INFORMATION RESEARCH SKILLS - LIBRARY 127
SYLLABUS: FALL 2009
Instructor: Beverly
Adler
Offices: Lower level: 032 (in Tech Services.
Come on in even though it says “employees only”)
Phone: 383-7795
E-mail: badler@cocc.edu (this is the
best way to reach me)
Office Hrs: Monday & Wednesday 8:45-9:15 AM; Monday & Wednesday 10:05 -10:55, and by
appointment.
Library REFERENCE desk: Tuesday 2:00 – 5:00 PM,
Wednesday 11:00-1:00, Thursday 5:00-10:00 PM, Friday: (10-12 in
office). Do not hesitate to contact me!
Course Description:
This course introduces students to college-level
information literacy. It covers library research skills, including the use of
electronic periodical databases, online library catalogs, reference materials,
government documents, and Internet resources. LIB127 is suggested as a co- or
prerequisite for WR123 and other research writing courses. If you believe you
already “know it all,” you can test out of this class. For more information, go
to: http://web.cocc.edu/finney/infolitstudents.htm
This class
assumes basic keyboarding skills. If you are lacking such skills, you may
experience problems in this class.
Protect yourself and others from flu by following these
simple guidelines:
1. Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water or use
waterless alcohol based hand sanitizer (located in all college
buildings.)
2. Cover your mouth by coughing or sneezing into a tissue
or your sleeve and not your hands.
3. Stay home when you are ill and experiencing a fever of
> 100 degrees Fahrenheit or have chills AND have a cough or sore throat.
Stay home until you have been free of a fever for 24 hours without the use of
fever reducing medication.
4. Get a flu shot.
Course Outcomes:
Students who
successfully complete Lib 127 will be able to:
1. Recognize the value of information in personal, work and
academic settings.
2. Articulate information needs by formulating a research
question and developing effective search strategies.
3. Understand and differentiate between information resources
and services available through libraries, other non-profit agencies, and
for-profit interests.
4. Locate and retrieve required information using all
appropriate resources and services.
5. Critically evaluate retrieved information based on
standard criteria.
6. Present retrieved information in appropriate
formats.
Specific skills include:
a) Effectively using library classification systems to locate
materials.
b) Distinguish between catalogs, databases, indexes, and the
internet as examples of the complex nature of the information environment and
select appropriate resources for the topic and discipline at hand.
c) Develop search strategies using Boolean commands, field
searching, proximity commands, truncation, and controlled language.
Course requirements and evaluation:
The achievement of the above course outcomes will be
reflected in the completion of the following assignments:
Assignments & Exercises: 40% (homework
assignments: 30% & in-class exercises:
10%)
Library Work Sessions: 5%
Paper Skeleton (Final project): 25%
Final Exam: 30% (Take home via Blackboard)
Grades in this course will be assigned as follows:
|
90-100
|
= A
|
|
80-89
|
= B
|
|
70-79
|
= C
|
|
60-69
|
= D
|
|
Below 60
|
= F
|
Policy on attendance, late assignments, phones and children:
Absences, tardiness, and early departure will cause you frustration
and affect the quality of your work. Attendance and weekly homework completion
will equal success in the course. There are in-class exercises (attending class has its
rewards) and homework assignments that count toward your final grade. ASSIGNMENTS, ETC. ARE DUE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON DATE
DUE!
If you miss a class, it will be your responsibility to check Blackboard for presentations, in-class
exercises, assignments, announcements and grades. Missing class, whether due to
illness, car trouble, or good powder on the mountain, does not extend an
assignment’s due date. You are responsible for making sure assignments are in
on time.
Late homework assignments (1 letter grade deduction) and
exercises (1/2 credit deduction) will be accepted up to 1 week after the due
date (except paper skeleton & final exam-no late
acceptance). Work will not be accepted past that time, unless you have
made special arrangements with me. Check Blackboard for all class information and
GRADES!
During class, the computers in this classroom are only for
activities related to the course. Any other activities such as email, computer
games, word processing, or surfing the web are not allowed unless they are part
of a class assignment. Students engaged in such activities during regular class
will be asked to leave the room and go to the lab, if they wish to continue with
their activities.
TURN OFF CELL PHONES!! Short being on the national transplant list, I cannot think
of any rational reason to have your phone on…AND please don’t answer a phone
during class as a courtesy to others and me.
CHILDREN: As a parent I know that emergencies arise.
However, I am not a daycare provider. See me if you have a problem.
Academic Honesty/Dishonesty Policy
Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to the
following:
§ Cheating on an examination;
§ Receiving help from others in work to be submitted, if
contrary to the stated rules of the course;
§ Plagiarizing, that is, the taking and passing off as one’s
own ideas, writings, or work of another, without citing the source;
§ Submitting work from another course unless permitted by the
instructor;
§ Stealing examinations or course material;
§ Using stolen examinations or course material;
§ Falsifying records;
§ Assisting anyone to do any of the
above.
§ In the event that students are suspected of classroom
cheating, plagiarism or otherwise misrepresenting their work, they will be
subject to procedural due process.
Students with Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities who may need
accommodations; those who have emergency medical information of which the
instructor should be aware; those who need special arrangements in the event of
evacuation; or those who may require specific instructional accommodations
should notify me as soon as possible (no later than the first week of the term),
and contact the Disability Services office in Boyle Education Center, ext
7583.
COCC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity
institution.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: Course requirements & Blackboard, Turnitin.com;
research process & topic selection
Week 2: Library organization and Reference resources: Begin
to refine final topic & locate background info on it.
Week 3: Keyword searching, Boolean and COCC Catalog
Week 4: NO class Monday and Work Session on Wednesday (10
points)
Week 5: More book catalogs (Summit, WorldCat) & Work Session. SUBMIT topic title and style guide via
Turnitin.com
Week 6: Locating articles, Library Databases
Week 7: Web Searching & Evaluating and Citation Style
Guides
Week 8: Government documents, Panic Attacks & Work Session
Week 9: We will not meet on Monday (work on your own on
P.S.) and Lexis Nexis
Week 10: Final Project Due via turnitin.com (Paper copies of articles
& website 1st pages are due to ME) by Monday &
Other News Resources
Week 11: Review & Final Exam availability
(Wed.)
Final: A do-on-your-own exam via Blackboard. Exam must be
submitted no later than your scheduled final exam
time. We will meet for the final exam time to complete it, ask questions or review results.
9:15 class = Monday of finals week, 10:00 a.m.