In some cases there may be little or nothing published about the topic. Avoid topics that are too general. Some topics are too general and will retrieve an unmanageable number of sources or may retrieve sources that are not specific to a student's topic. Encourage your students to write a topic sentence which will help them focus their topic. Avoid topics that are too specific.
Some topics are so specific that there is little or no published information.
Use the library's Course Reserves service for materials that many students need to use. Send a list of required resources to Reference Librarians to verify that those sources exist. Avoid the mob scene. Dozens of students using just one book, article, or index, or looking for the same information usually leads to misplacement, loss, or mutilation of materials. It also can frustrate students by preventing them from completing the assignment.