LIBR 265-02
LIBR 265-10
LIBR 265-11
Materials for Young Adults
Spring 2010 Greensheet

Beth Wrenn-Estes
E-mail
Phone (Cell): (510-410-1959)
Office Hours: By Appointment


Greensheet Links Textbooks and Readings
Course Requirements
Elluminate Sessions
Grading
Weekly Outline
Assignments
Resources
ANGEL
ANGEL Tutorials
iSchool eBookstore


REVIEW THE ANGEL SITE AND COURSE GREENSHEET


Visit the Angel class site often for updates, added resources, announcements, and other relevant information for the class throughout the semester. You are responsible to know the content on the Angel site and on the Greensheet/Syllabus.

It is your responsibility to understand what the expectations are for the class. Please ask questions if you do not understand assignments or instructor expectations in general.

Course Description

This course will allow students to take an in depth look at materials in a variety of formats for teens ages 15-18, including fiction, popular nonfiction, graphic novels, movies, computer games, websites, other media, and determine how they can meet developmental needs.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the external (societal) and internal (developmental) forces which influence teens’ choices of recreational and informational sources and materials
  • Evaluate selection tools, and use appropriate resources to develop a collection of materials for older teens, including all appropriate formats, print, nonprint, computer software, music, etc.
  • Critically examine representative materials designed for older teens, including print and non-print formats, books, graphic novels, television, movies, music, and a wide variety of computer software, including social networking software, and apply criteria to evaluate them in relation to developmental needs, multi-cultural concerns, and meeting the informational and recreational needs of this age group
  • Create an appropriate materials collection for older teens, including print and non-print materials and a variety of the digital resources currently available for this age group
  • Exhibit knowledge of published resources about print and non-print materials for older teens, such as reference materials, selection tools, and Web sites
  • Assist parents and caregivers with questions about appropriate materials for their older teen children

This course supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

  • Articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom (1)
  • Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations (2)
  • Use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation and organization of specific items or collections of information (3)
  • Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users (4)
  • Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy (5)

Course Requirements

Questions, Comments, Concerns Discussion Thread
Please post all questions, concerns, and general comments on the discussion thread under Lessons/Discussion Threads on the Angel class site. If your question or concern is of a personal nature, send directly to the instructor’s email (bwestes@me.com). All questions, concerns and general comments are of great value to your classmates who might have the same concerns.

It is your responsibility to ask the Instructor any questions or concerns you have about assignments or other materials provided for the class. The Greensheet/Syllaus and the class site in tandem provide you with as much information as possible do not hesitate  to ask.

Disclaimer: The instructor reserves the right to assign additional readings  on the weekly outlines. Additional readings will be assigned no less than 10 days out from the week the readings are to be read.

Lectures
All lectures are posted under Lessons/Lectures and include the URL to access the lecture on the server. The instructor also maintains a blog with the same materials through iWeb. Lectures may have been recorded during an earlier semester but are still relevant for the present semester.

ELLUMINATE SESSIONS

ELLUMINATE SESSIONS - Optional
Sections LIBR 265-02 and LIBR 265-10/11
Week 2 - Tuesday, February 2nd (0 points)
Introduction to Class – Instructor Lecture and Question/Answer Session
7-8:30 p.m. Pacific (Note this is a shorter sessions than the others)
Session is Mandatory

ELLUMINATE SESSIONS – Mandatory

Section LIBR 265-02

Week 5 - Tuesday, February 23 (6 points)
Discussion of Doctorow’s Little Brother

7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
Session is Mandatory
Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

Week 9 - Tuesday, March 23 (6 points)
Discussion of Collins’ Hunger Games

7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
Session is Mandatory
Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

Week 14 - Tuesday, April 27 (6 points)
Discussion of Wittlinger’s Parrotfish

7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
Session is Mandatory
Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

Section LIBR 265-10/11

Week 5 - Wednesday, February 24 (6 points)
Discussion of Doctorow’s Little Brother

7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
Session is Mandatory
Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

Week 9 - Wednesday, March 24 (6 points)
Discussion of Collins’ Hunger Games

7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
Session is Mandatory
Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

Week 14 - Wednesday, April 28 (6 points)
Discussion of Wittlinger’s Parrotfish

7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
Session is Mandatory
Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

Grading
Grading scale is also included at end of greensheet(syllabus). Grades are not rounded up to the next grade level.

