Shoot for an A

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Darren Chase

Stephanie McEvoy is the library’s graduate intern this semester. She is exploring academic librarianship while she completes her Master’s in Library Science degree from Queens College. She will be writing occasional columns about her discoveries and experiences at Stony Brook University Libraries.

Do you want to get an A on your next research paper? Did you know that you can schedule an appointment with a reference librarian who specializes in your research topic and get one-on-one help with your research?!? When I was a student here I had NO idea that this was available. Whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student, Fall 2014 is a great time to gain new skills in locating and evaluating information.

Doing good research in the 21st century can be a real challenge. The amount of information available can be overwhelming. The reference team here at SBU loves to help students with research. Take a minute to look up the subject specialists in your area of study and then click the convenient link and email them to set a date and time for your meeting. You will be glad that you did. I guarantee you will walk away from the meeting having acquired a new research source or searching skill.

Good research skills are very valuable far beyond the research assignments that you will undertake as a student. A survey done by Hart Research Associates in April of 2013 reported that Employers prefer applicants with the ability to:

a) conduct research & use evidence-based analysis
b) gain in-depth knowledge on a subject, solve problems and communicate effectively
c) apply their learning in real-world settings

The moral of the story is taking advantage of the services provided by the SBU reference team will not only increase your GPA, but will put you in good favor with your future boss.