What goals are being accomplished by completing the assignment? What is the educational tie-in that keeps the assignment from being perceived as "busy work"?

How does the assignment require the students to consider what they have learned? Does it ask them to summarize, analyze, evaluate, or make comments?

Any library research assignment raises the possibility of students plagiarizing materials they find or failing to cite correctly. Inform students how to cite sources, formally or informally, to avoid violations of ethical scholarship.

Do students have the opportunity to tailor the assignment toward specific academic interests or education goals?

Is the assignment clearly phrased and based on available materials?
Has the assignment been tested by the instructor?
Has the instructor considered that students do not have the faculty member's subject expertise or experience?

How up-to-date am I on the latest library resources?

Does the assignment have the most up-to-date information about the library in it? Does the library have resources to meet your students’ specific needs for the assignment? Check with your librarian beforehand to be sure.

Without putting materials on reserve, sources disappear, or one student in the group is likely to circle the correct answer in a printed source or, worse yet, rip out pages.

Students take instructors quite literally so before you tell them no online sources, please realize all articles and essays in databases are now online. Also we have many new books that are excellent sources for many current topics. We recommend they search the catalog, databases and the Internet for most substantial assignments.

Consider scheduling a class orientation for the group, with an opportunity do individual hands-on research after the formal session ends.