News

Workshop on Effective Strategies for Literature Review and Referencing

Jun 25, 2025

A workshop on “Effective Strategies for Literature Review and Referencing” was organized by the Research and Scientific Committee in collaboration with the Research Forum at Father Muller Homoeopathic Medical College on 25th June 2025 in the college auditorium.  The workshop aimed to enhance the research capabilities of faculty members and postgraduate scholars by focusing on practical strategies for literature reviews and the use of referencing software.

Participants registered in advance through a Google Form, after which a dedicated WhatsApp group was created to share preparatory instructions. In anticipation of the hands-on sessions, participants were guided to install Zotero and Mendeley referencing tools, ensuring active engagement during the workshop.

The event began with a welcome address by Dr. E.S.J. Prabhu Kiran, who emphasized the increasing relevance of structured research methodologies in academic growth. This was followed by an address by Rev. Fr. Donald Nilesh Crasta, Administrator appreciated the organizers’ efforts and highlighted the value of integrating technology with academic writing.

The inaugural session was attended by key dignitaries including Dr. Vilma Meera Dsouza, Vice Principal; Dr. John Paul, Coordinator of the Research and Scientific Committee; and Dr. Jeeno Jose, Convener and Research Forum Coordinator. Dr. Mehar, who served as the Master of Ceremony, introduced the resource persons and provided an overview of the session objectives.

The first academic session was led by Dr. Moira Dsouza, Associate Professor in the Department of Community Medicine. She provided insightful guidance on conducting a comprehensive literature review, explaining techniques such as the use of Boolean operators, effective search strategies, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and database navigation. Participants actively engaged in live search exercises, applying the concepts discussed.

This was followed by a session on referencing by Dr. Nishanth Krishna K, who introduced the basics of citation styles and demonstrated the functions and advantages of using Zotero and Mendeley. The final segment of the workshop was an interactive, hands-on demonstration conducted jointly by both resource persons. Participants practiced installing and configuring the software, creating personal libraries, inserting citations into word documents, and syncing references using citation plugins.

The workshop concluded with a question-and-answer session that allowed attendees to clarify their doubts and share feedback. Participants appreciated the practical, well-structured approach of the resource persons, noting the relevance and usefulness of the content in improving their research work.

This workshop marked a significant step toward fostering a culture of research excellence at the institution by equipping scholars and faculty with essential skills in academic writing and digital referencing.