Focus on…Library Assignments

All of us have at some time during our education struggled with the following
assignment:

Find the following fifty terms, define them, and explain their importance to this
course. You’ll find the answers in the Library.

A positive aspect of this assignment (unfortunately, the only one) is that it sends
students to the Library. However, it doesn’t tell how the Library work relates to course
goals and objectives, nor does it teach new research skills or provide students guidance
in finding the answers. Most likely, students will consult sources they already know
(imagine an entire course trying to use the general encyclopedias at the same time!), and
they won’t learn about different, better sources of information relevant to the course
and discipline.

We at University Libraries would like to help make your students’ Library experience
rewarding and pleasant. We ask that you consider the following general “do’s” and
“don’ts” when constructing library assignments:

Please don’t… Please don’t…

 create a “mob scene” by
requiring all students to seek
the same information or use the
same source.
 expect students to find
materials based on incomplete
citations/references to
information sources.
 use incorrect terminology
(research databases aren’t
search engines), or highly
specialized jargon or theoretical
concepts that students (and
librarians) might not
understand.
 expect library faculty to
mind your students while you
attend a conference.
 suggest research methods
that are inappropriate to the
library being used (e.g., “browse
the journals”).
 assign resources the Library
doesn’t own.
 assign research on topics
that are vague, too broad, or too
narrow.
 require students to find the
answers to obscure factual
questions.
 create assignments that have
no obvious or logical
connection to your course (a.k.a.
busy work).*
 Please do…
 explain the importance of the
assignment and relate the library work to
the course’s learning objectives.
 give full written instructions, indicating
what types of resources should be used,
along with citations, call numbers, and
locations.
 make the assignment relevant to the
course content.
 gear the assignment to the knowledge
and research skill level of your students.
 use the assignment to teach research
strategies ( including the research process,
resources, and evaluating information).
 relate the assignment to students’
interests and the course objectives.
 put materials needed by more than one
student on reserve.
Please do…
 try the assignment yourself before
you give it to your students to make sure
the Library has the resources, and the
assignment is doable.
 involve a librarian in designing your
assignment. Subject-specialist librarians
know the discipline and the Library
collection, and they’re familiar with
student research issues.
 provide a copy of the assignment for
the Reference Desk. Give your Library
faculty colleagues a chance to prepare
for, and more knowledgeably help,
students with the assignment.
 give the library assignment early, so
that students can use their library skills
in your course and their other courses.*

Here are some examples of creative library assignments. These assignments all engage
students with course work via active learning techniques.
 Prepare an annotated bibliography on a topic of their choice related to the course.
 Write an abstract of a journal article.
 Find and compare articles from popular scholarly periodicals on the same topic.
 Research an issue related to the course and participate in a panel discussion or
debate.
 Research an issue related to the course content that’s a local or statewide issue and
have students engage in a debate.
 Research a controversial or important political topic and have students role play
presenting their side of the issue to a legislative committee, town meeting, or other
appropriate venue.
 Find and compare book reviews on a book related to the course.

Effective library assignments…

 reinforce course content.
 reinforce research skills, Information Literacy, and lifelong learning.
 are creative and get students thinking “outside the box.”
 work against plagiarism and cheating.

The library faculty are eager to provide instruction in research skills and library resources and
will gladly help you to design effective library assignments. Please call or e-mail us to
arrange instruction for your students. Faculty contact information is available on the University
Libraries homepage (http://www.usd.edu/library). We look forward to hearing from you!
*Adapted from: Gibson, Caroline and Stephanie Michel. “Fishing for Success: Faculty/Librarian Collaboration Nets Effective Library
Assignments.” Making the Grade: Academic Libraries and Student Success. Ed. Marie Caitlin Kelly and Andrea Kross. Chicago: Association of
College and Research Libraries, 2002. 59, 61.