How Do Students Get Help with Research Assignments? Using Drawings to Understand Students' Help Seeking Behavior

This study explores undergraduate students' help seeking behavior in relation to writing papers that require research. Two hundred and twenty-two undergraduate students were asked to draw the steps that they went through when completing a recent assignment. Many students answered additional written questions about the challenges they faced in completing these assignments. Nine students were also interviewed about their processes. Thirty-six percent of students depicted getting help in their drawings, while 100% of students interviewed described getting help. Analysis revealed four primary areas of interest: (1) whom students go to for help, (2) the timing of help seeking, (3) students' needs in relation to getting help, and (4) the research and study habits of students who get help. Students most commonly received help from peers and family members, and they usually received help after they had already drafted their papers. Students rarely got help from librarians, although approximately one third described how tasks related to research were the most challenging part of completing their assignments. A number of strategies are presented for encouraging students to seek library help for research assignments.