Information Literacy Assignments

The following is a list of assignments that incorporate information literacy objectives, and that can be easily adapted to a variety of scholarly disciplines. See also, Characteristics of Effective Information Literacy Assignments, and DNY Research Topics.

Anatomy of a Research Paper. Students plan and perform research, without actually writing a paper. Tasks include developing a research question, providing an annotated bibliography of sources, and writing an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. May be used as a stand-alone assignment, or as preparation for a research project. Download assignment.

Comparing Periodical Database and Internet Search Results. Helps students appreciate the differences between the information found on the "free" Web available through Web search engines such as Google, and information found in subscription periodical databases such as ProQuest Direct. Download assignment.

Critiquing Wikipedia. Requires students to provide in-depth criticism and analysis of a Wikipedia article. Students examine the bibliography of the Wikipedia entry to see how well it supports the entry itself, and then perform their own research to see if other sources either corroborate or dispute the claims made in the Wikipedia entry. This assignment addresses students research and critical analysis skills. Download assignment.

Examining Bias in Periodical Articles. Helps raise student awareness of bias in the media, while also honing database research skills. Students locate and cite one article from a conservative publication, and another on the same topic from a liberal publication. Students then compare and contrast, and evaluate the two articles. Download assignment.

Evaluating Research. Students find two scholarly articles on the same topic, and in a short paper, compare, contrast and evaluate the two articles according to the quality of their research. This assignment helps sharpen students' skills of critical evaluation, and helps them appreciate the importance of good research. Download assignment.

Letter to the Editor. Teaches writing, critical thinking, and research skills. Without doing any research, students write a letter in which they take a position on a contemporary issue. Students then share letters with their classmates, with whom they give and receive feedback on ways that the letter could be substantiated and improved. Students then develop a short research paper from the letter. Download Assignment.

NYC Neighborhood Profile. Students use a variety of resources, including field trips, books, historical newspaper articles, and Web sites to create a profile of any New York City neighborhood of their choice. This assignment can be modified to be a group project, and may be delivered orally. Download Assignment.

Research in Reverse. This assignment uses Professor Robert Tomes' New York City: A Brief History, and requires students to provide footnotes for the text, which is lacking them. This assignment teaches students the importance of citing, not only to avoid plagiarism but to substantiate claims and strengthen arguments. Download assignment.

Researching an Individual from New York City History. This assignment teaches students how to perform biographical research in the context of New York City history, though it could be easily adapted to other course subject matter as well. It requires students to use primary source material, scholarly journal articles, and integrates both RefWorks and Turnitin. Download assignment.

Researching Public Opinion with Historical Newspapers. Students choose a present-day issue or concern relating specifically to New York City, and using historical newspaper articles, trace the history of public opinion on the issue, showing how it has changed or remained the same over time. Students present their findings in a short research paper of roughly 1500 words, or 6 pages. This gives students experience with the challenges of original research, where evidence is often fragmentary or incomplete. Download assignment.

Summarizing an Article or Book. Students write a brief summary of a book or article read in class, in which they include a brief paraphrase of the author's thesis. This assignment sharpens both reading and writing skills, and teaches students how to use words economically, since the summary cannot exceed a maximum number of words. It also reinforces the importance of the thesis, not only in term papers, but in all academic writing. Download assignment.

Modify an Existing Assignment. The following page shows how an existing research assignment can be easily modified to foster improved Information LIteracy skills in students. Modifying Research Assignments for Improved Information Literacy.