Information for Students

Research Help | FAQ | |Distance Learning | Graduate Students Only | Rights and Responsibilities

AU Schedule of Classes

Research Help

There are many ways to get assistance with your research project.

• Come to the Reference Desk during its hours of operation
• Call the Reference Desk at 202-885-3238
• Email a Reference Librarian using: Ask a Librarian
• Chat via Instant Messaging using our guest widget or one of our screennames with major IM providers: AskAULibrary
• Request a personal appointment

The library also offers

• Classes and Workshops on library and research skills
• Online Tutorials and Research Guides
• Subject Oriented Lists of Resources

Library services are available to you from anywhere, including overseas.

Finally, if your research need is extremely specialized, you may contact a Library Subject Specialist in your area.

Distance Learning

The library offers services for students involved in distance learning programs and for doctoral students and faculty located outside of a 100 mile radius.

Click here to see what services you are eligible for.

Rights and Responsibilities

• User Bill of Rights
• User Responsibilities Statement

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does being in the WRLC Consortium do for me?
• How do I go about finding a book?
• How do I go about finding a journal article?
• How do I get a book from another library if it is not owned by AU?
• How do I locate the full text of an article when I have a citation?
• How long can I keep things I borrow?
• What do I need to do to use non-WRLC libraries?
• I have to do a presentation for class. How can the library help me?
• What does academic integrity mean at American University?

Graduate Students Only!

• Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations
• Checklist for AU Thesis/Dissertation Completion
• Agreement Forms for Publishing your Thesis or Dissertation through UMI/ProQuest - use "dissertations" as the username and "publish" as the password when logging in.
• Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects - you must fill out the IRB form for any dissertation or study involving human subjects
  • Human Participant Protection Education for Research Teams - before you submit your IRB paperwork, you must complete this online tutorial and print a copy of the Certificate of Completion to be included in your IRB file
• How do I do a literature review?
• Practical and Moral Support for Graduate Students Writing Theses and Dissertations
• Faculty Proxy Information for TA's and RA's