Research Solutions: The Survey: What Students Found Difficult About Research

This guide came together as a response to research tasks that students found difficult. An open question appeared on a survey of students who took part in a course that had an embedded librarian between 2018 and 2023: "What is hardest for you when finding information for a research assignment?" After analyzing responses to that question, we identified the twelve themes below, and sought to provide possible solutions to help with the tasks that had been reported as difficult.

(Summarized from 561 students' responses to an end of semester survey taken in 10 semesters between Spring 2018 and Fall 2023).

1. Difficulty in Identifying Search Terms:

   • Many respondents mentioned struggling with identifying the right keywords to use when searching for articles or documents online. This difficulty often leads to irrelevant or inadequate search results.

2. Challenges in Choosing Credible Sources:

   • Finding credible sources remains a significant challenge for researchers. Some respondents mentioned the struggle of discerning between reliable and unreliable sources, especially when faced with overly strict standards set by professors.

   • Others expressed difficulty in determining the credibility of sources outside their field of expertise.

3. Narrowing Down Sources:

   • Several respondents find it challenging to narrow down sources, especially when their research topics are specific or niche. They also struggle with eliminating irrelevant results and weeding out sources that don't directly relate to their topics.

4. Accessing Full Text Articles:

   • Accessing full-text articles, particularly those behind paywalls, was highlighted as a difficulty by some respondents. This challenge extends to obtaining hard copies of books, especially during the pandemic.

5. Citation Challenges:

   • Many respondents mentioned struggles with citations, including formatting them correctly according to citation styles like APA or MLA, as well as obtaining all the necessary information for citations.

6. Developing a Topic:

   • Developing a research topic was cited as a significant challenge by several respondents. They struggle with defining a precise and relevant topic while ensuring it's not too broad or too narrow.

7. Staying Focused and Organized:

   • Some respondents mentioned challenges in staying focused during research, often getting sidetracked by unrelated information. Organization of sources and materials was also cited as a difficulty.

8. Time Management and Overwhelm:

   • Time management was highlighted as a challenge, especially when faced with an overwhelming amount of information. Some respondents expressed frustration with the time-consuming nature of research.

9. Difficulty in Finding Relevant Information:

   • Finding information that directly relates to the research topic was mentioned as a challenge. This includes ensuring that the information found is specific, accurate, and sufficient for the research requirements.

10. Difficulty in Finding Recent and Specific Information:

    • Some respondents struggled to find recent and specific information, especially for niche topics or topics with narrow search interests. Keeping information up-to-date and relevant to current trends was mentioned as a difficulty.

11. Navigation Challenges:

    • Navigation challenges include difficulty in navigating library databases, online catalogs, and research websites. Some respondents expressed confusion about where to access certain resources or how to use specific databases effectively.

12. Other Miscellaneous Challenges:

    • Other challenges mentioned include difficulty in understanding complex or technical language in research articles, struggles with topic development, and frustration with the limitations of search filters and database functionalities.