Creating Effective Research Assignments

Creating Effective Library Assignments

The assignment should:

• Be purposeful: An effective library assignment has a specific understood purpose, e.g. "by completing this assignment, students will achieve X learning objectives." Students are more likely to be engaged if they know why they're doing the assignment, and librarians can offer better service if we know what you are hoping to achieve. 
• Be clear: A student who misunderstands an assignment will have difficulty completing it. Consider providing the assignment instructions in writing rather than only orally. Include all guidelines for types and number of sources required, page length, due date, preferred/required paper format (MVCC Libraries support APA, MLA, and Chicago), and appropriate topics. 
• Be current: Library resources are constantly changing. Make sure your assignment is not out of date and uses the most current sources and research methods. For most subjects, a research assignment that does not allow any non-print sources is not taking advantage of any of the latest information or best materials available. 
• Be appropriate: Make sure your assignment can be completed by the students in a timely manner. Check with the library to make sure there are enough resources to support the assignment. 
• Embody critical thinking: Design the assignment so that students are able to use the information in a meaningful way. Having students analyze, evaluate, or comment on the information they find will help integrate information literacy skills into your course and makes students more apt to retain these skills.
• Refer: Stress to students that there are professional librarians available at the library to help them retrieve the information they need.

Helpful reminders:

• Give the librarians a heads up! We can offer better, more consistent service to your students if we have a copy of the assignment in hand and time to search in advance. We can obtain additional materials, either through purchase or interlibrary loan, and we can place materials we already have on Course Reserve so all of your students have equal access. 
• Check the library's holdings and use complete and accurate titles when referring to a source. Many databases and reference works have similar titles, and may change titles over time. The library continually updates our holdings; a resource you prefer might be discarded, or we might have purchased something even better! 
• Don't assume your students know library research basics. Librarians are available to conduct a library tour, to come to your class to teach research skills and techniques, or to provide instructional materials asynchronously. Fill out the online instruction request form to get started.