Asking for help can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Your subject librarian is eager to help you reach your research goals, and one of the most effective ways we can do this is by meeting with you one on one to discuss what you are working on. 

Research consultations can be useful to a broad array of researchers, including undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. These appointments give you the opportunity to get personalized, one-on-one help with an expert librarian in your field. 

That being said, 30-60 minutes is not a lot of time, so please read on for some tips on how to show up to your in-person or virtual appointment with the tools you will need to walk away more knowledgeable than you were before. 

In short, a research consultation is an appointment between a researcher and a subject librarian, in which a researcher can ask questions and receive guidance on how best to conduct their research. Within this framework, there are a lot of things the researcher could address, including topic selection, database navigation, citation management, etc. If you have a question that is not necessarily best answered by the subject librarian, they can point you in the right direction to get that question answered.

The more information you are able to give your librarian about your research question ahead of time, the better they will be able to prepare for your appointment. Often, your librarian will ask you to provide information about your research topic, whether this inquiry is related to a specific course or assignment, and/or what your goal is for the meeting. It can be helpful to attach an assignment page or a part of your syllabus that explains the assignment you are working on, if relevant. It is also helpful to provide some background information on your topic, if you have that. 

That being said, if you are still in the very beginning stages of your research and unable to provide a lot of details, that does not mean that a consultation is not right for you. You can also use the time to go over the research process and learn how to find background information, narrow down your topic, and ask questions about library resources. 

This will depend on your research inquiry and what kind of work you are doing. Generally, you can expect to start out by answering the librarian’s questions. If you are just getting started with research, and especially if you’re new to using UTA resources, you can expect to be walked through how to access the tools we have available. It is also likely they will demonstrate one or two relevant databases, if there’s time and it’s something you are interested in. 

Other examples of things you might expect to learn from a research consultation include how to develop and expand your search strategy for a particular research question, how to write a specific kind of research paper (like a literature review or an evidence synthesis project), or how to use a research tool. 

Again, all librarians are different but you can generally expect a follow up message or email. Often this will summarize your interaction and include links to suggested tools or resources. If you are meeting on Teams, some librarians may also be fine with recording the meeting so that you are able to save it and rewatch it later. This can be especially helpful if your subject librarian took the time to give you a tutorial on how to use a specific database. 

If you find that you still need more help after your research consultation is over, please don’t hesitate to send follow up questions or even schedule another meeting. Your librarian is happy to help and wants to see you succeed. If you have any feedback about the way information was presented or the content of your meeting, your librarian would also be happy to receive that. 

At the top of the UTA Libraries website, you can scroll over the “Research” heading and navigate to the Librarians by Academic Subject page. From there, you can filter by subject to find the librarian who specializes in your field of research. When you find the right person, click on their photo to navigate to their homepage, where you can find the “Schedule Appointment” button. From there, you will be asked where you would like to meet and will be able to select an appointment time based on what your subject librarian has available. If you do not see a time slot that works for your schedule, don’t worry! Feel free to send an email to that librarian to see if they can meet at an alternate time or direct you to another qualified librarian who can. 

Once you’ve scheduled an appointment, keep an eye on your email for appointment reminders and questions from your librarian. 

The cover image for this blog post is a modified version of “Top view at two teenagers using computer in school library…” © Seventyfour/Adobe Stock, made available under an education license.  It was modified to add the blue gradient, line graphics, and the “Research @UTA Libraries” banner.