How libraries can help students’ writing
When students think about the library, they may mostly think of stacks or a quiet study space, but the library is also a great place to find support when preparing written assignments. In fact, librarians themselves play an important role in supporting students with their academic writing.
UM’s librarians have worked hard to provide a plethora of resources for students. Whether they are first-year students getting used to the kind of work expected of them in the university, or graduate students grinding away at their dissertations, the library has helpful guides to guide students on the right track. UM Libraries have an online writing guide which explains the various aspects of academic writing, from identifying peer-reviewed sources to understanding the ins and outs of how scholarly information is communicated. This includes concise tips sheets to understand different kinds of assignments, especially unconventional or heavy assignments such as annotated bibliographies, theses and dissertations, and critical reviews.
Different faculties and disciplines will have different expectations regarding citation styles, formatting, or types of relevant sources. Navigating these aspects of courses and assignments and knowing where to find further information can be quite a feat. Fortunately, UM Libraries has subject librarians who can help students in specific disciplines. Students can consult with these librarians to get help understanding the expectations of their assignments, find relevant sources, and learn how to properly use those sources in their written assignments. University 1 Librarian Sarah Clark highlights the utility of meeting with subject librarians, “Student appointments are really important because often times, the initial question a student has can lead to related questions about their assignment, and deeper discussions about writing and research. This often provides an opportunity to mention services or resources the student may not have known about or considered before.” Visiting a subject librarian at the start of their assignment can help students work efficiently and avoid confusion or common pitfalls. For those seeking support, Clark points to the importance of consulting librarians directly: “if students have any questions about research or using the Libraries, I’d encourage them to contact their subject librarian either through email or by booking an appointment.”
In her capacity as a librarian, Clark supports the ARTS 1110 course by hosting in-class workshops to discuss information literacy. For new students, this exercise is crucial for instilling confidence and knowledge on how to navigate libraries. “There is often no way to know what students’ prior learning experiences look like,” stresses Clark. “Providing consistent information literacy instruction at an earlier stage of students’ university experiences can help set them up for success. They can become confident with resources, strategies, and techniques that they can apply and reuse in so many different courses and contexts going forward as their research needs evolve.”
The Elizabeth Dafoe Library offers Drop-in Study Sessions with librarians and writing tutors in the Brown Lab (Room 110) on Wednesday and Thursdays from 1:00-2:00 p.m. No registration is required, and these are opportunities for students to work on assignments and ask questions to hone both their research and their writing.
Students can find more information on writing and research skills through workshops offered by UM Libraries in the Fall and Winter terms. These workshops are divided in different series and students are encouraged to find the series that applies to them. For example, Library Essentials is for new students; meanwhile Graduate Student Research supports graduate-level writing and research.
UM Libraries are more than just study spaces or stacks upon stacks of books. UM’s librarians, and all the resources they have curated over the years, are key players in a student’s studies. Understanding that the library is more than just a place for research, but also a space to share knowledge and for students and librarians to assist students to succeed in their studies.