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Research Assignment Ideas

Be specific about your expectations.

  • Specify what type of resources students should be using (popular or scholarly, primary or secondary).
  • Be clear where students should do their research (library resources, original research, websites).
  • Designate the number of resources students should consult (and what types).

Follow student process and progress.

  • Assign projects early in the semester to allow ample research time.
  • Help students adjust the project to make it more searchable (i.e. broaden it, narrow it, shift the focus).
  • Make the bibliography one of the first assignments to review sources early.
  • Have students create a research log to track their progress and describe their investigation
  • Talk about appropriate information sources in class (i.e. why not to cite Wikipedia as a source).

Examples of Research Assignments

Starting the Research Process
Using library resources, choose two credible types of information (articles, websites, encyclopedia entries, books, etc.) that will be useful to you in answering questions about your topic. Explain why you chose them. Then, write a one-page summary of these two articles and why they will be helpful in your research. Be sure to use proper in-text citation and create a complete citation at the end.
Ask a Librarian
As students begin the research process, require that they contact a librarian for research assistance. Students can Ask a Librarian via email, chat, or text. Students can report back to class with a summary of the help they received, and can even demonstrate how the librarian suggested they search. This is a great way to introduce students to the library, and get them comfortable asking for a librarian’s help. Please contact us beforehand with the assignment details, so that our library staff can be prepared with great resources!
The Flipped Research Paper
Have students conduct work on their research papers in class rather than as homework. In small groups, have students conduct searches using library databases and the catalog, contact a librarian for individualized help, discuss and analyze the sources they plan to use, practice citing sources, create an outline, and work on writing the first draft. For homework, assign students resources to help with background and context on their topic, such as video lectures. (See the Media for the Classroom section of the library website for specific video resources).
Finding Sources and Completing Citations
Identify several library resources (article, eBook, book in the library catalog) and provide students with a partial citation for each. Students then must locate the sources on the library website to gather the rest of the information in order to complete the citation. This assignment helps them practice finding sources through the library, as well as practicing citation.
Primary Sources vs. Secondary Sources
Locate two resources on a topic of your choice. One must be a primary source; one must be a secondary source. Then, describe the documents including three things the author said that you think are important, why you think the document was written, and what evidence in the document helps you know why it was written. In a few sentences, describe the main differences between these two sources, and why each is useful when researching this topic. (Students may need instructions on how to find primary sources).
Follow That Lead!
Locate a news article on your topic using either a local newspaper or an online news source. In a few sentences, describe the major theme of the article, including important keywords and phrases. Use those keywords and phrases to research the story in one of the Hartness Library news databases, such as NewsBank, Nexis Uni, or ProQuest Global Newsstream.
Popular vs. Peer-Reviewed Articles
Find an article from a newspaper or popular news magazine, such as Newsweek, Time, or People. Then locate a peer-reviewed article on that topic. Describe the difference between popular and peer-reviewed articles.
Opinion vs. Fact
Review one pro/con argument on your topic using the Opposing Viewpoints database at the Hartness Library. How does a viewpoint article compare to an academic journal article? A primary source?
Research Detective
Provide students with a popular or magazine article that refers to original research in an academic journal article – contact a librarian for assistance locating examples of such articles. Have students locate the original research findings on which this article is based. Describe the difference between the popular article and the original research. How accurate is the popular article? Does it summarize the research correctly or is it biased?
Research Log
Create a research log! Document where you found information for your assignment, describe the resources you find (content, author, scope, date of publication) and why you chose to include them. Plan to share your research log in class.
History Sleuth
Use the Hartness Library’s newspaper databases to research your topic. Find one article on your topic from a current New York Times article and one from the past. How do they differ? What is the earliest date for a New York Times article on your topic? Why? Can you find articles from Vermont newspapers on your topic? Why or why not?
Author and Book Review
After reading [book title], look up more information about the author in the Hartness Library’s Literary Reference Center and Biography in Context databases. Using the biographical information, summarize the major events in the author’s life; then review the literary criticism and reviews to provide an overview of their major works. Which work is seen to be their “best” or most recognized? Why?
What Do You Conclude?
Prepare an annotated bibliography of research done on one [psychology, biomedical, microbiology, etc…] topic of your choice. Find up to [define number] research articles, cite them using the APA format, and annotate each article individually. Finally provide a summary of what you conclude from these articles. (Provide students with samples of annotated bibliographies and APA format resources, many of which can be found on the library website in the Guides & Help section.)
So You Think You Can Google?
Google provides lesson plans and advanced searching videos to help educators encourage better searching and help students gain information literacy skills. Use any of the tools on Google’s Search Education website to infuse your existing lessons with assignment ideas, expert search strategies, and effective website evaluation.

Get Customized Assignments

Contact your academic program liaison librarian to discuss customized assignment ideas that specifically work with your course syllabus. We’re happy to help you brainstorm ways to increase student success with research using Hartness Library resources, Web-based resources, various forms of media, or any material you use for class.

Additional Resources