The list this week is from Robert Gordon University, and is entitled “Children, youth and society”. You can view it here.

Why we like this list

As is often mentioned mentioned, a good list starts with a good structure. Here we see Set Texts, Suggested Readings, Journal Articles and the Journal Club, and Other Useful sources. This is followed by weekly readings (dates included) with seminar readings embedded within. What is nice about all these sections is the clear guidance to students at the beginning of each on how to use the resources as part of their learning.

There’s a clue for the other reason this list is highlighted in the previous paragraph – can you spot it? Yep, Journal Club!!! This is explained in the section notes:

You will have the opportunity to participate in a journal club for Children, Youth and Society. This entails three meetings during the module where we discuss articles relating to elements of the course which you find most interesting. As you progress through university, you will be expected to refer to journal articles in essays. Many of you will not have done this so far, thus the journal club is a way of getting used to finding/using such articles. This will provide practical critical skills, skills that you can use in the exam and also use during your career after university. The library provides a range of electronic journals

with a lovely closing note:

It is strongly recommended that you use up-to-date articles as part of your study at this level.

Ignoring how much we love the idea of a Journal Club, and the obvious information literacy value being displayed here, this is also worth highlighting as it is quite rare for an entre section of journal “awareness” reading to be included on a list. More frequently we see specific articles reocmmended, or maybe the occasional journal but this apporach we would anticipate should provide students with genuine benefit.

Closing thoughts

Maybe you have seen academics at your institutions highlighting good ranges of journals, newspaper or entire websites that students should become familiar with. If so, do tell us about them below.