Teaching & consultation
Searchpath is
an interactive library skills tutorial designed for students in classes with
a substantial writing component or introductory level research, but we encourage
all instructors to use it.
Searchpath will help students begin their research,
learn how to use connectors in a search, and teach them how to use the library
catalog, an article index, and how to better search the Web.
Each of the tutorial’s
six modules takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and is followed by a short
quiz. The quiz can be printed or e-mailed with the student's name and submitted
to you as proof of completion. Many instructors give extra credit points to students
who complete the tutorial. Learn
more about using Searchpath.
Course-related library instruction
As technology advances, the research process becomes increasingly challenging
and demanding. Students must be aware of the range of print and electronic resources
and make informed choices about the best sources for their assignments. They
also must master the techniques of using a variety of database systems to conduct
successful searches for information.
Library faculty provide course-related sessions to teach students how to search
efficiently and effectively for information—using library resources, electronic
indexes, and the Web—and how to evaluate the sources they find.
Waldo Library
has two classrooms that librarians use for demonstrations
and hands-on training. One has 15 workstations with room to seat up to 20
participants, the other has 37 workstations with room to seat up to about
55.
Instructional
efforts are especially directed toward:
- Courses that provide a basic introduction to a significant number of students,
such as English 1050 or IME 1020
- A required, introductory course in the major, such as History 1900 or Women's
Studies 2000
- Research methods or writing intensive courses that require use of specialized
print or electronic resources
Instruction
suggestions for undergraduate and graduate classes.
In general, we do not offer instruction sessions without an accompanying assignment.
Research has shown that:
- Students learn best and retain most at the time of need for information
- Instruction is more effective when the course instructor is present at the
session
- Instruction is more effective when coordinated with a class assignment
To achieve information literacy, students need more than one visit to the
library.
To arrange a library instruction session contact either:
Dianna Sachs, Instructional Services Librarian, at (269) 387-5182 or by e-mail
to dianna.sachs@wmich.edu or your library
liaison
Please schedule your session as soon as possible, as the classroom gets heavily
used. Allow at least a minimum of one week for scheduling. Arrangements for the
classrooms and a librarian to prepare the session require at least that much
lead time. Requests will be filled on a first-come basis.
One-on-one instruction
Individual research consultations with a librarian are available to students
and faculty by appointment through WRAP (Western's Research Assistance Program).
Contact your library liaison or inquire at reference desks in the libraries to
make an appointment.
Liason program
We encourage all faculty to take advantage of the services of this
program. Each department in the University has a librarian assigned to it as
its liaison. Informational and instructional sessions for faculty and students
can be arranged through your library liaison.
Liaisons also provide support for faculty with library collections.
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