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English Department: Instructional Tips

This guide provides resources to support teaching and research of the English Department at Carnegie Mellon University.

Tips for creating good library assignments

  • Search the library catalog, Cameo, to be certain the materials are available.

  • Provide a resource list or recommendations for sources.

  • Make sure the assignment is clear, unambiguous, easy to read, and not wordy.

  • Explain the purpose of the assignment.

  • Specify which style manual should be used, if applicable.

  • Break the assignment into steps, parts, or stages.

  • Do the assignment yourself, to make sure it works and that the students have enough time to complete it.

And finally, please encourage your students to seek assistance in the early stages of their research.