Before you finalize your class research assignment, let a librarian put it through its paces. We can test out the assignment; suggest appropriate library databases; check on the availability of other resources; point out tip sheets, tutorials, and other guides; review the assignment for clarity; and help you anticipate student questions before they arise.

Email your assignment to mx-library@ctstate.edu or call 860.343.5830 for more details. ~ Please allow at least two (2) weeks for review. 

• Clearly state the purpose of the assignment and how it relates to the subject or learning objectives of the class.Integrate information literacy objectives with course objectives so students understand that skills learned in class will be helpful to them in the future.
• For a paper, share samples so students get a clear idea of what is required. A clear thesis statement and sources contributing to the thesis are paramount.
• Make students aware of the variety of information sources and formats available (print, digital, video, etc) and which of these research materials are acceptable for the assignment. For example, one might search the library database PsychArticles to find a clinical study or use The Encyclopedia of Ethics in Credo for information on John Dewey. 
• This being said, the Library's print and online resources may change periodically. Review 'tried-and-true' assignments to make sure the resources are still available as well as to clear up any confusion from past semester.
• Avoid "ambiguous" terminology.  Some examples:
  • "academic sources" - do you mean scholarly journals, or anything found through the library databases or something else?
  • "only journals" - do you mean scholarly journals or a broader category of periodicals which would include popular magazines?  Does the assignment support "scholarly journals only"? 
  • "no Internet sources" - library databases are found on the Internet so students get confused about whether they can use these sources. Also, resources found on the Internet through Google Scholar or a government website, for example, may be authoritative and appropriate for the assignment.
  • "no encyclopedias" (or other reference books) - do you mean no "general" encyclopedias? Subject encyclopedias can help students get up to speed on a new topic, provide background information, and/or provide scholarly discussion on the topic.
• Include some topic suggestions and advice on ways to focus a topic when you know little about it; e.g., read encyclopedia entries or review articles to build some basic knowledge. Encourage students to do some research before settling on a topic, which is approved by the professor. 
• Don't assume students have prior research experience. Even students who have completed many classes can use a refresher or can pick up a new tip. Also, history shows that most all students struggle with creating citations despite their experience level!
• Especially for higher level classes, inform students of relevant journals and important past and present researchers in the field. They will have more success in looking for quality research. It is better, however, to avoid requiring students to restrict their sources to only certain titles.
• Encourage students to use the best content rather than requiring certain formats such an assignment requiring one article, one book, one film etc. This provides students the opportunity to select and evaluate the appropriateness of information sources.
• Direct students to the many tools on the library website, especially "Learn About the Research Process" for finding, evaluating, and citing their sources. 

Ideas from Your Middlesex Librarians:

• Dissecting Editorials- Students find an editorial about an issue related to the course and analyze it, looking for claims and issues that might be clarified by research in the literature. Find some articles that support or refute the claims in the editorial.
• Find a good article- Select one or more scholarly articles on a subject with relevance to the course and of particular interest to the student, and write an annotation of it. Turn in a copy of your article(s) with the paper. Use a highlighter to highlight the portions of the scholarly article(s) you discuss in your annotations.
• Write an encyclopedia article, with a bibliography.
• Design and develop a webpage on a topic with the best links to good internet resources.
• Prepare for a debate on a topic.
• Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper
• Prepare a closing argument in a court case.
• Write a newspaper editorial on a topic. Include the sources you used to create your argument.

Ideas from other Institutions:

More Ideas from Your Middlesex Librarians:

• Compare two web sites on the same topic or compare four web sites- governmental, scholarly, commercial and personal.

• Compare journal articles and websites.

• Compare articles from conservative and liberal sources.

• Find a short article in a magazine or newspaper and find the original research on which the popular article was based. Discuss the differences between the original and popular articles and critique the accuracy of the popular article.

• Compare a popular magazine article with a scholarly journal article on the same topic. A librarian would be happy to help you find good examples to use. Suggest a few points to consider, such as the author’s credentials and sources used, and how the treatment of the topic differs.

• Locate and evaluate the "best" and the "worst" web site on a topic and say why you chose these two.