In principal, each student begins the class with a grade of "B", the standard grade for graduate level work. Students who complete the assignments and participate in all discussions will receive the B provided the quality of written work meets the standard of rigorous scholarly work for the University. Above standard work is defined clearly. The breakdown for your course grade, based on the SJSU/SLIS Grading Scale, is as meeting the following criteria:

  • Originality in the approach to the assignment.
  • Greater depth of analysis than the written assignment expects
  • Critical evaluation readings by comparing them to other authors or sources.
  • Ability to organize information for themselves and others plus creates tools for life-long learning and knowledge retrieval.


Grading Rubric/Individual Assignment Evaluation Forms

The rubric for written assignments and the instructor individual
assignment/student evaluation forms are located on the Lessons page on the Angel course site.

Point Allocations By Assignment - TOTAL 100 points

AssignmentPointsDue Date
Digital Resources Paper 15 March 12 (Wk 7)
Author/Genre Study Paper 20 April 7 (Wk 11)
Database Project - Blog 40 May 13 (Wk 16)
Discussion Threads (3 total) at 2 pts each 6 See Schedule
Elluminate Book Discussion - Little Brother 6 265-02  2/23
265-10/11 2/24
Elluminate Book Discussion - Hunger Games 6 265-02 3/23
265-10/11 3/24
Elluminate Book Discussion - Parrottfish 6 265-02 4/27
265-10/11 4/28
SOTES Completion 1  End of Semester

NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to deduct points for any work not done on time, missed Elluminate sessions or non-participation in discussion threads.

E-mail Subject Lines/Naming of Assignment Files

Format for subject line for all email correspondence:
LIBR 265_SECTION NUMBER_YOUR LAST NAME
Example: LIBR265_01_WrennEstes

Format the file name for all of your assignments:
LIBR 265_SECTION NUMBER_YOUR LAST NAME_KEYWORD OF ASSIGNMENT TITLE
Example: LIBR265_01_WrennEstes_GenreAuthor

E-mail Response Time

Instructor answers email on a regular basis throughout the day and evenings. The general policy for responding to email is within 24-hours from the receipt of the email by the instructor. The instructor, from time-to-time, may have to increase the response time between receipt and answer but will inform the class if, and when, a longer response time is needed.

Crisis or Emergency

Please call the instructor if a situation will prevent you from doing assignments, elluminate sessions and discussion threads. You will receive a zero for any course work missed unless you have received permission from the instructor and other arrangements have been made. The instructor reserves the right to deduct points (the number of which is determined by the instructor) for any work not done on time, missed elluminate sessions or non-participation in discussion threads. Instructor’s cell phone number is 510-410-1959 (pacific time zone).

Course Calendar

Subject to change with fair notice.

Technology Requirements
You will need a high-speed connection (DSL, cable, etc.) to successfully take this class. Please see the Technology Requirements and Instructions for Success handout.

SOTES 


Students evaluate the course and instructor at the end of each term. An announcement will go out from the administration letting students/faculty know when they are available to complete. Those completing the SOTES, and informing me of doing so, will receive 1 point. The importance of SOTES is very easy to describe – it is the student voice to the administration and the instructor and it is so very important to improving courses and instruction.

DISCUSSION THREADS - Mandatory
There are three discussion threads each worth two points. Two posts per Discussion thread is required. The first post must address the topic of the thread and include your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Thursday of the week assigned. The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by the 5pm on Sunday of the week assigned.

You are only required to post two times but students are requested to post more when possible. Discussion threads are to simulate face-to-face/in-class discussion sessions and are held to the same standards as your written assignments including attention to grammar and spelling.

The first discussion thread is for 0 points but important for you to do since it will introduce you to the class.
Competencies: 1,2/Objectives: A, C

DISCUSSION THREAD SCHEDULE
NOTE: The class for discussion thread purposes will be divided into section 02 and then sections 10/11. Each grouping will have a thread to post to and members are to post to only their thread. The class is encouraged to read both section’s posts. The division into the two sections helps limit the number of students participating in the discussion so the amount of emails to read and respond to be manageable. The dates and subject matter are the same for each grouping.

