The Lazy Scholar Chrome Extension: leap from abstract pages to full text pdf in a jiffy

When rapidly google-searching a specific topic, I end up with an array of browser pages open to various sources. When I review the windows, I often find high page-ranked databases providing abstracts. These, however, have no links to the full PDF which I must read. I then have to copy the article title in order to conduct a Google Scholar search for the PDF in a new window.

Well, thankfully nutrition scholar Colby Vorland was tired of this too and wrote the Lazy Scholar Chrome Extension – when clicked, it checks Google Scholar for the full text!

Like any new tool, it will require a bit of practise to integrate into my work flow. But there are even more reasons to adapt. After finding a pdf, I have to insert the NUS Digital Library proxy into the URL for access to subscription-only sites, and provide a relevant name to replace the often incomprehensible pdf name in the download window. If I find myself using the journal content in lectures, I return to Google Scholar to copy the APA citation for insertion into my presentation slides.

Lazy Scholar provides a citation copied to your clipboard, automatically renames pdfs to a standard version (e.g. year-author abbreviated journal name) for download and even inserts proxy links. Researchers are singing praises but would prefer the name Efficient Scholar!

I’m inserting this tool into my digital literacy briefing for my research students. Get yours at http://www.lazyscholar.org/.

Thanks once again to NUS Science Librarian Aaron Tay who retweeted this today.

Naked Ape, Naked Boss – Kirpal on Bernard, an easy, enjoyable read of course!

I was busy with training the speakers for Evening of Biodiversity during the launch of Kirpal Singh’s book about Bernard Harrison, so one of my kakis Cynthia Lee picked up a copy for me.

She had Bernard sign it. He scrawled encouragement to look after the otters and she chuckled.

I sat down to it just now and unsurprisingly, finished it in a couple of hours. I especially liked, well all of it.

I had asked him to come for the Evening of Biodiversity but we were late in announcing this and he was already back in Bali. He would have enjoyed listening to the students speak and the small mammal studies are scientific descendants of his fathers interest.

My students are familiar with his father, Professor J. L. Harrison of the Department of Zoology at the University of Singapore as he had penned “An Introduction to Mammals of Singapore and Malaya” (1966) which they all cite. J. L. Harrison died too early at the age of 55, in 1972, possibly from scrub typhus.

Bernard Harrison’s management style was fascinating to observe, during his Singapore Zoo days and is something we wished would be more widespread. It is, however, unfortunately rare. When he left the zoo, it was for me the same feeling as when Singapore left the Malaysia Cup. Things would not would be same again.

Kirpal Singh writing about Bernard Harrison is just the sort of book to pass to my students. I encourage then to read, before they forget how and this one is easy-peasy food for thought.

What else my research student does on her field trip – Fung Tze Kwan’s Good Friday post from Pulau Ubin

Fung Tze Kwan is an MSc student with the Department of Biological Sciences working on the diet, home range and ecological role of the common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) in Singapore. Right now she is visiting Pulau Ubin on weekly basis accompanied by volunteer field assistants for research work.

For an idea of what she typically does, see also “Oh Shit! YAY!” By Hazelina Yeo. That Simple., 14 Apr 2014.

Civet poop girl discovers her first ever double-pile of civet poop in Pulau Ubin!

The field assistants are exposed to more than just the research activity, as a variety of experiences crop up which we cannot script. The public are curious when they see specific action in our forests and coastlines and these interruptions are a great chance for public education and a chance to learn about their perspectives.

And that makes the student researchers better able to explain their work!

Field researchers sometimes have to provide directions and suggestions to a lost visitor, but at other times, they have to butt in to correct inappropriate behaviour. Our natural areas are not vast, thriving swathes of land. They need tender loving care, especially now when they face a much higher pressure from visitorship. Simple explanations are enough for most, but for anything more serious, they know to call NParks to take action.

Tze Kwan is quite communicative which is great for a supervisor. She penned this below from the Pulau Ubin Jetty while waiting for her bum boat ride back to Changi. It illustrates some of the natural education a student experiences during field work: invaluable!

If you want to learn more, visit the projects’ Facebook page.

“Fieldwork on a public holiday is an eye-opener. The crowd is one thing, but the other is the irresponsibility visitors display in terms of safety and respect for nature.

