Knowledge Management

Reference management systems facilitate the compilation of literature when preparing to write a scientific paper. Especially in the case of more extensive and long-term scientific work, it is indispensable to work with a literature management system. Reference management software allows you to export your own bibliography as a list of references in many different citations styles. Most also have a facility for importing the details of publications from bibliographic databases.

However, the functional scope of literature management programs for many products now goes beyond the mere search and management of literature references. For example, it is possible to store quotations, comments and one's own thoughts and to arrange them for use in publications. Papers and Mendeley are the literature management systems that go far beyond the function of a literature management system.

The following reference management tools are available at ETH Zurich:

• Endnote
• Citavi
• Mendeley
• Papers

The ETH-Bibliothek regularly offers training courses on various literature management systems, including the course "Literature Management Programs in Comparison", which is intended to help you find the literature management program that meets your requirements. In addition to the course, ETH library provides a review document that is regularly updated.

Wikis and blogs are ideal for organizing and sharing information and even knowledge within a group. ETH Zurich's IT Services offer all members and units of the ETH Zürich the possibility to run a blog on your research, teaching or any other topic.

The Info Center also organizes its internal knowledge transfer through the WordPress software that is provided by ETH IT Services. We are eager to share our experiences with you. If you are interested please contact Dr. Oliver Renn.

In industry, the lab notebooks are almost exclusively electronic. A software-based lab notebook, also called electronic lab notebook (ELN) has many advantages: you can avoid typos and other errors, a search capability allows you to quickly search for and find experiments, results etc. Secure storage with digital signatures is also possible. Furthermore, you can easily visualize your data. In addition, you can import data from licensed databases via database interfaces. In addition to OpenBIS ELN, which was developed at ETH Zurich, also other ELNs are in use at the department and we are happy to share our experience. Please contact  Dr. Oliver Renn if you are interested.