  • Week 1 (0 pts) January 26 – January 31
    Tell the class about your background, occupation, where you are in the program and any other family or personal information you would like to share with the class.
  • Week 6 (2 pts) March 1 to March 7
    Discuss the brain articles and readings assigned for Week 6 in the Weekly Outline. 2 points (2 posts per student)
  • Week 8 (2 pts) March 15 to March 21
    Discuss the value of controversial literature for young adults. 2 points
    (2 posts per student)
  • Week 13 (2 pts) April 19 to April 25
    Intellectual Freedom (IF)/Censorship
    Base your posts on your feelings and observations from the readings (both print and web based) and the LaRue lecture. Discuss the different Intellectual Freedom/Censorship issues in school libraries versus those found in the public library setting. Focus on adolescent materials.

WEEKLY OUTLINES SCHEDULE/ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS

WEEK 1 – January 26 – January 31

  • Discussion Thread #0
    Tell the class about your background, occupation, where you are in the program and any other family or personal information you would like to share. (0 points)
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons on class site/ Week 1
    • What is Young Adult Literature? Garland
    • What is YA Literature – Michael Cart
    • The Art of the YA Novel
    • What is Young Adult? - Wikipedia
    • Redefining YA
    • Extending the Five-Foot Bookshelf-More Essential Books for Professionals
    • Who Serves Teens
    • Digital Based Learning
  • In Textbooks
    • Goodstein, Introduction and Chapter 1
    • Anderson, Chapter 1
    • Cole, Chapter 1
  • Weekly Topics:
    Young Adult Materials/Literature, Adolescent Characteristics and explanation of the class assignment and expectations.

WEEK 2 – February 1 – February 7

  • Discussion Thread - None
  • Readings
  • Under Lesson on Class Site – Week 2
    • Primal Teen, Strauch – Chapter 1,3
    • Read Articles on the Teenage Brain on Angel class site
  • In Textbooks
    • Goodstein, Chapter 2,3
    • Cole – Chapters 2, 3
  • ELLUMINATE SESSION – LIBR 265-02, 10/11
    FEBRUARY 2 - 7-8:30 p.m. Pacific Time. – OPTIONAL (but highly recommended session)

    Walk through of the course expectations and assignments for the semester. Session will support, elaborate and clarify the Greensheet/Syllabus. Session is recorded and archived on Elluminate site for future reference.
  • Weekly Topics:
    Teenage brain and emotional development, the young adult reader, trends and issues in young adult literature

WEEK 3 – February 8 – February 14

  • Discussion Thread - None
  • Readings
  • Under Lesson on Class Site - Week 3
  • Weekly Topics:
    Teenage brain and emotional development, YALSA site

WEEK 4 – February 15 – February 21

  • Discussion Thread - None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons on Class site - Week 4
    • Social Networking and Bullying
    • Herald, Chapter 1
  • 
In Textbooks
    • Goodstein, Chapters 4,5
  • Weekly Topics:
    Serving Older Teens, Internet bullying, Parental controls and responsibilities

WEEK 5 – February 22 – February 28

  • Discussion Thread - None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 4
    • All articles on Booktalking
  • In Textbooks
    • Anderson, Chapter 4
    • Cole, Chapters 4,5
  • From Instructor's Blog
    • Listen to Booktalks on Instructor’s blog
  • Elluminate Sessions
    • Section LIBR 265-02
      Tuesday, February 23 (6 points)
      Discussion of Doctorow’s Little Brother
      7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
      Session is Mandatory
      Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.

    • Section LIBR 265-10/11
      Wednesday, February 24 (6 points)
      Discussion of Doctorow’s Little Brother
      7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
      Session is Mandatory
      Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.
  • Weekly Topics:
    BookTalking, Reading Interests of Older Teens

WEEK 6 – March 1 to March 7

  • Discussion Board - #1
    Discuss the brain articles and readings assigned under Week 6 in the Weekly Outline. 2 points (2 posts per student)
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 6
    • The Relevance of YA Literature
    • Are Videos Good for Learning?
    • Herald, Chapters 2-3
    • Aronson, Exploding the Myths, Chapters 3, 4
  • In Textbooks
    • Anderson, Chapters 3,5
    • Cole, Chapters 4,5
  • Lecture - Genres
  • Weekly Topics:
    Genres – Realistic Fiction/Issues and Contemporary Life, Romance – Humor – Sports, Reader's Advisory

