Instruction Services

You can select several options to tailor your library session to your course.  Don't see what you want listed? Contact Michael Saar (michael.saar@lamar.edu) we will create a session just for your class!

Introductory Skills

• Library Orientation
• Organizational Skills for College Success

Research Basics

• Understanding the Research Process 
• Selecting and Developing Research Topics
• Understanding the Life Cycle of Information

Searching for Information

• Searching Cardinal OneSearch for Articles
• Searching the Library Catalog (Books and Videos)
• Searching Discipline Specific Databases
• Web Search Tips
• Searching for Information in Non-Traditional Formats
• Tracking Research on a Topic

Evaluating Information

• Identifying and Interpreting Scholarly Research
• Evaluating Online Information
• Evaluating Authority in Different Formats
• Differentiating Between Fact and Fiction
• Citation Analysis

Using Information Ethically

• Managing Citations (Zotero and Database Tools)
• Intellectual Property and Copyright Basics
• Using Information Ethically in a Presentation

Sessions can be held in the Gray Library 708A Computer Lab, the 702 lecture hall or your own classroom.

Before...

• Make sure students have logged in successfully to an on-campus computer.
• Make sure students are aware of the location of the session. 

During...

• We ask that faculty members attend the session to support us and to provide additional direction, if needed, to their students. Our experience has shown that students benefit most when both librarian and faculty are present. 
• Faculty input during the session is welcome and helpful!
  

After...

• Encourage students to regularly visit the library’s web site, particularly ‘Ask A Librarian’.
• For students who may have missed the info lit session, there are many resources on the library's website. Also, librarians are always available for one-on-one assistance.

• To better the chance of securing your first choice of time and day, allow as much advance notice as possible when scheduling a session. A minimum of two weeks is suggested; more notice improves your chances.
• Carefully consider the timing of the information literacy session. Instructors have verified that too much time between the session and when students actually work on assignments is not effective. (that is, too early in the semester isn't always the best plan). Also do not schedule an IL session on the day of an exam or the day a paper is due - the attention of the students is almost always focused elsewhere.
• Provide supporting documentation such as details of your assignment, class vibe, and more. A copy of your syllabus should always accompany your request for instruction.
• Decide upon clear learning outcomes for the session and communicate these with the librarian.
• Research and practice has proven that shorter, more frequent sessions are better than one longer session. For example, the complete research process is best covered in this way. We realize this is not always possible given course time constraints. You may, however, be able to consider alternate models (see 'Instruction and Resources' tab).