LIBR 285-03
LIBR 285-12
Research Methods in Library and Information Science
Topic: Ethnography (with a focus on technology)
Spring 2009 Greensheet

Dr. Kristen Radsliff Clark
E-mail
Office: SJSU SLIS in Fullerton (PLS 67a)
Office Hours: By appointment.

This is an online-only class using Angel and Elluminate. Students must self-enroll for the course on Blackboard between January 20th and January 24th. The required password access enrollment code will be provided in an email via the MySJSU Messaging system.

The course begins via Angel on Thursday, January 22nd.

Course Description

Principles of ethnographic research methods and their application to technology-rich contexts. This introductory course emphasizes models of ethnographic methods of data collection and analysis. Class activities will be carried out in Angel, Elluminate, video, and audio formats. Enrollment in the Angel class is mandatory.

Course Prerequisites
Demonstrated computer literacy. Students need to know how to download software, zip and unzip files, work with folders, and elementary computer trouble shooting. Students need to know how to download software, zip and unzip files, work with folders, and elementary computer trouble shooting.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be gain a fundamental understanding of ethnographic methods and apply them to the collection and analysis of data.
• Students will be able to define a set of terms reflecting core concepts of ethnography and use them in discussions of their projects for the class.
• Students will understand principles of good research design and be able to evaluate scholarly work using those principles.

LIBR 285 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• understand the nature of research, research methods and research findings; retrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups;
• demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations;
• evaluate programs and services on specified criteria.

Course Requirements

Help! How do I …?

I will create a discussion forum in Angel for general questions regarding due-dates, structure of assignments, and clarification of concepts. Please post your general questions here so that all students may benefit. Feel free to contact me via email. Placing the words:

in the subject field will guarantee that your email will get to my high priority folder so that I can get back to you promptly (usually within 24 to 48 hours).

Assignments and Exams
In addition to 12 weekly summaries of readings, students will complete a short introduction of themselves via Angel, three (3) fieldwork-based assignments, and a "literature review to research question" (LR2RQ) paper. More specific information regarding all assignments and exams will be made available on the Angel course website.

Weekly Summaries, Angel, and Elluminate Participation
All students will send weekly summaries of readings to me via Angel. These will be graded on a submitted/not submitted basis. See the “Notes on Weekly Summaries” and handouts. I will also hold weekly Elluminate lecture/workshop sessions on Thursday nights.  **Part of participation in this course includes listening well to others and engaging with opposing viewpoints. You are expected to be respectful and thoughtful in responding to each other and in responding to the course materials.

Course Calendar

Subject to change with fair notice

Week 1 – Introduction and Representation (1/22-1/31)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 1. Fieldwork #1: Receive handout (due 2/21). Fieldwork #2: Receive handout (due 3/14). Fieldwork #3: Receive handout (due 4/11).
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week (1/31) : Brief introduction via Angel. Please edit your homepage and post a link to it in the forum. By Saturday of this week (1/31): Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 2 – Information Retrieval and Database Systems (2/1-2/7)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 2.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 3 – Data Attributes and Relationships (2/8-2/14)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 3.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 4 – Descriptive and Subject Metadata (2/15-2/21)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 4. Exam: Midterm handed out (due 3/14).
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. By Saturday of this week: Send completed Fieldwork #1 to me via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 5 – Controlled Vocabularies (2/22-2/28)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 5.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 6 – Classification and Folksonomies (3/1-3/7)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 6.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 7 – MIDTERM WEEK (3/8-3/14)

Read	Documents:  LR2RQ: Receive handout (due 4/4). Readings: NO READINGS THIS WEEK
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Send completed Fieldwork #2 to me via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 8 – Classification and Power (3/15-3/21)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Fetterman Chapter 7.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 9 – Querying IR Systems (3/22-3/28) SPRING RECESS

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Geertz.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: NO LECTURE THIS WEEK.

Week 10 – Information Seeking Behavior (3/29-4/4)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Hutchins.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. By Saturday of this week: Send completed Fieldwork #2 to me via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 11 – Information Seeking Behavior (4/5-4/11)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Dyson.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. By Saturday of this week: Send completed Fieldwork #3 to me via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 12 – Design as a Professional Activity (4/12-4/18)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Leander.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 13 – Usability & Evaluation (4/19-4/25)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: Turkle.
To Do (Assignments):	By Saturday of this week: Weekly Summaries. Please upload via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information).

Week 14 – Catch-up & Review (4/26-5/2)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: NO READINGS THIS WEEK.
To Do (Assignments):	Attend course lecture via Elluminate: (see Angel course website for scheduling information). Catch-up, review, and write your LQ2RQ paper!

Week 15 – Wrap-Up (5/2-5/13)

Read	Documents: Greensheet, “Notes on Weekly Summaries,” This Week’s Videos & Notes. Readings: NO READINGS THIS WEEK.
To Do (Assignments):	By Wednesday 5/13 of this week: Send LQ2RQ paper to me via Angel. Attend course lecture via Elluminate: NO LECTURE THIS WEEK.

SPRING 2009

Monday......................... January 19.....................Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Campus Closed
Wednesday................... January 21.....................Spring Semester Begins
Wednesday................... January 21.....................Pre-Instruction Activities: Orientation, Advisement, Faculty
Meetings and Conferences
Thursday....................... January 22.....................First Day of Instruction
Tuesday........................ February 3 .....................Last Day to Drop Courses Without an Entry on Student's
Permanent Record
Tuesday........................ February 10 ...................Last Day to Add Courses & Register Late
Wednesday................... February 18 ...................Enrollment Census Date
Monday – Friday........... March 23-27 ..................Spring Recess
Tuesday........................ March 31 .......................Cesar Chavez Day - Campus Closed
Wednesday................... May 13...........................Last Day of Instruction
Thursday....................... May 14...........................Study/Conference Day (no classes or exams)
Friday............................ May 15, .........................Final Examinations
Monday – Thursday...... May18-21 ......................Final Examinations
Friday............................ May 22...........................Final Examinations Make-Up Day
Saturday ....................... May 23...........................Commencement
Monday......................... May 25 ..........................Memorial Day - Campus Closed
Tuesday........................ May 26...........................Grade Evaluation Day
Wednesday................... May 27...........................Grades Due From Faculty - End of Academic Year

 Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

• Fetterman, D. M. (1997). Ethnography: Step-by-Step (Applied Social Research Methods). SAGE. Available through Amazon: 0761913858.

Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:

• C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
• B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation.  You must repeat the class the following semester. If -on the second attempt- you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  
• A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.

Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

General Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities of the Student

As members of the academic community, students accept both the rights and responsibilities incumbent upon all members of the institution. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with SJSU's policies and practices pertaining to the procedures to follow if and when questions or concerns about a class arises. See University Policy S90-5 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S90-5.pdf. More detailed information on a variety of related topics is available in the SJSU catalog at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/catalog/departments/LIS.html. In general, it is recommended that students begin by seeking clarification or discussing concerns with their instructor. If such conversation is not possible, or if it does not serve to address the issue, it is recommended that the student contact the Department Chair as a next step.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester's Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.

Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor Material

University Policy S12-7, http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-7.pdf, requires students to obtain instructor's permission to record the course and the following items to be included in the syllabus:

• "Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone when you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor's permission to make audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the recordings to be used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are the intellectual property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or distribute the material."
  • It is suggested that the syllabus include the instructor's process for granting permission, whether in writing or orally and whether for the whole semester or on a class by class basis.
  • In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well.
• "Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as exam questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent."

Academic integrity

Your commitment, as a student, to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy F15-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/F15-7.pdf requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record of their disability.

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