The IUPUI lib guide for philosophy opening page starts out on how to research using keywords and searching tips. With tabs for creating a plan, evaluating sources, it appears to be more helpful to the novice (Indiana University (IUPUI)). A graduate students probably would not need half of these links.
Staffordshire University has a pleasing website for their lib guides. I compared their philosophy guide to IUPUI. Both have similar features, but I think Staff’s portal is assuming the student knows the subject. That is the primary difference between Staffs libguide and IUPUI. Both universities offer undergraduate and masters courses in Philosophy. However, the libguide at Staffordshire seems to be written for a more knowledgeable student (Staffordshire University).
The philosophy libguide at the University of Kentucky is quite thorough. Very easy on the eyes with the layout and tabs. There is a good introduction from the librarian, helpful ideas about getting started in the research and invitation for consultation (University of Kentucky). From first appearances, Kentucky University’s guide has more substance than does IUPUI, with more content for reading at the forefront. However, the same information is probably designed in the sub-layers of IUPUI’s site. For the philosophy student or any humanities student, reading is their strength, and having a libguide that looks like a pinterest webpage is not the most desirable. This is of course, strictly a personal preference.
From reviewing the three libguides, only IUPUI’s needs some tweaking. It needs to have an academic “feel” so that the student can sense this is a storehouse of great information where browsing could take a long time. A student should be able to observe that Philosophy has its own references, indices, and online indexes.
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