On the second floor of the J. Burton Vaschè Library, research workshops help Stan State students strengthen their research and writing skills.
The library research workshops are held twice a week, on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students who need help from a librarian or writing tutors are encouraged to attend.
Since fall 2022, Kevin Augustine (Research and Instruction Librarian) has been running the workshops with the writing center.
As a research and instruction librarian, Augustine said the workshops allow him to teach students while continuing to develop his instructional skills each semester.
“With this program, I get twice a week the opportunity to practice my delivery of instruction. So that alone, I think benefits occupationally of being an instruction librarian,” Augustine said.
He primarily focuses on making these workshops student-led, allowing attendees to select topics they are interested in to learn more about the library’s resources.
The workshops also allow students to learn about library resources when class time does not allow for in-class instruction.
“Having a stable program throughout the semester that provides drop in opportunities for students to gain research and writing help has actually benefited teaching faculty in a way,” he said.
Every semester, writing tutors are selected to participate in the workshops, assisting students with research, finding sources and using citation styles.
Manny Valenzuela (Graduate student, Writing Studies) is one of this semester’s tutors, recommends the workshops as a resource for students who need detailed help with research and writing.
“I highly recommend it because just being part of my regular classes, I’ve noticed, some students struggle with research,” Valenzuela said. “Some of them don’t know how to use a database. Some of them don’t know how to cite articles. So I do recommend it to students, but it’s just getting the word out there. Not a lot of people know about it.”
He said he also enjoys the relaxed environment of the workshops and the opportunity to work with students and fellow tutors.
“Students who do attend can also join in, and all those activities. It kind of makes it more fun, the environment, the vibes,” he said.
Havilah Saylor (Business, Freshman) began attending the workshops this semester for her classes and said they helped her better understand available library resources.
“I’ve been so busy with different classes and the homework that I have not looked at every app or thing that is on our Stan page,” Saylor said. “I learned today that the library is there, and if I go into it, then there’s additional options. So that gives me a resource going forward for when I do my work.”
She said the help she received from a writing tutor also clarified expectations for her assignments.
“I felt like I understand a little bit more about what’s gonna be required going forward. Like, stuff that will help me with my assignments,” she said.
Looking ahead, Augustine said he hopes to expand the workshops by creating versions tailored to specific colleges within the university.
“To say, here’s the college of business version of this, with topics that are constructed from business student interest, and to tailor it for the colleges, and to have potentially four different versions of this program running,” Augustine said. “And to have tutors that maybe have a background in some of these disciplines.”
Open to students of all majors, the workshops provide ongoing support for research, writing and navigating library resources throughout the semester.
