In a push to bolster student research skills, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Hamilton Library is introducing the Zotero Basics digital badge, a credential designed to certify students’ proficiency in using Zotero, a popular bibliographic management tool.
Starting September 12, students, faculty and staff at all UH campuses with a valid UH username can earn the badge, which is delivered through the Canvas Credentials platform (formerly Badgr). The badge demonstrates a foundational understanding of Zotero, a program widely used for managing and organizing references essential for academic research.
“Accurate and useful bibliographies are essential for scholarship,” said Brian Richardson, a reference librarian at Hamilton Library. “Tools like Zotero streamline the process of managing citations, allowing students and faculty to focus more on their research and writing.”
The badge not only validates these skills but is also shareable with educators and potential employers, helping students showcase their competencies in academic research management.
Key skills covered by the badge include:
- Adding books, peer-reviewed articles, and websites to Zotero’s reference library
- Organizing references into collections
- Creating notes for resources
- Connecting references to word processing documents like Microsoft Word and Google Docs
Faculty members are encouraged to incorporate the badge into their courses to enhance research capabilities among students.
For more information on the Zotero Basics digital badge, visit the website or email zotero@hawaii.edu.
