Assignment Pitfalls to Avoid

Assuming Most Students Already Know the Basics Don’t assume your students have had prior experience with the library. Transfer students or new graduate students may have no experience with this library system. General introductions, in English or Communications classes, may not have exposed students to relevant subject resources for your assignment.

Giving all the students the same assignment When all the students in a single class have the same assignments, resources will be difficult to find at best and may be hidden or vandalized at worst. If a whole class of students needs to use a specific source, put it on reserve prior to giving the assignment.

Requiring Resources that are not Available Don't assume the library does or doesn't have a particular resource. Resources may change dramatically from one semester to the next and our library may not have something you've used at another library.

The Scavenger Hunt Asking students to locate random facts is an ineffective library assignment. It lacks clear purpose and teaches little about research skills. Frustrated librarians, not students, often end up locating the information.

 

Go to Role of the Librarian...

 

This page is modeled after several similar pages at found at the following schools, South Dakota State Univ., Montana State Univ., Univ. of North Florida and Jacksonville State Univ.

 

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