The ability to use literature effectively is essential to provide context and interpret results for any research project. Undergraduate students in geographical disciplines are regularly required to produce research reports, yet formal training in effective literature use is minimal. In this study students were taught effective literature use methods in a workshop involving group work and class discussion. Comparison was made between current students' and previous students' performance to determine any improvement with the new teaching methods. Results demonstrate that a relatively basic approach of explicitly teaching effective literature use can be effective and improve students' research report writing skills. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)