From as early as elementary school, we have been taught not to plagiarize. We are told to always give credit where it is due, avoid wikipedia and google at all costs, and bow down to all sources provided by the library. While these are not poor rules to abide by, they do offer complications when researching certain topics.
http://theodysseyonline.com/siue/dear-struggling-students/246184
It often became clear that while these rules were given with the best of intentions, they limited ones ability to effectively research. For example, using wikipedia as a jumping off point is actually an invaluable tool. It provides a summary of an often overcomplicated topic in a few paragraphs for an average reader to understand. However, it is important to note that using wikipedia as a credible source and citing it in your paper is discouraged. Anyone can alter information on wikipedia and there are a plethora of other sources that would be more appropriate for quoting. With that said, it is also good to note that wikipedia shares its sources at the bottom of each page with external links. Click on one of those and you will likely find the same type of information with a source and quotes that are more acceptable for a research assignment.
Additionally, students were often told not to use search engines such as google because they would give too many sources with many lacking credibility. While this is a valid argument, there are ways to avoid unreliable sources especially if you know what it is that you are looking for. In order to use something as complex as google, you need to be able to stifle through information and decide what is useful and what should be overlooked.
Often times, librarians and teachers encouraged students to use library resources. Again, another wise and useful suggestion, however, when told to use library resources exclusively a significant amount of credible information can be lost. Library resources may have the best intentions, but they often end up complicating peoples process more than they help them. It can be frustrating to not find the information you are looking for and when a new system is added into the mix it can cause students to not want to continue their search. I think the library has a lot of resources to offer students which should be taken advantage of, but it should be a tool for students to utilize if they so choose, not a mandate or requirement.
Overall, research assignments can cause unwanted stress, frustration, and unruly procrastination. These papers should not necessarily be a walk in the park, but it shouldn’t be gruesome.
This video from Tim Urban talks about the art of procrastination found by many college students.
If we utilize the tools presented to us through libraries and other scholarly works, in addition to search engines such as google and references like wikipedia, the process would be easier. Ultimately, limiting a student causes more cut corners than providing knowledge of appropriate sources and the freedom to search.