Library Instruction
Our librarians can tailor sessions specifically to your course, teaching students the best methods for finding, evaluating, and using information. From guiding them through key resources to mastering research strategies, exploring artists' books and/or zines, we’ve got you covered. The Pratt Institute Archives also provides instruction about the history, collections, and use of the archives.
Course Instruction
Collaborate with a librarian to equip your students with essential information literacy and research skills, empowering them to confidently navigate Pratt Libraries' print and digital resources. Together, we’ll craft a customized session that directly supports your course content and assignments, ensuring their success.
Archives Instruction
The Pratt Institute Archives offers instruction to introduce students to the Library’s unique collections and primary sources. They'll gain hands-on experience with archival research, learn to analyze documents, and explore the value of archives in academic inquiry.
Self-Paced Learning
We have a wide range of instructional materials that you can assign to your students without needing to dedicate synchronous class time to library instruction. You may copy links to the video tutorials and quizzes below and add them to your Canvas LMS as assignments or external links. To browse a full list, see our Library Tutorials.
Core Tutorials
- Intro to Library Research
- Using Basic Library Search Tools
- Keyword Brainstorming
- Citing Sources
- Peer-Reviewed Sources
- Avoiding Plagiarism
Advanced
Course Instruction Outcomes
- Introduction to Library Research Services (45 min)
- Tour of Library including service points (reference desk, circulation desk) and book stacks
- Explore special collections that are relevant to course
- Explore library website and online resources that are relevant to course
- Learning About Sources (30 min)
- Students investigate a variety of source types and learn their differences and advantages
- Sources may be books, journals, newspapers, primary sources, social media, or others depending on course needs
- Citations (30 min. 45 min. if include citation software intro)
- Students learn why we cite (give credit where it is due, citations as research resource)
- Identify the parts of the citation
- Practice creating citations
- Track down sources from a citation
- Introduction to Zotero citation management software
- Keyword Brainstorming (30 min)
- Introduction to brainstorming and keyword formation
- Mind map worksheet activity
- Resource Searching and Assessing Results (30 min)
- Demonstration of databases relevant to course including: Search tips, Navigating database search results, Keeping track of research.
- Students learn how to assess search results and adjust search methods accordingly.
- Deconstruct A Scholarly Article (30 min)
- Students learn to identify scholarly articles and understand what research is peer reviewed
- Students learn how to find scholarly articles using library resources
- Students do an activity that deconstructs the parts of a scholarly article
- Active Learning & Research (30 min or more)
- Students conduct independent research in the Learning Lab with a librarian on-hand to provide research help and assistance
- Guided Exploration of Collections (30 min or more)
- Students are guided in an exploration of specific library materials such as artists' books, zines, rare books, and institutional archives
- Self Guided Exploration of Collections (30 min or more)
- Request for library materials and a room to be arranged for a self-guided exploration with students.
Archives Instruction Learning Outcomes
- Introduction to Pratt Institute Archives
- Students will be able to identify and access key materials in the Pratt Institute Archives , understand their significance in preserving its institutional history, and effectively utilize these resources for research and academic purposes.
- Understanding Archives
- Students will be able to understand the structure of an archive, explain the archival approach to collecting and describing materials, and identify the utility and research value of sources from archival collections for academic purposes.
- Resource Searching
- Students will investigate how to navigate finding aids and other archival discovery platforms, track their research, identify the means to access materials from archives, and learn how to expand their research across collections.
- Active In-class Researching
- Students conduct independent research using Pratt Institute Archives' discovery platforms with an archivist or librarian on-hand to provide research help and assistance.
- Guided Exploration of Pratt Archival Materials
- Students explore a selection of archival materials pulled from Pratt Institute Archives’ collections with the guidance of an archivist or librarian and reflect upon the interpretation of archival materials.