| Description and Help* | Due Date | |
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| 1. Understand Your Assignment | ||
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Students often begin working without understanding the true scope of an assignment. Or they may delay starting because they don’t understand how much they actually have to do! We hope this calculator will help, but you can also refer students to the Libraries or other academic services, like the Writing Center or Transformative Services if they need help. Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: Library instruction would be more beneficial at a later stage in the research process. At the beginning stages, we suggest that instructors focus on making sure students understand the assignment. Be sure to explain your research expectations and define your source requirements. Encourage students to Ask Us at the library when they get to the point of needing help. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: This is an important first step that can save you a lot of heartache later! As soon as you receive your assignment, be sure to read through it carefully. Note any deadlines for submitting your topic, sources, outlines or early drafts. If you have any questions about the assignment, consult your instructor. Add important dates to your personal calendar. If your project involves creating multimedia, consider making an appointment at the Media Depot for a tour of available tools you can use. |
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| 2. Define Your Topic | ||
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A “bad” topic may result in a bad paper, or at least a paper that is more difficult to write. A librarian would be happy to help a student who is having trouble coming up with a suitable research topic. Students can make an appointment, stop by a service desk, or use the Ask Us service for more help options. Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: This would be a great stage for a library instruction session, focused on helping students develop an appropriate research topic. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: A well-defined topic will be easier to research. Follow these tips to get started:
Don't be afraid to consult with your instructor on the direction of your project. Minimally, send him/her an email and ask for feedback on your proposed topic. Now is also a great time to make an appointment with a librarian to provide guidance on locating information and resources to help you refine your topic. |
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| 3. Gather Resources (Library Research) | ||
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Please encourage students to contact a librarian at any point for help identifying and using appropriate resources. Encourage students to start from the library website (https://libraries.uky.edu/) to be sure they have access to resources if they are off-campus. If you have specific resources you want to promote to your class, consider asking your subject specialist to create a Course Guide for you. Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: At this stage of the research process, a librarian could talk with your class about the research process, including how to choose appropriate search terms, using a library database that is suited to your research assignment. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: Plan your search strategy and identify primary resources, including library databases.
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| 4. Read and Evaluate Information | ||
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Librarians can work with students one-on-one or in groups to help them formulate a research strategy and conduct an effective search. We can help them choose an appropriate database to find scholarly information relevant to their topics. Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: An instruction session at this stage could focus on evaluating sources and using them appropriately. Possible topics include identifying a scholarly article, evaluating websites, and tips for avoiding plagiarism. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: Be sure to keep track of your sources and record the citation information as you go.
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| 5. Write the First Draft | ||
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Encourage your students to consult the Writing Center for help during the writing process. Students can also come to the library for help Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: During the writing stages, library instruction could include help with refining topics, addressing issues such as finding too few or too many sources, or finding an additional source or two to improve your discussion/argument. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: Start with an outline:
For the first draft, don't worry as much about writing style. Focus on trying to get your ideas down in a logical order. Look for any obvious holes in your argument. |
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| 6. Conduct Additional Research, if needed | ||
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Hopefully this assignment calculator will help students plan their work so that they have time to do this kind of review of their progress! Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: Now that students have incorporated sources into their first draft and have received instructor feedback, this would be an optimal time to schedule a library session focused on finding good sources. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: Your thesis may have evolved as you have been doing your research. Maybe you found an interesting idea to explore, or a piece of information changed your point of view. This is to be expected! Now is a good time to review your assignment and the work you've done so far to see if you need to conduct a little more research.
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| 7. Revise and Rewrite (Second Draft) | ||
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At this stage, students may need help citing their work in the format required by the assignment. In addition to consulting the Writing Center at this stage, encourage students to talk with a librarian if they need help citing their sources or if they are still looking for that perfect article to support their thesis! Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: During the writing stages, library instruction could include help with refining topics, addressing issues such as finding too few or too many sources, or finding an additional source or two to improve your discussion/argument. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: At this stage, you may want help with your writing. Even if your final project is an oral presentation, you should prepare a written draft. Make an appointment with the Writing Center.
Be sure to proofread. Look for spelling and grammatical errors. Does your draft fulfill the assignment requirements? You may want to have someone else read it, to look for typos you may not notice yourself. |
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| 8. Final Draft | ||
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Even during the final stages of writing, students can get help at the Libraries! Encourage them to Ask Us for help. And encourage students also to contact the Writing Center. Library Instruction Opportunity at this stage: This is a good time for individual or small group student appointments for help in refining and addressing any lingering concerns such as finding too few or too many sources or finding an additional source or two to improve your discussion/argument. Our instruction sessions are directly tied to your course research assignment and should be scheduled at point of need, as close as possible to the time when students are just beginning their research. To schedule a session, use our instruction request form. Student instructions for this stage: Write the final draft of your paper or script, or complete the final project. Again, you may want to contact the Writing Center for help. Submit your project on time! |
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* Ask Us for help at any point during this process!
Based on the Assignment Calculator from Gulf Coast State College Library, http://www.gulfcoast.edu/library/AssignmentCalculator/frontpage.html