Creating Effective Research Assignments Path to Student Success

Creating Effective Research Assignments: Path to Student Success Carmen Genuardi, Information Services Librarian

Agenda • Purpose of this session • Seven recommendations • Promoting academic honesty • Characteristics of effective research assignments • Questions/Concerns • Thank you!

WELCOME!! WHY? To create well designed, course-related research assignments that utilize library resources and support excellent teaching and learning. Do your students have the skills necessary to effectively do research for course assignments? Help your students become information literate and gain valuable, transferable research skills for life!

An information literate student is able to: 1. Know: recognize their information need; 2. Locate: access needed information effectively and efficiently; 3. Use effectively and ethically (by citing sources) the needed information; 4. Evaluate information its sources critically. "Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. “ American Library Association. 2006. http: //www. ala. org/acrl/ilcomstan. html (Accessed 15 Nov, 2006).

Learning Outcome: Increase Faculty and Librarian collaboration in order to create effective research assignments that enhance course objectives and support students in creating positive and effective library experiences.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this 30 minute workshop, Faculty will be able to… • Know Identify the majority of the recommendations discussed today in order to create effective research assignments for student learning. • Do Create at least one research assignment that effectively incorporates one or more of the recommendations discussed in the workshop in an effort to facilitate student learning of research skills. • Feel Recognize and appreciate the benefit of collaboration with a Librarian to create and support course-specific research assignments.

WHAT? Seven RECOMMENDATIONS to help in creating positive and effective library experiences for students: Consult with a Librarian: We can help!

1. Send a copy of your research assignment to the library. • Information sources are constantly changing. • Prepares library staff at reference desk to help students with recommended resources for research assignment.

2. Request a library instruction session to help students succeed in this assignment. Library instruction sessions will help students understand the organization of information within a discipline, how to search databases, and how to evaluate information. *Example of a library instruction session (ppt. and exercise) from an SSL 301 class this semester at King Campus.

3. Ensure that the library has needed informational resources for the successful completion of the assignment. • Try doing the assignment yourself. • Provide list of specific resources. • Contact a Librarian to ensure availability and access of needed resources ahead of time.

Remember, we want to hear from you. Send us requests for book titles, videos, and journal titles that will support your research assignments. *Request for resources form online under “Information for Faculty”.

4. Clearly state what students are expected to learn from the assignment. • Provide clear guidelines as to what type of informational resources are required. • Clarify for students that there is a tremendous difference between online scholarly databases and the free web. • Provide students with structured assignments to help them succeed.

*Let’s take a look at the handout of a sample assignment created by an EAC 150 Professors at the King Campus. What kinds of information does this professor include in this assignment that we have discussed so far that help to create an effective research assignment?

5. Place material that will be in high demand on reserve. • To minimize student frustration, place any journal articles, books or videos that will be used heavily by students at the reserve desk. *Course pages are also an excellent access point for providing course specific resources online.

6. Interlibrary Loan & Intercampus Loan • Encourage students to plan ahead so they can take advantage of interlibrary loan and intercampus loan services.

7. Promote academic honesty and citing sources to avoid plagiarism. • Provide students with what specific citation style you require for research papers (APA, MLA, Turabian, etc). • Through the Seneca Libraries web site (http: //library. senecacollege. ca/), students can access online guides for MLA and APA under “Research Help”.

Promoting Academic Honesty You can design research assignments that can help to promote academic honesty and reduce student plagiarism.

Characteristics of Effective Research Assignments: • Has a specific, understood purpose which relates to learning objectives of the course. • Involves collaboration with a Librarian in order to effectively teach research strategies.

*Please refer to the handout entitled: Information Literacy Outcomes with Ideas for Active Learning Assessment • This handout provides examples of active learning activities that you can use to successfully teach information literacy skills to your students.

Lastly… • Many college students regardless of class level, do not have the necessary skills to complete academic library research. • Please don’t leave this portion of the learning process to chance. Work with a Librarian to ensure students have the necessary skills and resources to have a positive library experience.

WHEN? Don’t wait until the last minute. WHERE? Face-to-face, email correspondence, and/or on the telephone. WHO? Teaching Faculty, Librarians, Library Staff, Students. Questions to Ask Yourself About Creating Research Assignments

Resources Consulted • "Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. " American Library Association. 2006. http: //www. ala. org/acrl/ilcomstan. html (Accessed 15 Nov, 2006) • Miriam Library. (April 21, 2006). Promoting Information Literacy through Class Assignments. http: //www. csuchico. edu/lins/assignments/promoting_infolit. html

Thank you!! Did anyone bring an assignment from their classes with them?