Keywords
Student Researchers, Mentoring Undergraduates, Anthropology, Libraries
Abstract
This paper reports on the use of undergraduate students enrolled in an Applied Anthropology course as researcher for a library use study at Brigham Young University's (BYU) Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL). This is a common practice at BYU, but has not been reported extensively in the literature. The study was carried out by the authors with the assistance of undergraduate students, the students being the researchers and was conducted in order that the HBLL could determine student ideas for reconfiguring some newly opened space in the Periodicals room. Using students assisted the library as well as met a curricular need in the Anthropology course. Ethnographic methods were the primary means used to gather the data. The paper asserts that the peer interaction during the data collection significantly enriched the quality of the data collected.
Original Publication Citation
Library and Information Research Volume 35, Number 19 (211): 55-66
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Washburn, Allyson and Bibb, Sheila C., "Students Studying Students: An Assessment of using Undergraduate Student Researchers in an Ethnographic Study of Library Use" (2011). Faculty Publications. 87.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/87
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2011-02-25
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/2738
Publisher
CILIP Library and Information Research Group
Language
English
College
Harold B. Lee Library
Copyright Status
© 2011
Copyright Use Information
http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/