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Designing Effective Research Assignments

Use this page as a guide to writing successful assignments and research projects that require the use of library resources.

    ASK
    Your subject or liaison librarian for assistance in creating assignments.

    ASSIGN
    Real, relevant, content-based research.

    DEFINE
    Terms. Make sure assignments are understood.

    • What is a summary? Abstract? Annotation? Essay? Paragraph? Analysis? Synthesis?

      Why?

      • Many terms have different meanings.
      • For example, an "abstract" is
        • a brief non-judgmental summary of an article, book chapter, etc.,
        • a type of periodical index
        • a type of idea or concept (vs. concrete).

    INDICATE
    How many sources are required.

      Recommended:
      • A minimum with no set maximum.

SPECIFY
Requirements--let students know exactly what you want them to include as resources:

    • Any kind of periodical article? Or only:
      • Scholarly/refereed journal articles?
      • Magazine articles?
      • Newspaper articles?
      • At least 2/3 of the articles be from scholarly journals?
    • Books?
    • Book chapters? (Note: these can resemble journal articles in anthologies.)
    • Web pages? See "Is it Information on the Web or a Journal/Magazine Article?""
    • Government Documents?

DESCRIBE/DEMONSTRATE (SHOW)
What types of resources are required.

      For example:

      • magazines: Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, Business Week.
      • scholarly journals: Journal of Education, Journal of Bacteriology, Journal of Gender Studies.
      • newspapers: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Denver Post.
      • See also, Popular Magazines VS Trade Magazines VS Scholarly Journals for general criteria.

ENCOURAGE
Students to evaluate sources before they use them.

GRADE
Library assignments and allot them a percentage of students' final grades.

      Why?

      • If an assignment isn't graded, students tend to take it less seriously.

DON'T
Require students to use print, CD-ROM and online electronic indexes for their topics.

      Why not?

      • The CONTENT of an index is more important than the format.
      • There are fewer and fewer print and CD-ROM indexes, and some indexes are only available in either print or online electronic format, depending on the year.

DON'T
Assign "Scavenger Hunt" assignments.

      Why not?

      • An entire class of students looking for one library (print) resource can lead to loss and destruction of the item.
      • Scavenger hunts are pseudo-research; they are less instructive than assignments that require problem solving and analysis.

SUGGESTION
Make library research on ongoing process.

    • Create assignments with sections due throughout the semester.
    • Repeat skills learned in earlier assignments to reinforce concepts.

      • For example:

      • A first assignment requires a search of the online catalog for books.
      • A second requires a list of citations to articles identified in a search of electronic indexes ("Databases").
      • A third asks for a gathering or bibliography of the best articles on a topic, based on an evaluation of citations.
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How to do Research

Content: Naomi Lederer