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Discover strategies to design research assignments that cultivate critical thinking and lifelong learning skills, providing students with less frustration and better research results. Learn how to select topics, evaluate sources, and design alternative assignments. Avoid common pitfalls like plagiarism and encourage students with helpful resources. Enhance learning outcomes through assessment tools and sharing best practices.
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Creating Research Assignments for Better Results By Carol Womack Professional Development Day, Spring 2004
Effective Assignments Mean: • Less frustration for students • Better research • Critical thinking skills • Lifelong learning skills
Effective Assignment--Definition • Has a specific, understood purpose • Relates to course • Increased understanding of subject • Variety of sources • Timeline
Direction Limits Objectives Selecting a topic is difficult http://library.smc.edu/research/topics/ Narrow/expand topic The Topic
Find a book Find an article Find a GOOD website Evaluate sources Identify sources to be used Assume minimal library knowledge Library has materials Schedule library orientation/share assignment w/librarian Talk to a librarian http://library.smc.edu/about/staff.html Design the research
Help for students • Encourage them to visit Reference Desk • Put materials on Reserve • Sample research papers • Sample bibliographies http://library.smc.edu/research/citation.html
Pitfalls • Same assignment • Inaccurate source names • Trivial pursuit • Use of Internet • Plagiarism
Alternatives to the term paper • Annotated bibliography of ranked items • Compare two articles • Review articles/key issues • Ambiguous terminology
Better assignments • Learning outcomes • Assessment tools • http://www.csulb.edu/~ttravis/GESI/revised.htm • Share your assignment with us