Citation Guides that Students Want: A User Experience Study

Abstract

We sought to determine whether the design and content of a university library citation guide enabled students and faculty to find information efficiently and effectively. Live usability testing revealed that students prefer compact pages with tabbed boxes, color-coded examples, and relatable language describing source types. Unmoderated faculty testing showed support for the prototype design. Findings explore what students seek from citation guides and how they categorize and label sources. This investigation reinforces the importance of well-designed citation guides to students and faculty and recommends iterative usability testing to ensure that library guides foster a positive user experience.