WSU Library Instruction

Creating Effective Library Assignments

Keys to creating and executing a successful library based assignment:

General Principles and Guidelines:
Subject Area Specialist (Librarian) Contact:
  • Identify a purpose or rationale for the assignment that is clearly communicated to the students

  • Make sure the assignment is closely tied to the course content to provide relevance

  • Check with the WSU Libraries' Subject Area Resources and Subject Area Guides to learn of relevant resources for your assignment

  • Work through the assignment yourself

  • Be sure that each resource listed on your assignment has the complete name of the item, accurate usage of terminology is a must

  • Create assignments so that a large number of students are not trying to get access to a very small number of resources
  • Check with your Subject Area Specialist (librarian) to get an idea about available resources and potential resources limitations

  • Check with your Subject Area Specialist (librarian) about putting heavily used materials on reserve

  • Contact your Subject Area Specialist (librarian) to schedule a course-integrated instruction session

  • Contact your Subject Area Specialist (librarian) to see about putting a paper copy of your assignment at the reference desk

  • Encourage your students to stop by the Reference & Information Desk to get help if they need assistance


 

Suggestions for library based assignments (beyond the traditional research paper):

Using (a) component(s) of the course content as a topic:

Return to WSU Library Instruction Home Page