WEEK 7 – March 8 to March 14

  • Discussion Thread - None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Class Site Week 7
    • Disturbing the Universe, Trites, Chapter 4
  • In Textbooks
    • Anderson, Chapter 6
    • Goodstein, Chapter 6,7
    • Cole, Chapter 6,7
  • Lecture – Selection Tools, Collection Development, Writing Reviews
    See URL link under Lessons/Lectures or visit the Instructor blog.
  • ASSIGNMENT DUE – Digital Resources Paper (15 points) – MARCH 12 (midnight pacific). Please use the drop box provided under Lessons/Drop boxes
  • Weekly Topics:
    Teachers in the online world, teenage activism, media creation, Booktalking, Genres – Historical Fiction and Adventure and Mystery/Suspense/Thrillers

WEEK 8 – March 15 to March 21

  • Discussion Thread #2
    Discuss the value of controversial literature for young adults. 2 points
    (2 posts per student)
  • Readings
  • Under Lesson on Class site for Week 8
    • Hersch – A Tribe Apart – Preface, Intro, and Epilogue
  • In Textbooks
    • Anderson, Chapter 7
    • Cole, Chapter 8
  • Weekly Topics:
    Genre - Fantasy/Science Fiction, Non-print collections

WEEK 9 – March 22 to March 28

  • Discussion Thread – None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 9
    • Graphic Novels/Manga -Folder of Readings
    • Clark – Hurt – Chapter 2 

In Textbooks
    • Cole, Chapters 9, 10
    • Anderson, Chapters 2, 7 and the Conclusion

  • Elluminate Sessions
    • Section LIBR 265-02
      Tuesday, March 23 (6 points)
      Discussion of Collins’ Hunger Games
      7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
      Session is Mandatory
      Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.
    • Section LIBR 265-10/11

      Wednesday, March 24 (6 points)
      Discussion of Collins’ Hunger Games
      7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
      Session is Mandatory
      Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.
  • Weekly Topics:
    Genres - Graphic Novels/Manga, Short Stories, Poetry, Drama, Non-fiction, Autobiographies, Biographies, and adolescent alienation.

WEEK 10 – March 29 to April 4 (Spring Break Week)

  • Discussion Thread – None
  • Readings
  • Under Lesson on Class Site - Week 10
    • Website folder for Week 10
    • Article about Jamie LaRue
  • Weekly Topics: Genres - Multicultural, Alternative, Christian Fiction

WEEK 11 – April 5 to April 11

  • Discussion Thread - None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 11
    • Defending Books: A Title Index
  • 
In Textbooks
    • Cole, Chapter 11
    • Websites Folder
  • 
Lecture: Interviews with Jamie LaRue (on Instructor's Blog SLIS Server)
  • ASSIGNMENT DUE
    Author/Genre Study Paper (20 points) – April 7 (midnight pacific). Please use the drop box provided under Lessons/Drop boxes
  • Weekly Topics: Intellectual Freedom and YA Materials

WEEK 12 – April 12 to April 18

  • Discussion Thread – None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 12
    • From Romance to Realism, Cart
    • The Value of YA Literature in Canada
  • Weekly Topics: YA Literature History

WEEK 13 – April 19 to April 25

  • Discussion Thread #3
    Intellectual Freedom and Censorship/Older Teens
    Base your posts on your feelings and observations from the readings (both print and web based) and the LaRue lecture. Discuss the different Intellectual Freedom/Censorship issues in school libraries versus those found in the public library setting. Focus on adolescent materials.
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 13
    • Read all the articles that are posted on the site under Week 13
  • 
In Textbooks
    • Cole, Chapters 12, 13
    • Optional Cole, Appendix A - E
  • Weekly Topics: Advocacy, Genre - Christian Fiction and GLBT

WEEK 14 – April 26 to May 2

  • Discussion Thread – None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 14
    • 
Read all of the articles listed under Week 14
  • Elluminate Sessions
    • Section LIBR 265-02
      Tuesday, April 27 (6 points)
      Discussion of Wittlinger’s Parrotfish
      7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
      Session is Mandatory
      Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.
    • Section LIBR 265-10/11

      Wednesday, April 28 (6 points)
      Discussion of Wittlinger’s Parrotfish
      7-9:30 p.m. Pacific
      Session is Mandatory
      Note: Instructor will assign questions for the discussion and distribute at least 10 days before the Elluminate session.
  • Weekly Topics: The Future of YA, Marketing/Publishing

