Intute
Encyclopedia
Intute is a free Web service aimed at students, teachers, and researchers in UK further education
and higher education
. Intute provides access to online resources, via a large database
of resources. Each resource is reviewed by an academic specialist in the subject, who writes a short review of between 100 to 200 words, and describes via various metadata
fields (such as which subject discipline(s) it will be useful to) what type of resource it is, who created it, who its intended audience is, what time-period or geographical area the resource covers, and so on. In July 2010 Intute provided 123,519 records. Intute's Faq says : "Following Intute's closure in July 2011, the website will remain available for three years. However the site will not be maintained or updated, and no additional resources will be added"
The restructuring and rebranding was undertaken to create a service with a more uniform identity and appearance, better cross-searching facilities, and more focused technical and management teams. As part of the restructuring, the eight RDN hubs were initially reorganised into four subject groups. This process also incorporated the Virtual Training Suite, a series of continually updated, free online Internet training tutorials for over 65 subject areas.
The Intute service was geographically distributed, with staff based at several UK universities.
In July 2010, funding for Intute was significantly reduced and the Consortium was disbanded. Intute is now wholly maintained by Mimas
, The University of Manchester
, and the Virtual Training Suite is maintained and developed by the Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT) at the University of Bristol
.
(JISC). Some of the subject groups received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council
(AHRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council
(ESRC). The Wellcome Trust
was a partner of Intute: Health and Life Sciences and contributed content to this section.
In 2010, funding from JISC was significantly reduced, and will cease in August 2011.
Intute offers a personalisation service, "MyIntute", which enables users to tag
records, export data, and construct remotely-maintained lists of resources that can be used as reading lists.
The Intute Integration tools enable users to customise and export Intute content to their own web pages or VLEs
. This includes newsfeeds
, an embedded search box and MyIntute (where users can save Intute content in their own online space, tag and export it). Machine-readable interfaces to the database are available using the Z39.50
, Search/Retrieve Web Service and OAI-PMH
protocols.
in recognition of its outstanding work in the field of information science
. The award was made on behalf of the UK eInformation Group (UKeiG
), part of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
(CILIP). It is sponsored by the Journal of Information Science, published by SAGE Publications
.
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
and higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
. Intute provides access to online resources, via a large database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
of resources. Each resource is reviewed by an academic specialist in the subject, who writes a short review of between 100 to 200 words, and describes via various metadata
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
fields (such as which subject discipline(s) it will be useful to) what type of resource it is, who created it, who its intended audience is, what time-period or geographical area the resource covers, and so on. In July 2010 Intute provided 123,519 records. Intute's Faq says : "Following Intute's closure in July 2011, the website will remain available for three years. However the site will not be maintained or updated, and no additional resources will be added"
History of Intute
Intute was formed in July 2006 after the merger of the eight semi-autonomous "hubs" that formed the Resource Discovery Network (RDN). These hubs each served particular academic disciplines:- Altis - Hospitality, leisure, sport and tourism
- Artifact - Arts and creative industries
- Biome - Health and life sciences
- EEVL - Engineering, mathematics, and computing
- GEsource - Geography and the environment
- HumbulHumbulHumbul was an online service that reviewed and catalogued websites of interest to academics and students in the humanities. It was founded as a humanities communications service in 1985...
- Humanities - PSIgate - Physical sciences
- SOSIG - Social sciences
The restructuring and rebranding was undertaken to create a service with a more uniform identity and appearance, better cross-searching facilities, and more focused technical and management teams. As part of the restructuring, the eight RDN hubs were initially reorganised into four subject groups. This process also incorporated the Virtual Training Suite, a series of continually updated, free online Internet training tutorials for over 65 subject areas.
The Intute service was geographically distributed, with staff based at several UK universities.
