Designing+Subject+Guides

=Introduction= There are no set guidelines for creating subject guides, but there are some general guidelines to keep in mind.

= Keep it **simple** = //Be clear, concise, and conversational.//
 * What is the purpose of your subject guide? Give a brief, introductory statement outlining the scope of your subject guide.
 * Provide resources and brief, descriptive annotations (1-2 sentences) for each resource. Why is this resource helpful?
 * Use "I" and "you" instead of the third person.

= Be **consistent** = Keep the format consistent between subject guides. This will make navigation easier for students //**and**// maintenance easier for you.

= Be **specific** = Broad subject guides are not well used. Course-specific subject guides are better. At the high school and elementary school level, guides will likely need to be even more specific.

= Keep it **human** =
 * At the very least, include your contact information (e.g. your school district email address).
 * Additionally, you might consider adding a profile picture and/or embedding a live chat feature.
 * Most importantly, don't forget to support students face-to-face. Introduce students to your subject guides and, then, help them navigate through them. If you can, elicit feedback from them so that you can invest your time and energy into creating well-used subject guides.
 * For those times when you aren't available, screencasting might be a way to connect with and coach students through the research process. I use Jing to create my screencasts.