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Tips for Effective Research Assignments

College Library Librarian Contact: Miki Goral
Email: miki@library.ucla.edu
Phone: 310-825-5096

USE COLLEGE LIBRARY WHEN APPROPRIATE
  1. We expect high school students to use their high school library first, then the local public library, and finally, if necessary, the UCLA College Library.
  2. Please refer your students to the “Research Paper Planner” for guidance on using information research tools, prior to a visit to College Library.
  3. See Basic Research Databases to get students started looking for books and articles, through LAUSD, Los Angeles Public Library, and UCLA databases.
  4. Unfortunately, we do not have enough staff to do tours for high school students, and we find that groups of 20 or more descending on the library can be disruptive.
  5. For groups of 10 or more, call Esther Grassian to discuss the best day and time for a visit.
PROVIDE WELL-DESIGNED INFORMATION RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS
Students are often confused about their assignments, so it is important to explain the assignment thoroughly and provide them with a written copy of it.  
  • Avoid the mob scene, where all students in a class must cover the same topic or use the same book or article.
  • Avoid scavenger hunts, where students are required to search for obscure facts
    Why? Students become extremely frustrated and then have negative views of research and libraries.

    • Do your assignments include any of the following? If so, please explain or define them for your students.

    • scholarly journal articles as opposed to popular magazine articles
    • the types and numbers of materials acceptable for their research assignments—e.g., books, freely available web pages, newspaper, magazine and journal articles
    • “primary” sources as opposed to “secondary” sources (definitions may differ from one discipline to another)
    • freely available information resources (print or online), as opposed to licensed (subscription only) resources

      Keep in mind that …
    • many students may be web savvy, but may have minimal knowledge of libraries and databases, particularly licensed online periodical indexes.
    • UCLA’s licensed databases are available to APHS students only in the UCLA libraries.
    • however, public libraries, like the Los Angeles Public Library also subscribe to online periodical indexes that may be useful for student research.
    • APHS students may only borrow UCLA books from the College Library.
    • weekends are very busy, so we encourage students to come on weekday late
      afternoons or evenings instead.
    • IMPORTANT NOTE: Parking is $8 per entry, and parking spaces may be difficult to find.
    COLLEGE LIBRARY COLLECTION STRENGTHS
    • Materials in all disciplines, but stronger in secondary sources in basic world history, especially American history—i.e., those written at a later date about the event(s), American and English literature, and literary criticism.
    • 200,000 books and 700 periodical subscriptions, many online.
    • Periodical literature on current hot topics, but this type of information is also available at public libraries.
    • 26 public computers with Internet access and access to many licensed research resources.
    • May email full-text periodical articles, when available online, except PDF files. (PDF files must be printed out, as our current software does not permit emailing them).
    COLLEGE LIBRARY WEAKNESSES
    • Most materials are in English.
    • Few, if any, primary sources. Primary materials at the Young Research Library (YRL) may not be available to high school students.
    • College Library’s American literature and literary criticism materials are used heavily by UCLA undergraduates.
    • Most College Library print periodicals only go back fifteen years and may not be checked out.
    • Older volumes are kept at YRL and high school students’ access to them may be limited. For example, high school students do not have access to microfilm materials at YRL.
    • College Library keeps only the latest two dailies and the latest Sunday issues of the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times, in paper.
    • Students can only check out 5 items at a time.
    • Students may not check out periodicals, but can photocopy ($.11/page), using copicards.
    • Copicard vending machines only take bills, no coins.

    *Adapted in part from “Guidelines for Effective Library Assignments.” California Clearinghouse on Library Instruction, Southern Section <http://gort.ucsd.edu/dtweedy/EffectiveAssignments.html> Last updated: May 2000 Visited: 17 Sep 2003
    © Regents of the University of California
    Last updated: September 10, 2007