce what you learned in the Webinars. Select topics from the Tables of Content that you want to review and try some of the practice exercises.

• At-a-Glance modules — Play these short modules for step-by-step instructions to specific Dialog techniques that will help you in your competitive intelligence searching, for example: Setting up an Alert to monitor your competition or industry and RANKing to perform trend or statistical analysis on search results.

Retention from a single training session soon fades. Consistent, ongoing follow-up can increase your effectiveness from “none” to “significant.” Read more tips on how to approach learning using self-paced training tools on Dialog in future Training Updates.

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