COURSEWORK

The class is structured around five components:

(i) lectures, (ii) assignments - readings with summaries, (iii) exercises - performance of given tasks, (iv) discussions within groups or class as a whole, and (v) term project.

The course is organized in modules – weekly units related to given topic. Each module has a lecture assignment and exercise, also involving a discussion. In addition, each module includes “Tips for thought,” containing informal suggestions for contemplation or discussion, and guidance for further exploration, if desired.

You will be organized into study groups consisting of 3 - 4 students. Within your group please discuss readings and assignments, perform tasks together as given occasionally, and report to the class as a whole. The groups are intended for more intensive discussion and for exchange of experiences in assignments and exercises, as well as self-help.

(i) Lectures

Each module has an associated PowerPoint lecture and/or links to materials related to the topic. Many PowerPoint lecture slides have associated notes - texts providing explanations or details. You can download, view or print slides with notes.

(ii) Assignments: readings and summaries

For each module students are required to read a given set of journal or web articles and/or selected chapters from books. Some of the articles are more theoretical other more practical. A bibliography of ALL readings is provided at the end of the syllabus. Assignments for individual modules have references to the items in the bibliography. Additional readings, as newly published, may be added or substituted. Some readings are required to be summarized, others to be read for discussion only, as indicated in the assignment. 

Summaries: For each reading that is required for summary, you shall provide a brief synthesized as to major points made and learned, and, if possible, you should also provide a critical review. Or, instead of critical remarks you may indicate one or more of the following as related to the content of a given reading:

  • relevant examples or extensions from personal or professional experiences
  • translation into or implications for practice
  • questions for discussion; questions about clarification of contents; and/or 
  • relations to other readings and courses; interpretations as to the place in a larger picture.

In other words, think about the reading, assess the major theme(s), and provide your own interpretations and thoughts beyond a mere abstract. Analyze don’t just plain recapitulate! The more you incorporate your own remarks the higher the grade!

The summaries must follow the prescribed format (see instructions below). Reading summaries should be handed in on a weekly basis as indicated by the schedule.

(iii) Exercises

Exercises are designed for you to master various search processes and understand search features of various systems. Exercises consist of performing given practical tasks related to searching. In some exercises you will be using DIALOG, LexisNexis, web search engines, and library resources to search for answers for a given set of questions. In others, you will explore features of these systems. You will provide the results of exercises on a weekly basis. You can also provide comments with exercises. The more thorough the execution and presentation of results the higher the grade!

(iv) Discussion

For each module there will be a discussion of the readings, exercises, assigned topics, and/or topics raised by students. The discussion may be within and/or between groups. You should be prepared for discussion and/or for asking and answering of questions based on the readings or exercises. The higher and more substantive participation the higher the grade!

(v) Term project

Each student shall undertake a term project resulting in a technical report, which is the term paper. The purpose of the project is for the student to perform a real search on behalf of a real user and to summarize the process and learning. In other words, you will act as an intermediary for answering a user information need using various resources, as necessary. The situation should be real-life, i.e. involving a real user with a need, real interactions, and real submitted answers with their evaluation by user.

The project shall involve the following:

  1. Selection of a user with an information need that could be satisfied with an online search, by searching DIALOG, LexisNexis, the Web, and/or reference resources. The student will act as an intermediary for the user. [Note: No family members or significant others as users.]
  2. Interviewing the user (if necessary on several occasions as the search progresses), and construction of a user model representing user information need.
  3. Selection of appropriate databases, search engines, or resources for searching.
  4. Construction of search strategy(ies), and conduct of the search using appropriate and/or varying search tactics.
  5. Evaluation of results by the user as the search progresses. If necessary, doing reiterative searching and evaluation, also possibly involving modification in the user model. 
  6. Presentation and delivery of the search results to the user, in a user report following an agreed upon format(s).
  7. Writing and presentation of a technical report.

The project has two ‘deliverables':

  1. one is a user report: the set of organized search results and any necessary explanations given to the user, preceded by a one page executive summary; (does NOT have to be handed in as a part of the technical report) and
  2. the other is a technical report, handed in at the end of the class, summarizing student’s approach to every aspect of interaction with the user, preceded by the executive summary given to the user. (I.e. the executive summary is the only thing in the technical report from the user report).

The technical report should include a discussion and factual presentation of (the list could serve as a table of content for the report): 

selection and characteristics of the user; user’s question; mode of and results from interview(s); user model and changes in user model as the search progresses; construction and variations in search strategies and tactics; discussion of changes and reasons for these changes; consideration of modes of presentation of results; user evaluation; and resulting changes. 

In the technical report you should stress the dynamics of the process. Questions to be asked: what were my experiences and evaluations during the whole process? what works? what doesn’t? what alternatives proved most fruitful? what have I learned? And very important: what would have I done differently? Elaborate on that!

This is a semester long project. You will hand in three things during the semester: (i) in module 6 a very brief description of the user and topic, provided for approval and class discussion; (ii) in module 11 a brief progress report, for approval and class discussion; and (iii) in module 16 the technical report for class presentation and submission. Questions about the project may be raised throughout the semester. The more insightful your analysis of the process and changes over time the higher the grade!

Format

The summaries and term paper should follow the standardized format as suggested by: 

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001). (5th ed.). Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association.

You do not have to get it, but in case the Manual can be obtained from a bookstore or ordered from APA at http://www.apastyle.org/pubmanual.html. It serves as a manual for other MLIS and Ph.D. courses at SCILS, thus it is a valuable tool above and beyond this course. The Manual also provides useful suggestions for writing of reports and articles. Examples can be seen at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html

 

At the beginning the summaries MUST contain these four items (points will be deducted if not present):

(i) student’s name,
(ii) course number,
(iii) assignment or exercise number as listed in the module
(iv) for each reading the full citation of the reading, APA style (can be copied and pasted). 

 

If references to other works (articles, books...) are included in the summary, they must be properly cited in the summary, e.g. Tenopir (2004). The references at the end must follow the APA style. The course bibliography is an example of the APA style. The style and form of the narrative of summaries are up to the student.

As in most reports, the technical report must be double-spaced throughout. It must contain a title page with course number and name, title of the paper, author’s name and address, and an executive summary. The style of the narrative of the paper is up to the student. APA Manual contains suggestions on how to structure a report, and break it into sections.