SRA Summer Workshops

Intro to Version Control with Git & Github

• Date: Thursday June 11, 2026
• Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• Registration required
• Git & Github are powerful tools for collaborative code/software development and tracking changes in files over time (version control). This workshop will introduce participants to working with Git/Github on their local computers via the command line interface. No prior experience with Github or the command line is assumed. This workshop will cover:
  • Creating a Github username and account
  • What version control is and how it relates to reproducible research  
  • Authenticating your Github account on your local machine and creating a repository 
  • Using the command line to track file changes, add, or delete files in your local/remote repository 
  • How Github can help showcase work to potential collaborators and employers 

How to Conduct a Literature Review

• Date: Monday June 15, 2026
• Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
• Registration required
• This workshop will explain what faculty mean when they say “conduct a literature review.”
  • Participants will learn:
    • What a literature review is and why researchers need to complete them along with some differences across disciplines.
    • How to select the best search tools including a brief discussion of AI tools.
    • How to build an effective search strategy.
    • Methods for organizing and synthesizing search results. 

AI Tools for Research (Online)

• Date: Tuesday June 16, 2026
• Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
• Registration required
• AI Tools are widely used but perhaps under-discussed. This hands-on workshop will provide an overview of tools available for research and give students opportunities to:
  • Customize tools
  • Revise prompts
  • Evaluate AI tool outputs

Introduction to Zotero (In-Person)

• Date: Wednesday June 17, 2026
• Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• Registration required
• Zotero is an open-source citation management tool (like RefWorks or EndNote) which is free to use anywhere in the world. It is especially useful for anyone managing many sources, of various types, for multiple research projects. In this session, participants will learn how to:
  • Populate their Zotero library by importing or creating metadata from sources like books, articles, websites, etc.
  • Organize these citations and accompanying research materials such as notes and annotations
  • Produce bibliographies in various citation styles while using word-processing software (MS Word or Google Docs)

Research from Afar (Online)

• Date: Thursday June 18, 2026
• Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
• Registration required
• Doing research this summer away from campus? Attend this overview of best practices for maximizing Middlebury’s library resources from anywhere! 
  • Orient yourself to the library website and research guides
  • Identify discipline specific resources to best serve your project
  • Learn about how to make appointments with librarians for one-on-one support

Intro to RStudio (2 days)

• Dates: June 25 and 26, 2026
• Time on both days: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• Registration required
• In this carpentries-style workshop led by data librarians Sarika Sharma and Julia Deen, we will learn the basics of the R programming language using Rstudio. Designed for beginners, there is no coding background required. In this workshop participants will learn:
  • The basics of the R programming language and how to use Rstudio
  • How to import and export datasets in Rstudio
  • How to clean, manipulate, and wrangle messy data
  • How to visualize data using ggplot2

Data Visualization: Strategies and Tips

• Date: Thursday July 2, 2026
• Time:12: 00pm - 1:00pm
• Registration required
• Need to visualize your data? Not sure where to begin? This hour long session will present a strategy to select the best graphic for your data and some tips ensuring that the key idea from your visualization gets across.