Before you begin creating a Guide, you should consider what type of Guide you are creating: 

• Subject/Topic Guide: guides that help users get started on a particular research subject or topic. 
• Course Guide: guides specifically designed for a class.
• How To Guide: guides on how to use library tools and find specific kinds of materials that are relevant to all users.
• Internal or Template Guide: guides that are made for training, posting internal documentation, or collecting linked assets/content items. Internal or Template guides are only viewable by users who have accounts in the system

Your guide should follow these naming conventions:

Course Guide Names

• Course Abbreviation (ALL CAPS) [space] Course Number [space] Short Title
• Example: BIO 3314 Comparative Vertebrate Zoology

Subject Guide Names

• Simple subject
• Example: World History

If creating a general subject Guide, consider your audience.

Beginning Researcher

•  Guide should serve as a research starting point
• Include key databases, journals, reference works and websites
• Link to key organizations

More Advanced Researcher

•  Provide new library resources in the area, or more in-depth resources than what students use in lower level courses
•  Provide more advanced instruction on how to search databases at a new or higher level
•  You can always include a link to a more introductory LibGuide for an overview

You should consider the scope of your Guide.

Guides tailored to support particular courses:

• Should follow course’s learning outcomes
• Supplement in-person instruction
• If a student is absent from in-person instruction, ensure that the guide provides relevant information.

General subject-related guides:

• How to start research in this discipline
• Tactics or resources for experienced researchers
• Tutorials for new tools/resources at the library