Pensacola State College - Research Instruction -

Research Instruction

Group Research Instruction for Classes

In order to help students develop their research skills, Faculty Librarians provide hands-on instruction sessions introducing them to library resources and strategies to find information effectively. Sessions generally take place in the library and can range from 15-minute “lightning” sessions to multi-day workshops allowing for more in-depth exploration and experimentation.

The standard research instruction session takes one full class period and includes:

A brief tour of the library building
Introduction to the library catalog
Web searching and evaluating information from websites (Information Literacy)
Introduction to general databases and research strategies
Introduction to databases specific to the course, subject, or assignment (Ovid, Biography in Context, et al.)

We are happy to work with you in customizing the session to meet your specific objectives and time constraints.

HOW DO I SCHEDULE A RESEARCH INSTRUCTION SESSION?

Fill out the Class Instruction Request Form

Contact your department’s Library Liaison

For more information, contact:

Pensacola Campus – Michael Lane, 850-484-1393.

Milton Campus – Charlotte Sweeney, 850-484-4465

Warrington Campus – Melissa Davis, 850-484-2263

South Santa Rosa Center – Thomas Jonte, 850-484-2085

Century Center – Charlotte Sweeney, 850-484-4465

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE A SESSION?

Workshops should be scheduled with at least one week’s notice. Note: If you are requesting a more comprehensive or customized course, additional notice may be required to accommodate your needs.

Our instruction calendar can fill up quickly, so it is better to schedule as early as possible. Consider contacting us as you are finalizing your syllabus so that you get the time slot that is most convenient for you.

We will attempt to fulfill workshop requests submitted with less than a week’s notice depending on the availability of our classroom and librarians.

HOW CAN I MAKE LIBRARY INSTRUCTION SESSIONS MORE EFFECTIVE?

Be sure that the students have a clear understanding of the course objectives, assignments, and the instructor’s expectations before scheduling the session.
Have the students working on specific topics so they will be able to apply and understand the concepts more readily.
Accompany the class for the session, so we can have a more dynamic, three-way interaction. We can guide them through the research process, but
Talk to the librarian about the topics you want covered beforehand; it helps them to develop examples that will engage the students in the process.

Book a Librarian

In addition to teaching group instruction sessions, librarians are available to meet with faculty, staff, and students one-on-one to assist with research needs. These sessions can be scheduled for 30-60 minutes and can be as general or specific as you wish. Individual appointments may include assistance conducting research for assignments or personalized assistance with electronic resources.

HOW DO I SCHEDULE ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION?

To set up a time that is convenient for you,