COURSE DESCRIPTION

Principles and practices associated with searching of a variety of information resources, based on services for information users. Structure of resources relevant to searching. Information retrieval (IR) models, including Boolean (exact match), ranking (best match), and interactive models. Web search engines. Web reference sources. Interactive processes in information seeking and searching; mediation and interviewing process to model users. Search strategies and tactics for effective searching. Presentation and evaluation of search results. Laboratory exercises and assignments include database vendors, such as DIALOG and LEXIS/NEXIS, the Web, and reference and library sources.

RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE: WHY?

The number and variety of information resources is HUGE and growing at a very high rate. This is referred as information explosion. Great many people search for information. Few do it well. Even fewer can asses how well they are doing. One of the most important jobs for a librarian or information professional is to cope with information explosion. Google is great. But there is much, much more to searching than Google. (There is even more to Google than that first page most people ever see and use). In other words there is more to searching than just searching.
As professionals, librarians were always concerned with searching for information on behalf of users. But with the advent of electronic information resources and the web, searching has changed in many ways. It has become a complex process involving interaction between several components related to people, information, and technology. A sign of a professional is an understanding of the complex processes and interactions involved in searching and putting them effectively to practice.
You are asking:

• How do I search effectively and efficiently a variety of information resources for users?
• How do I evaluate what was searched and provided?

BEFORE THE START: WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE AND KNOW, AND HOW TO GET IT

Course prerequisites

Prerequisite courses: none.
Courses in the Master of Library and Information Science program are organized around six themes in the field of library and information science: human-interaction; organization of information; information access; information systems; management; and information and society. Six lead courses, one in each area, form the foundation of the curriculum and offer general knowledge of the major principles and issues of the field. Principles of Searching is the lead course for the theme information access. BUT: this course is a pre- or co-requisite for a number of other courses

Communication requirements:

1. You must have a Rutgers University Computing Services (RUCS) email account (NetID). This is necessary for access to Rutgers Libraries and for Rutgers communication. You should received it at registration. But, just in case, if you do not have it yet, you can obtain the account from http://oit.rutgers.edu/services/account/quick.html. For students the domain is eden. Help contacts: help desk at 732-445-HELP, or email help@nbcs.rutgers.edu.
2. However, for course communication you can use any other email account that includes capability of handling file attachments (AOL, Earthlink etc.).
3. But whether you use Rutgers, AOL, or some other ISP, please make sure that you register your email address with the University at http://www.nbcs.rutgers.edu/services/communicating/email-overview.php
4. You can have full access to resources in Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) by using your Rutgers NetID. For detail instructions, at http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/ follow the links from How do I....? In particular see ...connect from home? However, for other services (borrowing, interlibrary loan etc.) you must have a RUL card (with barcode as User ID) and password.  To register with RUL go to http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/forms/reg_pin.shtml.
5. To access searching on DialogWeb (http://www.dialogweb.com/), you must have a DIALOG account obtained for the semester from the instructor. But you may access tutorials and other information directly at http://training.dialog.com/tours/ without the account.
6. To access other online services, you will obtain other accounts for the semester from the instructor.

1. eCollege: Please take the eCollege student tutorial before the course. The Student tutorial is listed on your personal student homepage. To access it, click on "Exit Course" at the bottom of the page. Then click on the "Student Tutorial" on your home page. Follow the instructions. Good luck! e College is intuitive to some extent only. Thus, tutorial and practice are a necessity.
2. Email (this falls in the "of course" category, but it needs repeating): Make sure you are comfortable in handling of email, including attachments, and using listservs. Bootcamp tutorials, listed below, tell you all about email at Rutgers. Here is a general guide: http://www.learnthenet.com/english/section/email.html
3. Word & PowerPoint (another "of course"): Being comfortable in using Word (or a Word-compatible processor) is a necessity. So is PowerPoint - the lectures are in PowerPoint. Electric Teacher has tutorials at http://www.electricteacher.com/index.htm. Purdue Writing Lab has instructions for downloading PowerPoint at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/instruct.html
4. Basic computer operations: if you are not yet versatile, please take MLIS tutorials as listed below.
5. Basic Internet operations: includes logins, file transfers, downloading. Here is a tutorial by a librarian: http://library.albany.edu/internet/.
6. Basics about the Web: For tutorial see: http://www.webteacher.org/windows.html.
7. Use of Rutgers University Libraries: Learning tools for students: http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/lib_instruct/instruct_tutorials.shtml
8. Rutgers computing services for students: Here are links to various computing sites: http://www.eden.rutgers.edu/index.php. Software that you can download free as student (NetID needed) including anti-virus protection at https://software.rutgers.edu/?redirect=%2Fsearch%2Findex.php
9. myRutgers: "the new personal, customizable, portal to Rutgers University. myRutgers helps make online services and information both faster and easier for you to find and manage." (NetID needed). Includes many services and channels at https://my.rutgers.edu/portal/

The required competencies could be gained and sharpened through MLIS and Rutgers tutorials, as well as other online tutorials as found on, for instance, at http://www.refdesk.com/factbeg.html. There are many others - since this is a searching class, can you find any and recommend to your classmates? Please review your competencies through these tutorials! These topics will NOT be covered in the course, but the lectures, assignments, and exercises will be based on the assumption that you can handle these basics.

