Writing a project: a library user education package for engineering students

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Shoolbred, Michael

Affiliations: William Kenrick Library, Birmingham Polytechnic, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2SU, UK

Abstract: In the 1970s, there were several projects in the UK which attempted both to bring together and to disseminate ideas on user education material. This article describes a current project which has developed such material on floppy disk. The materials can be customized and adapted by libraries to fit a variety of needs. The article charts the progress of a learning package in a polytechnic library from initial ideas through various refinements and piloting to implementation and evaluation. The material consists of six booklets designed to help engineering students find information on their projects and write it up. It is written using open learning and structured writing techniques so that it is adaptable and easy to use. Various conclusions are drawn from the project to date. These include the difficulty of meeting user requirements such as brevity while incorporating strategies to promote self-motivation. The material is likely to become cost-effective. and is available from the author. [French, German and Spanish translations of this abstract can be found on pp. 87–90).

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-1990-8105

Journal: Education for Information, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 33-40, 1990