Designing Assignments that Work

Effective Research Assignments

• have clear objectives
• provide detailed instructions
• produce tangible & meaningful output
• teach lasting skills
• improve understanding of subject matter
• tie-in directly with course content

Research Assignment Goals should be:

• directly related to learning outcomes for the course
• clear and specific
• communicated to students
• in writing
• discussed in class

Keep in mind ...

• students often know less about research than you (and they) think
• students lack knowledge of:
  • scholarly communication process
  • relevant journals
  • cornerstone monographs
  • important authors/researchers
  • bibliographic tools

Be Specific

What types of sources are appropriate

• primary or secondary
• popular or scholarly articles
• print, non-print, electronic, etc.
• government documents

Explain terminology

• primary vs. secondary sources
• monographs vs. collected volumes
• peer reviewed journal
• review article

Suggest particular/appropriate types of tools

• use PsycINFO to find a report of a clinical study
• use the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy for information on the life and work of W.V.O. Quine
• Use OBIS/OhioLINK Library Catalog to find books or videos beyond class readings

Be Accurate

• provide complete citations
• provide call numbers
• refer to sources by full and proper names

Provide Guidelines

• Indicate your preferred citation style
• What are the requirements for using for images (e.g. color vs. black and white, size, resolution, captions)
• Indicate the word count or number of pages (margins, point size)

Verify the Potential for Success

• confirm that required resources are available
• consult with a librarian
• order new materials
• try a "dry run" yourself

Be Flexible

• recognize that not all topics can be handled in the same way

Be Sparing with Prohibitions

• don't use the Internet
• don't use encyclopedias
• don't use Google

Use Research Services

• consult a librarian during your planning process
• schedule an instruction session
• full or partial class session, hands-on searching lab or lecture/demonstration
• encourage students to ask for help
  • at the reference desk
  • by scheduling research appointments

Use Reserve

Prevent hoarding of resources when all students have the same topic or need to find the same information.