COURSE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES 

The purpose of the course Principles of Searching is to study the human-human and human-computer interaction as relevant to effective searching of contemporary information resources on behalf of users seeking information. The course provides a base for further and life-long learning necessary to cope with the ever-changing pragmatic world of searching. Therefore, it includes both theoretical and practical aspects.

The objectives are for students to achieve an integrated understanding of the complex relations in searching in respect to:

A. Content: The subject, structure, and vocabularies of a variety of information resources in databases, on the web, and in digital libraries, as they affect searching.

B. Systems: Various models of information retrieval (IR) systems, the web search engines, and digital libraries, particularly as relevant to searching.

C. Human-computer interaction: Principles for effective searching and variations in search strategies and tactics.

D. Human-human interaction: User information seeking as the context for searching and the process of mediation and interviewing involved in user modeling.

E. Results: Alternatives in presentation of results to users and evaluation of retrieval results.

F. Professional concerns: Ethical norms applied to searching and sources for life-long learning.

ORGANIZATION OF THE COURSE

The course is organized along the six themes as outlined in the objectives above. Each theme has two or three modules or units of instruction addressing specific topics. In addition there is an introductory theme "At the start " and a concluding one "At the end," each having one module.
Altogether, there are 16 modules, one for each week in the semester, as enumerated below.In turn, each module has an outline, , addressing the Why? What? and How? of the module. The How? section provides a link to associated lecture, assignment, exercise, and self-test for the module. You can also find the list of all lectures, assignments, exercises, and self-tests.

AT THE START

Module 1. Overview of the course and a bit of history

Theme A. CONTENT

Module 2. Types and structures of information resources
Module 3. Types and structures of vocabularies

B. SYSTEMS

Module 4. Information retrieval
Module 5. Interaction in information retrieval
Module 6. Search engines. Digital libraries

C. HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION

Module 7. Search techniques and effectiveness
Module 8. Advanced searching
Module 9. Web search and the invisible web

D. HUMAN-HUMAN INTERACTION

Module 10. Information seeking. User modeling
Module 11. Mediation between search intermediaries and users

E. RESULTS

Module 12. Evaluation of search sources and results
Module 13. Presentation to users

F. PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS

Module 14. Ethics. Competitive intelligence
Module 15. Keeping up: sources for life-time learning

AT THE END

Module 16. Student presentations and conclusion

COURSEWORK

The class is structured around six components: (i) lectures, (ii) assignements - readings with summaries, (iii) exercises - performance of given tasks, (iv) discussions within groups or class as a whole, (v) self test and (vi) term project. 

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

• 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; interpretions 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. 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 presentaion of results the higher the grade!

(iv) Disucssion

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

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.

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).

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

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

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.

METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

SCILS has the following grades (see SCILS Catalog at http://ruweb.rutgers.edu/catalogs/scils.shtml):

A (95), B+ (90), B (85), C+ (80), C (75), F (70). In additon, there are provisional grades for Incomplete (IN) or Temporary (T).

We will use the numerical equivalents for grades - easier to add up and average.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The Rutgers Policy on Academic Integrity is spelled out in detail at http://cat.rutgers.edu/integrity/policy.html. In this course we will strictly adhere to this policy. Please consult it. If you have any questions please bring them up. You may also wish to consult Student Responsibility at http://cat.rutgers.edu/integrity/student.html and Faculty Responsibility at http://cat.rutgers.edu/integrity/faculty.html.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Full text of items in the bibliography may be obtained in the following ways:

• journal articles: from RUL by finding the electronic journal;
• all other items: as indicated with the citation, either through given URL, or on RUL electronic reserve, or in course Webliography.

DIALOG and Lexis-Nexis:

Links to tutorials for Dialog and Lexis-Nexis are on the class Web site. 

Dialog Corporation (2002). Dialog Pocket Guide: http://library.dialog.com/pocketguide/pktgde.pdf 

Dialog Corporation (2002). Dialog Worldwide Database Catalog. http://library.dialog.com/dbcat/

Other online tutorials, guides

Links and descriptions are on the class Web site.

Articles and chapters 

Note: In the schedule of assignments the readings are referred to by their number under Summaries - Article no. Substitions may be made during the semester. 

The articles or chapters can be found through RUL either through online access at http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/, or as placed on electronic and print reserve. (For online access see instructions on the RUL Web site under How do I ?...find an article? and for electronic reserve How do I?... find an electronic reserve?) They can also be found in print in many libraries.

