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Alternative Learning Materials at Muskingum

Information and guidelines on how to integrate open materials in your classes.

Why use library resources?

OhioLINK and OPAL provide our campus with resources that can be used not only for student research, but for class use.             
  1. Electronic articles and books offer current sources. 
  2. Many students don't read a scholarly article until they are in 300 level classes. Using them as a part of the course reading helps to introduce them to scholarly writing before they need to understand it for a research project.
  3. Using articles and e-books helps familiarize students with the platforms they will need to use to do library research. 

How do library materials fit into your class?

Getting started can be the hardest part. Some tips:

  • Consider your syllabus. Is there a purchased text that would lend itself to replacement by an article or a collection of articles and book chapters? 
  • Get to know your resources. All departments and most majors have a subject guide that lists the best resources for that subject. You can also browse the A-Z database list and limit it by subject and by type of database (IE, full text, primary source, etc). 
  • Meet with a librarian. We will help you identify materials that might work for your class and work through any hurdles you might encounter.