From UC Davis Shields Library
PROBLEMS UNDERGRADUATES HAVE WITH THEIR ASSIGNMENTS:
A
LIBRARIAN’S LIST
Problems associated with lack of understanding of the processes
of research and publication within a discipline:
- Students often do not understand what peer-review means or why
it matters.
- They do not understand what constitutes a “primary” source
in their discipline and why it matters. (The answer varies discipline-to-discipline)
- When a professor says they may not use Web/Internet sources, students
often think they may not use scholarly literature provided by the library
in electronic form. Usually, this is not the professor’s
intent.
This
problem is heightened by the fact that UC and UCD libraries have, in
many cases, to continue journal subscriptions in electronic form only,
and to cancel the paper equivalents.
- Many students expect to find an article that specifically addresses
their question, or a table of precisely the statistical data they need. This
causes two problems. First, they are frustrated to learn those
things don’t exist and that they will need to correlate material
from multiple sources to address their questions. Second, this
overly focused conception of their topic prevents them from searching
for library resources effectively.
- When articles are available in multiple electronic formats, students
do not understand that one version (PDF, for example) may be the “format
of record” that allows them to cite page numbers, etc. while
another version (html text, for example) may not. (Style guides
will tell them how to cite both types.
Problems Associated with Using the Library:
- Students often think that library research is quick and easy,
and are frustrated when they can’t find what they are looking
for. Library
research is a craft that must be learned; they should not be intimidated
but should understand that there are skills to be mastered in order
to use the library effectively.
- Many students wait to do their research until the last minute. They
then find they don’t have enough time to search and when they
do identify material they want, it may be checked out, or at another
campus.
- Many students believe that electronic materials are somehow always
better than print resources. They aren’t.
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