Bates, M. (1989). The design of browsing and berrypicking techniques for the online search interface. Online Review, 13 (5), 407-424. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.

Beeking, M. (2000). Training end-users: Using scientific Internet-subject directories. Econtent, 23 (2), 57-60. (Moddule 1)
 

Bellardo-Hahn, T.(1996) Pioneers of the online age. Information Processing & Management, 32 (1), 33-48.
 

Belew, R. K. (2000) Finding Out About: Search engine technology from a cognitive perspective. London: Cambridge University Press. Preface and Chapter 1. Overview. Advance uncorrected proofs at the class Web site.

http://scils.rutgers.edu/~tefko/Courses/530/Finding%20Out%20About/
 

Eysenbach, G. & Kohler, C. (2002, March 9). How do consumers search for and appraise health information on the world wide web? British Medical Journal, 324, 7337, 573+

Feldman, S. (2002). This is what I asked for? The searching quagmire. In: Mintz. A. P. Web of deception. Misinformation on the Internet. Medford, NJ Information Today. On electronic and print reserve.
 

Frants. V.I. et al. (1999) Boolean search: Current state and perspective. Journal of the American Society of Information Science, 50 (1), 86-95.
 

Hawking, D., Bailey, P, & Griffiths, K. (2001). Measuring search engine quality.  Information Retrieval, (4) 33-59. 
 

Hert, C.A (1997) Understanding information retrieval interactions: theoretical and practical implications. Greenwich CT: Ablex. Reading: Chapters 1 and 2. pp 1-50. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.

Hock, R. (2001). The extreme searcher’s guide to web search engines: A handbook for the serious searcher. 2nd ed. Metford, NJ: Information Today. Reading: Introduction and chapter 1 and 2. pp.xxi-xxv, 1-56. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.

Hock, R. (2000) Web search engines: (More) features and commands. Online, 24 (3), 17-26.  

Janes, J. (2002). Digital reference: reference librarians' experiences and attitudes. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53 (7), 549-566.

Jones K. (1999). Linguistic searching versus relevance ranking: DR-LINK and TARGET. Online & CDROM Review, 23 (2), 67-80.

Kuhlthau, C. C. (1993). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation. Reading: Ch. 3, pp. 33-51. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.
 

Lipow, A.G. (1999). Serving the remote user: Reference service in the digital environment. Paper presented at the Ninth Australasian Information Online and ON Disc Conference and Exhibition. Available : http://www.csu.edu.au/special/online99/proceedings99/200.htm 

McInerney, C. R. (2000). Establishing and maintaining trust in online systems. Proceedings of the Online 2000 Meeting, New York, May, 2000. http://scils.rutgers.edu/~clairemc/onlinepaper.htm
 

Nardi, B. A. & O’Day, V. L. (1999). Librarians: A keystone species. In: Information ecologies: Using technology with heart. (Ch 7.pp. 79-104). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.

Notess, G. R (1999). On-the-fly search engine analysis. Online, 23 (5), 63-66.

Pitkow, J., Schutze, H., Cass, T., Cooley, R. Turnbull, D., Edmonds, A., Adar, E. and Breuel, T. (2002). The consumer side of search: Personalized search. Communications of the ACM, 45 (9), 50 - 55.

Port, O . (2002, March 4). The next web. Business Week, 3772: 96+.
 

Price, G. (2001). Web search engine FAQs: questions, answers, and issues. Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals, 9 (9) 39-51.
 

Robins, D. (2000). Shifts of focus on various aspects of user information problems during interactive information retrieval. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 51 (10), 913-928.

Saracevic, T., Spink, A., Wu, M.M. (1997). Users and intermediaries in interactive information retrieval (IR): what are they talking about? User Modeling. Proceedings of: the sixth international conference UM97. New York: Springer, 43-54. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.

Savage-Knepshield, P.E. & Belkin, N. (1999) Interaction in information retrieval: Trends over time. Journal of the American Society of Information Science, 50 (12), 1067-1082.
 

Savoy, J. & Picard, J. (2001). Retrieval effectiveness on the web. Information Processing & Management, 37 (4), 543-569.
 

Shaver, D.B., Hewison, N.S., & Wykoff, L.W. (1985). Ethics for online intermediaries. Special Libraries, 76 (), 238-245. On electronic reserve at Alexander Library.

Tomaiuolo, N. G. (2000). Ask and you may receive: Commercial reference services on the Web. Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals, 8 (5), 56-62.
  

Vakkari, P. (1999) Task complexity, problem structure and information actions. Integrating studies on information seeking and retrieval. Information Processing & Management, 35 (6), 819-839.

Wathen, C. N.; Burkell, J. (2002). Believe it or not: factors influencing credibility on the Web. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53 (2), 134-44.
 

Zhang, X., & Chignell, M. (2001). Assessment of the effects of user characteristics on mental models of information retrieval systems. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52 (6), 445-459.