Students are easily confused by new terms and often interpret assignments literally.
Think about how students might interpret the "the web," "the internet" or "online sources." Many times when instructors say that students cannot use the internet or that web sources are not allowed, students get the impression that they are not allowed to use our book or journal article databases on the library web site. These tools index and make available full-text online sources that were often originally published in print. It is important that students do not confuse these resources with what is freely retrieved by searching the web via a search engine such as Google or Yahoo.
Explain what you mean if you tell your students NOT to use the internet. Since all of our online databases for finding articles are on the internet, it is important to be clear about whether this stipulation applies to library databases as well.
Although most students visit the library their freshman year as part of English 111, SVSU does not have a mandatory orientation session for transfer or new students, and as a result they may have not experience in our library system. In addition, basic library skills may be inadequate for upper level research. Consider scheduling a library instruction session tailored to your class.
The materials that Zahnow Library owns or subscribes to changes from semester to semester. Sometimes subscriptions are canceled, titles change, or old sources are replaced by new ones. Zahnow Library may not own or have online access to the same materials as other libraries you have used in the past. Consider revisiting your assignment before giving it out.
Does the library have enough materials to support the assignments, or will students need to InterLibrary Loan materials? Always allow for the students' inexperience and the various locations of different materials.
Searching for obscure facts without any guidance can be frustrating for students and teaches them little or nothing about doing research. Librarians rather than students frequently end up locating the answers. Scavenger hunts typically don't require students to evaluate the source of information or use the information for any purpose and are subsequently less instructive than assignments that require problem solving and analysis.
Needed resources will be difficult to find at best, disappear or be vandalized at worst. Instead of asking the whole class to research the history of IBM, ask them to research a major public American corporation of their choosing.
If you have a large number of students using the same source, consider placing it on Reserve so that all will have easy access to it.
If you have a large number of students accessing one or two resources, consider placing these materials on Reserve so that all students will have easy access to it. Library Reserves are materials circulated by the Access Services (Circulation) desk as a service for SVSU faculty. Students may check out these items under the terms specified by faculty during the library’s open hours.
When many students are working on a single assignment, it can be very helpful if we have a copy of it as well. We will then be better prepared to help your students locate appropriate soures.
Drop the assignment off at the Reference Desk or email it to:
kmkroll@svsu.edu