Can your students identify, access, and evaluate the information they need to complete their papers and projects? Here are some hints for developing successful research assignments.

Find specific resources and assignment descriptions on the "Tips, Best Practices, & Assignments" page of this guide.

Just as you cannot teach a semester course in one day, students cannot become competent researchers from a single assignment. Students develop research strategies by using particular library resources (such as a topical database), or by preparing an annotated bibliography. We emphasize a scaffolded approach to developing research strategies and information research knowledge. First-year seminar library session help students develop beginning research competencies that will translate to upper-level courses.

Don't assume students know how to use the library, even if they tell you they do! The majority of students have never been presented with the number of information choices they find in a university library. They also do not enter college understanding the organization of information within a discipline, the expectation of research at a university level, or how to evaluate information. Be specific in what you want the students to do and how you direct them to do it.

As an example, if you want them to use scholarly articles, be sure they know what distinguishes a scholarly journal from a popular journal. If you determine students are having difficulties with finding relevant, authoritative information, consider contacting your liaison librarian to incorporate that practice into their library session.

Choosing a topic is often difficult for students. Even if you suggest general topics, they may need help focusing their topics to meet the requirements for assignments. Asking for a paragraph that describes their research interest will help you head off disasters. Consider assigning students a simple annotated bibliography or recommend specific information resources for them to use.

Explain to students the difference between the open web information found through search engines and structured scholarly information databases (such as ERIC or JSTOR) available electronically via the library. Students are often told by professors NOT to use the open web for a class assignment. Students often confuse the open web and electronic scholarly resources the library purchases. The majority of our subscription databases are only accessible via web access through UR's network.

Liaison librarians are available to help at any stage of the research process from planning research assignments, instructing students in research strategies & resources and acquiring research materials.This can also happen in a full-class setting, small group meetings, or one-on-one consultations. Encourage your students to contact a liaison librarian whenever they have a question about their research.