Baban Chavan

Teaching of Reference Skills in Indian Universities: a Study in English for Academic Purposes Baban Chavan

Using a dictionary, scanning an encyclopaedia, browsing a new book, using a library are some of the reference skills required by the students seeking higher education. Some of these skills get introductory focus in the school and perhaps college curriculum. It is assumed that these skills are learnt unconsciously by the students and there is no need to teach them. The reality seems to be different. Only a few of the undergraduate students know how to use a dictionary and most of them don't know how to take advantage of a library. Many undergraduates hardly have any experience of scanning an encyclopaedia. Most learners do not seem to have acquired these skills even in their mother tongue. Even the postgraduate students are very poor in the use of reference skills. The undergraduate and postgraduate students require reference skills for their academic purposes like to study their subjects of specialization and to carry out the research projects. In the light of the absence of user education at the college libraries, this book would be useful to all the students seeking higher education in the faculties of Arts, Commerce, Science, Law, Management, Engineering and Medicine.