In a classroom setting with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio, it's challenging for librarians to address individual research gaps or learning paces. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to focus on your specific research needs, adapt explanations to your learning style, and provide immediate feedback on your search strategies and citations. This targeted approach helps students master information literacy skills faster and with greater confidence.

Many students struggle with distinguishing credible sources from unreliable ones, navigating complex databases, formatting citations correctly, and developing efficient research strategies. Others find it difficult to narrow research topics, synthesize information from multiple sources, or understand how to use library catalogs effectively. Personalized tutoring addresses these specific pain points with targeted practice and real-world research projects.

During the first session, a tutor will assess your current research skills, understand your specific academic needs (whether you're working on a class project, preparing for a research paper, or building general information literacy), and identify areas where you need the most support. This foundation allows the tutor to create a personalized learning plan tailored to your goals and learning style.

Yes. Tutors can guide you through the entire research process for essays, projects, or presentations—from narrowing your topic and developing search strategies to evaluating sources and organizing your findings. They'll also help ensure your citations are formatted correctly and that you're using credible, relevant sources. This hands-on support builds both immediate assignment success and long-term research skills.

Varsity Tutors connects students at all grade levels—from middle school through college—with tutors who understand grade-appropriate research expectations and curriculum standards. Whether you're learning basic library navigation in elementary school or conducting advanced academic research in high school or college, tutors adapt their instruction to match your developmental stage and academic requirements.

You'll see improvement in concrete ways: stronger research papers with better sources, faster and more efficient database searches, correct citation formatting on first attempts, and greater confidence tackling unfamiliar research topics. Many students also notice improved grades on assignments that require research skills and increased independence when starting new projects—they no longer need to ask for help with the basics.

Varsity Tutors matches you with an expert tutor based on your specific needs, availability, and learning goals. Simply tell us what you're working on—whether it's a research paper, citation help, or building overall information literacy skills—and we'll connect you with a tutor who has experience supporting students with those exact challenges. You can get started with your first session quickly and see immediate progress.