Designing Research Assignments

Project Information Literacy: What Can Be Learned about the Information-Seeking Behavior of Today's College Students?

• Assuming that students are skilled researchers. Students will rely on "tried and trued" methods honed using the open web and might not have experience completing substantive research assignments.
• Not guiding students through topic selection. According to Project Information Literacy, 66% of students say that defining a topic is the most difficult part of the process.
• Restricting use of the internet can lead to students avoiding online scholarly journals.
• Having a large class research the same topic can cause a strain on the library's print collection.
• Requiring students to use materials that the library does not own.
• Having students work from incomplete or incorrect information, such as citations.
• Scavenger hunts and trivia quests lead to frustration and don't reinforce critical thinking skills.