Local high school students get leg up on research with help from Clemson Libraries

More than 90 students from two area high schools have gotten some extra help from Clemson Libraries to kick off the school year. Students from AP Research and AP Seminar classes at Daniel and Wren high schools have taken field trips to Cooper Library to get some research tips from librarians and access databases and other resources that they may not be able to access elsewhere.

For the classes, students must choose and research a particular topic the entire year. For AP Seminar, students must write essays through the year and prepare a final presentation on their topic. For AP Research, students design and conduct a year-long, research-based investigation to address a specific question. Students chose a variety of topics for their projects, from election media coverage to bone damage in domestic chicken species to the regulation of artificial intelligence. Because Clemson Libraries has librarians dedicated to specific subject areas, students were able to get personalized assistance on every topic.

Librarians received the list of topic areas in advance and "crowdsourced" the best databases and search strings to use for each topic.

"After a brief instruction session about database selection and search techniques, we offered individualized search strategies for each student so they had a starting point," said Suzanne Rook Schilf, head of teaching and learning for the Libraries. "Because their time here was so limited, we wanted to make sure they used it to the best of their ability."

Because most of the online resources the students needed to use are limited to only Clemson students, faculty and staff, the high schoolers were given temporary login access during their visit.

Librarian Camille Cooper said working with local high schools is an important part of the Libraries' service to the state and has a big impact on students.

"It is important to give high school students that exposure to an academic library early," Cooper said. "I actually had a Clemson senior tell me that when he started Clemson it was a long time - a couple of years - before he came to the library because he said he was so intimidated by it. If we can get to these students when they're in high school, they won't be intimidated by it, and they'll have a much easier transition wherever they go to school. They will know that there are librarians who can help them with their research and that they shouldn't be afraid to ask for help."

Chrissy Barbusca, an English teacher at Wren High School, said the experience gave her students a whole new perspective on Clemson.

"We had a little debrief session after the visit, and the students were all still wide-eyed about how kind and helpful everyone was and about the vastness of resources made available to them," Barbusca said. "I enjoy seeing how these kids who have grown up going to Clemson football games and think they know all things Clemson are completely stunned to have gained this new angle on the University."