Purpose
Using the TCU Library can be an overwhelming
experience for new students to Texas Christian University. Well-designed
course-related library assignments are an effective way to introduce these
students to library research and reduce their anxiety. Library assignments
work best when instructors and librarians collaborate.
Checklist
The following checklist is meant to help ensure students have a
positive library experience, reinforce library use as a means of learning,
and help faculty design library assignments. A greater number of elements
contained in a research assignment will increase the chances the students
will acquire effective and transferable research skills, although all of
the following elements are not necessary for an effective library
assignment.
- Assign a Variety of Topics. Books, periodicals, and other
resources can often be misplaced, lost, or mutilated when a large number
of students are working on the same topic. Consider placing needed
material on reserve (i.e., Reserve Desk in the Library, E-Reserve
on the Internet). While using reserve helps, it does not completely
alleviate the problem of large numbers of students needing to use
limited numbers of the same items.
- Have a Purpose. Structure assignments so students are
required to find and then evaluate or analyze information. One obvious
way to do this is to have the assignment require them to make
comparisons between two or more sources of information. Another method
of critical analysis would be to have the student look at the potential
impact of something or agree/disagree with a researched viewpoint.
- Make it Relevant. Tie the assignment to what is being
discussed in class, or to future assignments. Students will not be
motivated to remember how they did their research, or analyze the
information found if it is not pertinent to the course. If you want
students to familiarize themselves with the library, consider having a
librarian conduct a library orientation, or schedule a Library
Instruction Session.
- Provide Written Instructions. Give students clear/precise
written instructions. Students can frequently misunderstand, forget, or
incorrectly write down an oral assignment. Library staff are often asked
to interpret assignments or determine an instructor's intent.
- Prepare Library Staff. Send a copy of the assignment to the
Reference Desk or Laura Steinbach (l.steinbach@tcu.edu), Orientation Librarian, at TCU Box 298400. You can include what you would prefer
staff do, and not do, when helping your students in the library. This
will also allow us to ensure the proper resources are available for your
students to use.
- Include a Source List. Provide a list of appropriate
resources for students to work from (i.e., subject encyclopedias,
databases, reference sources). Refer students to the Subject Research
Guides available through many library web pages.
Other Helpful Practices
- Check Online
Catalog to verify the accuracy of references given to students and
make sure that the TCU Library owns the cited materials.
- Schedule a Library Instruction session to introduce students to the
library and its resources.
- Refer students with research problems to the IC Reference Desk for a
Personal Library Instruction Session.
- Be careful instructing students not to use the Internet or Web. The
Library's catalog, most of our databases, and some other resources are
only available through the Internet/Web.
Pitfalls
- Scavenger hunts (busy work) tend to lack a clear purpose, teaches
the students little about doing research, and usually just frustrates
them. Librarians rather than the students frequently end up locating the
answers.
- Don't assume the students already know how to use the
TCU Library. Not all incoming freshmen attended a Library
Instruction session or a Library Orientation session during their
first year.
-
Not referring or citing a resource because the TCU
Library does not
own it. If given enough time, items can be placed on Reserve, or
students can acquire a TexShare card from the Library which affords
check-out privileges at all university libraries in the Metroplex.
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