Library student support services aim to help EWU students, especially first-generation students with their studies, assignments, projects, and research papers.
The program will be offered to support information and research needs of first-generation students at Eastern Washington University.
Program Title: Engaging First-Generation Students in Library Research through Peer Research Consultations
Peer Research Consultations (PRCs) are provided by fellow Eastern Washington University students who are trained/certified to help first-generation students with their research papers or assignments. Each PRC appointment is intended to be a friendly and pressure-free meeting for first-generation students. The main purpose of PRCs is to facilitate the acquisition of fundamental information literacy skills vital for their long-term academic success. During a PRC appointment, first-generation students will receive research assistance focusing on the topics of one of the following information literacy modules designed by the Social Sciences Librarian.
15 Information Literacy Mini-Modules
- APA citation style – in-text citation and references
- MLA citation style – in-text citation and works cited
- Strategic searching steps to locate scholarly articles in library databases
- Searching PRIMO – Library Catalog
- Identifying characteristics of a scholarly article
- Locating background information on a research topic
- Identifying subject-specific databases
- Finding a particular article in a specific journal from the databases
- Creating an account in EBSCOhost, ProQuest, JSTOR, or SAGE databases
- Using RefWorks citation management tool
- Locating legal information – Supreme Court cases or state court cases
- Limiting database search results with various facets/limiters
- Connecting Google Scholar search results to EWU Library databases
- Requesting library materials via Interlibrary loan service
- Basic Steps in the research process
All first-generation students are encouraged to schedule PRC appointments to improve their library research skills.
What to expect before, during, and after a Peer Research Consultation
Before the session:
Come with ideas about what topics or research areas interest you. Review all 15 information literacy topics and target two topics that you wish to learn more about during your PRC appointment.
During the session:
If the appointment is in-person, you will meet with a trained peer in the JFK Library lobby. If the appointment is online, you will be invited to join in a Zoom meeting.
You will be asked to fill out a brief pre-test survey consisting of three multiple-choice questions on each topic you have selected. The trained peer student will go over the core concepts of the topic with you to ensure that you have a full grasp of the information literacy topic of interest to you. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions about your chosen topics during your PRC session.
Both in-person and online PRC meetings are typically 60 minutes.
After the session:
You will be asked to complete a brief post-test survey consisting of the same questions as your pre-test survey. You will also have a chance to provide your additional feedback if you wish.
Program Goals
The Program aims to provide academic support for EWU first-generation students by helping them master key information literacy skills in order to effectively use library resources for their academic research at Eastern Washington University. Thus, it will ultimately contribute to retention, engagement, and overall academic experience of the first-generation students at Eastern.
