Teaching your students how to use the library and perform research will serve them many times over in their college career and beyond. Library assignments that ask students to find and use information in a meaningful way will lead to increased understanding of the subject area, as well as lay a foundation that will help the student become information literate.

The first step in planning library assignments is to make sure there is a clearly defined goal or purpose to the assignment. A random list of “scavenger hunt” type questions that require students to find obscure facts rarely has a clear purpose or focus. The same is true for “mob scene” assignments that require the entire class to consult the same sources. Good assignments will teach research strategies, help students to become acquainted with key resources in the subject area, and teach them how to evaluate sources along the way. So, it is important to ask yourself the following questions:

• what do I want the assignment to accomplish? 
• what is the purpose of the assignment?
• what do I want the students to learn?
• what results do I want?

The assignment should match the educational level of the students. You should have realistic expectations of your students. Many students have had little exposure to libraries and therefore do not understand basic library concepts, such as:

• what is contained in a library catalog and how to use it
• the difference between a magazine article and a journal article
• use of online databases and the difference between subscription databases and the Internet
• what is research and why it’s a lengthy process

Some Tips:

1. Give library assignments in writing.
   Students often need to read through the assignment several times to fully understand it. They also might forget or misunderstand portions of it.
2. Be sure the library has the resources you require.
   Library resources change all the time and newer databases replace older formats. Do the assignment yourself to make sure it can be done with the material available at the SU Library.
3. Consult with the Reference Staff.
   We can help you identify resources or give your class an instructional session. Click here for more information. It would also help if you gave us a copy of the assignment in advance so we can be prepared when students ask us for help.