Library FAQs

Reading your assignment carefully can make a huge difference. Here are things to look for in the assignment instructions:

Purpose of the assignment. What is the end goal or product of your research project? What is the role of research and of information sources in the assignment? Answering these questions will help you determine where you look for sources and make sure you have enough time to find what you need. (If you still have questions after closely reading the assignment, ask your instructor.)

Topic guidance and suggestions. Some instructors offer a list of topics to choose from, while others provide guidelines to help you choose a topic yourself. Look carefully for points and questions the instructor wants you to address in your assignment - make a list so you can see everything your research will need to answer.

Try to choose a topic that is of interest to you - it will be much easier to do all this reading and writing about something that you care about, and many instructors are open to creative topics! 

For more help, visit  I want to learn more about a topic or I need to turn my topic into a research question.

Type(s) of sources best for your topic. Different topics will require different kinds of sources. For example, if you're talking about a very current topic, you will probably need up-to-date articles from government (.gov) websites or reputable news sources, like Associated Press, Reuters, NPR, Wall Street Journal, or New York Times. It may be challenging to find books about an event that is currently happening because it takes a long time to write and publish books!

Alternatively, if you're writing about a historical event, scientific discovery, or well-known person, scholarly articles or books may be the way to go, because your topic has had lots of time to be studied and written about by experts.

Think about where you might need to look for the recommended sources. Some will be available through the TC3 Library, and some may be freely available on the web. For more information, see I am not sure what types of sources I need.

Due date. Set goals for yourself to work through each step of your assignment - and be honest with yourself about how comfortable you feel with each task. If you think you may need help searching for information, creating an outline, or citing your sources, make sure you leave enough time to ask a librarian or tutor for help! Work backward from the due date to add time for each task, and this will help you determine when you need to start finding sources, reading and taking notes on them, and writing and editing your paper or project.

Some assignments have different parts due at different times, so check ALL the due dates.

Length of the assignment. Are you supposed to write a one page essay? A five page paper with at least three information sources? An annotated bibliography with at least eight sources? Finding the answer to this question will help you determine the scope of your  topic, meaning what you will talk about and what you won't. This will help you focus your search on helpful sources and avoid getting overwhelmed by finding too much.

Citation style and formatting information. For most of your classes, this will either be MLA Style or APA Style. Depending on which one your instructor asks you to use, it will affect things such as title page, headers and footers, font size, spacing, how you cite your information sources within the text of your paper, and how you list all your information sources at the end of the paper. Citing or Using Sources can help with this.

Highlight or underline ALL the elements that are key to understanding your assignment. As you read your assignment and look for all the items listed above, make a list of the answers you come up with. Keeping track of each of these pieces of your assignment will help you feel more in control, and less afraid you're forgetting something.

Here's a simple test to check that you understand your assignment: try to describe what your assignment is about to someone else who isn't in your class. If you have trouble explaining it, re-read the assignment sheet or talk with your instructor.