Tips for Creating Library Research Assignments

Objectives

A good library research assignment:

  • Provides a positive and rewarding library research experience.
  • Provides students with basic electronic research skills.
  • Is focused and has a clear outcome.

 

Tip 1: Library Services

  • Encourage your students to visit their campus library.
  • Include the Seneca Libraries Web site link in your assignment (the URL is http://library.senecacollege.ca).
  • Direct your students to the Glossary of Library Terms to become familiar with terms used in the library.
  • Provide the library with a copy of your assignment(s) and answer key.
  • See our sample library research assignment - you may customize this assignment for your course by contacting your Liaison Librarian.

 

Tip 2: Choosing Topics

  • Assign a wide variety of topics which will give students a better chance at finding resources. Resources may be limited on some topics.
  • Choose topics which are related to the course and career of your students. This integrates course objectives with library research and helps develop lifelong learning skills.
  • Topics are selected from your course, developed by you and your Liaison Librarian.
  • You may also refer to the following reference book (available from the Newnham Reference Desk):
    • 100 More Research Topic Guides for Students
  • Direct your students to use Seneca Libraries' research databases for finding information in newspapers and magazines or journals.
  • Do not give scavenger or treasure hunts. These types of assignments are frustrating and do not relate the process to a real information need.

 

Tip 3: Searching for Books and Audio-Visual Resources

 

Tip 4: Searching for Magazine, Newspaper and Journal Articles

  • Direct your students to use Seneca's research databases when searching for newspaper, magazine, and journal articles.
  • Access to abstracts and full-text articles from thousands of magazines, journals and newspapers is available from a variety of databases. Note the different scope, currency and content of each electronic resource. Review the databases by subject.
  • Be aware that each electronic resource has different search software and therefore has a different interface. Your students will have to become familiar with different searching techniques for each electronic resource.
  • Recommend one or two electronic resources which are suitable for the topics assigned. This will enable your students to understand that they must select electronic resources appropriate to their topic.
  • Avoid asking students to use print newspapers or magazines only - this limits their exposure to digitally available research resources and may encourage vandalism and theft.

 

Tip 5: Searching for Web Sites

  • Ask students to find one Web site when searching for information.
  • Web sites can be another valuable source of information. However, encourage students not to rely solely on Web sites when doing their research.

 

Tip 6: Help with Research