With an English BA, a passion for creative writing and a background as a professional proofreader, I’m no stranger to muscling words, whether transforming ideas into original text or giving convoluted or flat copy clarity and punch. While this entire site can testify to my handle on the craft, below are a few examples relating to libraries. Also see the web pages section, as writing content has been the key focus of many of the pages I’ve created.
Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism
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I created this Avoiding Plagiarism guide (pdf) while at the University of Victoria, replicating the information on the corresponding web page I wrote. With helpful tips and original examples, this guide was lauded by tutors at the UVic Writing Centre as containing the best explanation of paraphrasing they had ever seen. While the PDF version is available from UVic’s site, it is primarily used as a print-ready copy. Despite the increasing demand and alleged preference for online content, many people still appreciate handouts in print. Additionally, most libraries have enormous web sites that students may not take the time to explore, making it advantageous to have hardcopies in eye-catching information displays, to give patrons at the reference desk and to pass out during workshops. |
FAQs
I contributed a number of frequently asked questions and answers to the library FAQ database at UVic, addressing concerns about information literacy, promoting the effective use of databases and providing tips for maximizing research. I include a few examples here to demonstrate my approach and tone.
Wikipedia
Despite the wealth of authoritative sources in academic libraries, many students initially (and sometimes only) look to Wikipedia. With the FAQ below I remind students that citing Wikipedia is inappropriate for university research. Knowing that its use is inevitable, I also provide tips on mining articles for potential leads to library resources. Though I hesitate to consider Wikipedia an information gateway, exploring it critically and holistically can be an opportunity for students to think more broadly about knowledge construction and the complexity of and connections within the information universe.
JSTOR
The UVic subject librarian for history requested I write this FAQ about JSTOR, a popular but misleading journal archive that students and faculty alike have a tendency to use exclusively for article searching, consequently excluding significant areas of research. This kind of FAQ can be used as a stock response to email to patrons, along with a list of subject-specific databases.
Using citations
Fundamental to research, the ability to interpret a citation then track down the item is often presumed transparent to users. Given the number of questions asked about this at the reference desk, it clearly is not obvious—at least requires practice, as well as knowledge about library services such as course reserves and access in multiple formats. I structured this common question as I would respond if asked in person.
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