CGCC Library: Alternative Assignments

(It's not a reseach paper)

Find articles in the Library on a topic mentioned in the classroom. Write, tell or demonstrate their contents to the class. Specify whether the article should be from a magazine or scholarly journal and whether to search for articles in a research database, Internet or recent print issues of a magazine or journal in the field.
Contrast two articles or editorials reflecting conservative and liberal views.
Students read current newspaper or article on an opposite view then their own on a topic to discuss, write about or demonstrate in class.
Read articles cited in a research article. Explain how each citation is related to the paper.

Have students browse library stacks for books in the discipline of the course. Students find relevant reference books such as encyclopedia or dictionary, and a periodical index that covers the discipline. Students write an essay covering: what is included in this discipline, how could the resources you found be used in other courses and in other disciplines, and what did you learn about the scope of this discipline?
Check out a book or video from the Library and give a report or evaluation of it comparing its ideas to similar ideas in textbook or as presented/discussed in class.
Read a book or view a video (assigned titles by instructor or selected by student). Write or give oral report comparing it to similar works and discuss the author's credentials.

Assign students the same topic to search for information. Select a topic that is complex, involving several interrelated concepts. Some examples: 1. what are the effects violence on television has on children's behavior; 2. what changes in employees' attitudes and behavior occur when organizations/businesses make major changes; 3. effects of drinking/smoking on one's heath and how the health effects impact the length of your life, etc. Divide students into pairs and assign some to search in Ebscohost and others to search Internet. Each pair writes a paper listing the search terms they used and the actual searches used. Note if the results were useful or not for each search. Include in the paper a bibliography of the best resources they found using MLA or APA style manuals.
Student finds and procures sources from each of four databases, Milie, ORBIS, EBSCOhost and a research database. Review and annotate them. Write a summary, bring them to class to report on findings. Use a standard format (MLA or APA) to cite the sources.
Student finds article on Internet through a search engine, then hunts down the author to a provable, credible source at a college, university or online journal. Find institution the writer is from and what his/her credentials are. Verify that writer is a current member of the faculty at that, or another, institution (search for author in web site of his/her institution).

Students find two Internet sites on topic, use evaluation criteria of the quality of information on sites and write evaluation of the quality of information on each site.
Students search Internet on assigned topic using the same searches on two different search engines. Compare the results from the two search engines. Which was better and why?
Give students a set of Internet sites. Students note reasons why these sites are or are not appropriate for college level research.

Bring class to Library for a general library orientation session during part of a class period. Arrange with the librarian as far in advance as possible.
Bring class to the Library for instruction on how to use specific resources, Ebscohost (periodical index), Millie the online catalog, a selected research database, Internet searching (beyond surfing the net), how to find books reviews or opinion-editorial articles, or resources in a specific subject area.

Identify significant people in your discipline. Have students use a variety of biographical and reference sources to gain a broader understanding of their accomplishments.
Have students find information on specific topics in Library resources, write summaries and put in course portfolio binder for all to share. Class portfolios may be put on the Library Reserve shelf if students have signed form allowing their work to be available to others.
Identify a significant event in your field. Have students research the important people, etc. involved in it by using a variety of library resources.
Students in groups research a topic in the Library, each student is required to use different types of resources, such as, online catalog, Internet, Oregonian online, reference books, periodical index database, current article or newspaper, etc. Each group has different topic and compiles a bibliography of sources found and shares their bibliography with the other groups.
Read article or Internet resource on a topic. Student then writes his own articles on that topic. Students exchange articles to discuss or review.
Research a topic and present it as a poster while explaining the topic to the class.

Student writes a concise statement of a research topic, a list of keywords for searching and a list of actual searches to enter into a database. Student selects an appropriate library research database and performs the searches. Then he writes a report explaining why he chose that database and describing how the search results met and did not meet the student's expectations.
Student identifies 3-6 reference sources in the Library related to the course. Write brief description of each and explain how it would be useful in doing research.
Instructor selects articles. Students read these articles and then find other articles on the same topic. Students explain the different research methods used and experiment design in these articles.

Place selected articles, books, videos/DVDs, tapes, CDs etc. on the Reserve shelf. Require students to use some or all of these items. Include questions in class discussions or in tests on the content of Reserve material.

Send your suggestions for other types of research assignments to be added to this web page to the CGCC Library.