- University of BirminghamUniversity of BirminghamThe University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
- University of BristolUniversity of BristolThe University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
- Heriot-Watt UniversityHeriot-Watt UniversityHeriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
- University of ManchesterUniversity of ManchesterThe University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
- Manchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
- University of NottinghamUniversity of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
- University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
- University of NottinghamUniversity of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
- University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
In July 2010, funding for Intute was significantly reduced and the Consortium was disbanded. Intute is now wholly maintained by Mimas
Mimas
Mimas may refer to:*Mimas , son of Gaia in Greek mythology, one of the Gigantes slain by Hephaistos*Mimas , a son of Amycus and Theona, who escorted Aeneas to Italy...
, The University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, and the Virtual Training Suite is maintained and developed by the Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT) at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
.
Funding
Intute is funded by the Joint Information Systems CommitteeJoint Information Systems Committee
JISC is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body whose role is to support post-16 and higher education and research by providing leadership in the use of ICT in learning, teaching, research and administration...
(JISC). Some of the subject groups received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Established in April 2005 as successor to the Arts and Humanities Research Board, the Arts and Humanities Research Council is a British Research Council and non-departmental public body that provides approximately £102 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the...
(AHRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council
Economic and Social Research Council
The Economic and Social Research Council is one of the seven Research Councils in the United Kingdom. It receives most of its funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and provides funding and support for research and training work in social and economic issues, such as...
(ESRC). The Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
was a partner of Intute: Health and Life Sciences and contributed content to this section.
In 2010, funding from JISC was significantly reduced, and will cease in August 2011.
Functionality
Intute's online database may be searched or browsed using a standard Web browser. The database contains 123,519 records (July 2010). Old records are reviewed regularly by subject experts to ensure that information is as current as possible. The advanced search engine enables users to search the database by keyword, subject, or resource type, whilst the browse structure enables time period and resource type filtering, as well as the ability to restrict searches to within particular browse headings.Intute offers a personalisation service, "MyIntute", which enables users to tag
Tag (metadata)
In online computer systems terminology, a tag is a non-hierarchical keyword or term assigned to a piece of information . This kind of metadata helps describe an item and allows it to be found again by browsing or searching...
records, export data, and construct remotely-maintained lists of resources that can be used as reading lists.
The Intute Integration tools enable users to customise and export Intute content to their own web pages or VLEs
Virtual learning environment
Defined largely by usage, the term virtual learning environment has most, if not all, of the following salient properties:* It is Web-based* It uses Web 2.0 tools for rich 2-way interaction* It includes a content management system...
. This includes newsfeeds
RSS
-Mathematics:* Root-sum-square, the square root of the sum of the squares of the elements of a data set* Residual sum of squares in statistics-Technology:* RSS , "Really Simple Syndication" or "Rich Site Summary", a family of web feed formats...
, an embedded search box and MyIntute (where users can save Intute content in their own online space, tag and export it). Machine-readable interfaces to the database are available using the Z39.50
Z39.50
Z39.50 is a client–server protocol for searching and retrieving information from remote computer databases. It is covered by ANSI/NISO standard Z39.50, and ISO standard 23950. The standard's maintenance agency is the Library of Congress....
, Search/Retrieve Web Service and OAI-PMH
Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
OAI-PMH is a protocol developed by the Open Archives Initiative. It is used to harvest the metadata descriptions of the records in an archive so that services can be built using metadata from many archives...
protocols.
Awards
Intute was awarded the 2007 Jason Farradane AwardJason Farradane award
The Jason Farradane Award is made by UKeiG to an individual or a group of people in recognition of outstanding contribution to the information profession, by meeting one or more of the following criteria:...
in recognition of its outstanding work in the field of information science
Information science
-Introduction:Information science is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information...
. The award was made on behalf of the UK eInformation Group (UKeiG
UKeiG
The UK eInformation Group is a professional body for all information professionals, users and developers of electronic information resources. Its aims are to promote and advance the effective exploitation and management of electronic information in all formats...
), part of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is a professional body representing librarians and other information professionals in the United Kingdom.-History:...
(CILIP). It is sponsored by the Journal of Information Science, published by SAGE Publications
SAGE Publications
SAGE is an independent academic publisher of books, journals, and electronic products in the humanities and social sciences and the scientific, technical, and medical fields. SAGE was founded in 1965 by George McCune and Sara Miller McCune. The company is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California,...
.