While giving the safety briefing to my field assistant at the front counter, I was interrupted to answer enquiries about suitable trails for kids to cycle, probably because we were with bicycles and cycling helmets.

Whilst surveying Chek Jawa, I saw a guy going off the boardwalk to pick a rock. So I walked up to him and his friends, telling them that they should not go off the boardwalk or take anything. The group looked stunned then asked, “Cannot take anything ah?” Yes, and he placed back the rock.

Halfway it started raining, and I saw a ~10 yr kid speed down a gravel steep slope, and next I heard a crash! His palm and elbow were bleeding with dirt all over the wounds but Dad said ‘never mind one la’. Still I went over and took out my First Aid Kit, only the second time I am using it.

Mum was anxious so I let her do the cleaning with saline water, gauze and bandage. Mum was grateful, saying they were so lucky. Then Mum threw the used saline tube on the ground!!!! I involuntarily “Eh!-ed” her and she said, “sorry sorry” and picked it up.

The Boy asked if I was a nurse LOL, so I told him no, but next time must brake and don’t speed down a slope like this! He nodded.

Just as I thought I could continue my fieldwork, I discovered my left brake was not working! So Hiu Fung and I spent some time figuring it out and fixing it. We did it!

And off we went!

From Chek Jawa, along Balai Quarry and towards Beberek Hut at Jalan Mamam, I was horrified to see obvious first timers on Ubin ignoring signs and speeding down the long downslope, putting themselves and other visitors in danger.

The fieldwork ended on a high note with 23 poop samples. Along the way, visitors would ask me what I was doing and that inevitably leads to Kopi Luwak and a chance for public education!

With the day’s work completed, we happily cycled back to the jetty. Then I saw a group of three jumping and trying to pull a bamboo plant. I stopped to ask what they are doing. The boys said “plucking for fun” while the girl kept looking at my research pass. I just said please respect nature and enjoy it. They looked guilty.

Now here I am, queuing to take the bumboat back to Changi Village after an eventful and happening day. Not forgetting that I met Germaine & Pearlynn and thanks to Hiu Fung for being an awesome help!”

– Fung Tze Kwan, 18 Apr 2014 (Good Friday)

Thanks to Wong Hiu Fung and Hazelina Yeo for the photos.

Small Mammal team 2011-2013, reunited at the Evening of Biodiversity

Thanks to Ivan Kwan’s Storify of the Evening of Biodiversity, I revisited field assistant Gladys Chua’s 2012 blog post about following Amanda Tan into the field in 2012.

Chloe had joined the field trip as a volunteer field assistant too and Erica Sena Neves who had trained Amanda, was there to help and collect swabs for vector research.

I was delighted to see that Gladys had a photo with Amanda, Erica and Chloe in one picture. Small mammal field workers rarely have photos of their field work so this was great. And one with all three of them? Priceless!

As I scrolled through photos from the Evening of Biodiversity taken by volunteer photographer Prab Nathan, I found he had a photo of the same three in LT25. I was real happy with the result, and cam present you the Small Mammal Research Team of 2011-2013:

Thanks to Gladys Chua, Prab Nathan and master twitterer Ivan Kwan.

Discover the forest in the city, Jane’s Walk Singapore includes a walk in a tropical rainforest

I’m really proud of small mammal girl Chloe Tan who received a request from Jane’s Walk Singapore coordinator Mai Tatoy just days ago via Chua Ai Lin of Singapore Heritage Society, then me.

Chloe rounded up quick responding volunteers Letchumi Mani, Vishnu Vardhan & Yi Yong Yang to offer a “Love MacRitchie” walk in Jane’s Walk’s urban Singapore line up. The walks are meant to connect people and this is certainly a great way.

To sign up and learn more, see: Jane’s Walk: Venus Loop.

Over 100 cities participate in Jane’s Walk,

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Cat in my chair

I dug up this book, “Slide:ology” by Nancy Duarte (2008) to compare its contents with the procedure I used for the Evening of Biodiversity speakers these past couple of weeks.

Cleared the chair, found and unwrapped the book, turned around and found the chair claimed by Xylo the Cat.

Drats! Np, cats!

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