Ball State University Libraries Uses an Online Tutorial that Provides Better

Mention the term jump-start and one generally thinks of setting in motion a stalled or sluggish system or process, such as a car battery connected by booster cables to a fresh battery. The librarians in Information Services are similarly providing a new spark to student research through the use of a new interactive tutorial called Research Methods JumpStart.
This online research tutorial is designed to help students learn to locate, evaluate, and use information resources. JumpStart will be used by Ball State University students taking English 104 as a supplement to classroom instruction in research.
JumpStart has three modules designed to help students search, locate, and evaluate the information they need to complete research projects. Students learn a variety of skills, including identifying the best place to start research, searching the Libraries’ research databases, and evaluating the appropriateness of information for their research needs. Quizzes and interactive games help to make for a more interactive and effective learning experience.
JumpStart is based on an open-source tutorial created by librarians at the University of Texas, Austin. In the spirit of adaptation intended for open-source works, the librarians at Ball State University Libraries customized the content to fit the needs of Ball State students and to emphasize the resources of the University Libraries.
JumpStart and other online tutorials to support research, learning, and classroom instruction are available from the University Libraries website at www.bsu.edu/library/collections/instsvs/tutorials.
For more information, contact Lisa J. Jarrell, Ball State University Libraries’ Instructional Services Librarian, LJJarrell@bsu.edu, (765) 285-5356.