Research Consultations
The Gottesman Libraries supports users of the library via research consultations. Consultations may be booked with our reference staff or with our special and digital collections staff, depending on user need. Read further to determine the best type of consultation for your needs and for instructions on making an appointment.
General Research Assistance
Current members and affiliates of Teachers College, Columbia University can book fifty minute general research consultations. These general research consultations are provided by our Research and Instruction Librarian and Head of Reference and Services and can be done in-person or remotely via Zoom. Consultations cover any aspect of the library research lifecycle, including search query formation; search strategies; reference management software and its implementation; and database navigation.
To Book a Consultation
Click on the "Book a Consultation" button with your librarian of choice and then select a time that works with your schedule. If you do not find a time that fits your needs, check with another relevant librarian's booking page. If there are no suitable times available, submit a consultation request via Ask-a-Librarian.
Specialties & Areas of Help:
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Evidence Synthesis: Systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and meta-analyses
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Basic/Advanced Search Strategies: Subject headings, Boolean logic, database navigation, grey literature
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Research Methods and Design: Refining research questions and resource evaluation
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Research Tools & Software: Zotero, Covidence, and reference management
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Publishing: Peer review and scholarly publishing basics
Specialties & Areas of Help:
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Narrative Literature Reviews: : Topic articulation, native databases vs. metasearch, keyword vs. controlled vocabulary, simple versus advanced searching, Boolean logic
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Research Methods: Developing personalized, effective search habits and strategies
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Curricular and Specialized Collections: Locating K-12 teaching materials, juvenile literature, primary sources, historical materials
Specialties & Areas of Help:
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Library Orientation: Navigating Gottesman services, databases, and physical/digital collections
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Search Foundations: Keyword brainstorming and Boolean search strategies
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Narrative Literature Reviews: Narrative literature reviews and search techniques
Archival Research Consultations
Special Collections, Digital Collections, and Archival Research Assistance
Internal and external users with questions about the Gottesman Libraries archives, or research into the Teachers College Special and Digital Collections may book a consultation with the Special and Digital Collections Librarian.