WEEK 15 – May 3 to May 9

  • Discussion Thread – None
  • Readings
  • Under Lessons Week 15
    • Read all articles and links under Week 15
  • Weekly Topics: The Future YA Readers, Future of YA

WEEK 16 - May 10 to May 16 (Last Day of Semester is May 17th)

  • Discussion Thread – None
  • Reading - None
  • ASSIGNMENT DUE
    Database/Blog Project (40 points) – MAY 13 (midnight pacific). Please send instructor URL address as well as post URL on the provided discussion thread so your classmates may access your blog.
  • Weekly Topics: Finish your database/blog assignment

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF ASSIGNMENTS

DIGITAL RESOURCES
DUE MARCH 12 (by midnight)
WORTH 15 points

DESCRIPTION
Paper must have an Introduction, Observation Section, Technology Descriptions and Author Insights/Evaluation, Conclusion, Reference Page(s) in your narrative section. Your journal is another part and should be treated as an appendix.

Spend a minimum of four hours for the observation and evaluation sections of the assignment – you should observe for two hours and examine/evaluate software and hardware for 2 hours. For example if you see teens using Facebook during your observation then you describe the behaviors observed as well as describe what Facebook is and the social aspects of it’s use by teens.

You may observe in a school or public library setting and you may use your place of employment, if appropriate. If possible, spend twenty minutes of your observation time interacting with teens (do not push teens to interact with you or create concerns about your observation with the librarians on duty). You should introduce yourself to the librarian on duty and describe the assignment and tell them where you go to school – you can informally check out whether or not you can approach teens without causing undo concern. It is best if you do approach teens to tell them what you are doing and where you go to school. If you can’t interact with any teens include that fact in your paper. You must do the observation required in the assignment. There are no exceptions to this requirement. You may have to try more than one location to find teens to observe.

Narrative section should be minimum of 15 pages. Please don’t repeat journal your entries – journal (appendix), title page and reference pages are in addition to the narrative section.

The narrative parts include: Introduction, Observation, Technology Descriptions, Author Insights and Evaluation, Conclusion.

Write a critical analysis of youth and technology bringing together your research and observations. Include references that go beyond your opinion and class readings. Remember to provide the proper citation in the body of your paper as well as on the reference page to give credit for sources and ideas used in your paper. Support your opinion with expert opinion
and research. Double-space the narrative section of your paper.

JOURNAL – You must single space this section of the assignment – include at the end of your paper after the reference page(s).

Keep a journal documenting your observations, include where you did the observation, length of time you spent in the location/observing, and thoughts you have about the observation. Do the observation in multiple sessions (if you can) so you can see as many teens working with technology as you can. (See example of journal under Course Documents) The journal must be submitted into an electronic format to include with the other parts of the assignment. You may single space your journal entries - include as an appendix to the assignment.

Writing-Research Standards
Students will produce assignments that meet writing and research standards appropriate for students in a Master’s program of study. It is critical to proofread your work before turning it in. Graduate level writing standards do not tolerate spelling or grammatical errors of any kind. Students are encouraged to refer to a writing handbook - Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for example. APA is mandated for citations included within the text of the paper and reference/bib page(s). See class rubric under Lessons on the Angel class site for description of criteria/expectations for each grade level.

Spelling and Grammar Errors
I may not read your entire paper for spelling and grammar mistakes; if, in my opinion, your paper or database contains too many I will reduce your points substantially stop grading your paper for mechanics and will go on for content and other elements that are required in the assignment.

Digital Resources papers (pertains to journal as well at the end of the Digital Resources paper) MUST have:

  • Cover/Title page (name, course name and section number, school name, date, instructor’s name. Title should be what the Instructor has named the assignment. The title you have created for the assignment may be used as a secondary title.
  • Page Numbers (except on the Title Page).
  • Name of assignment on each page (other than the cover page) and use the Instructor’s name for the assignment not any you have created.
  • Reference Page/Works Cited in full accordance with APA formatting
  • Citations/Quotes in the body of the paper need to be formatted according to APA rules.
  • Work must be double spaced and typed - no handwritten scans
  • The journal that is a part of the digital resources paper assignment is an exception to the double spacing rule and may be done in single space format.
  • Journal must be written in complete sentences and no abbreviations are to be used without clarification of what the letters stand for.
  • Spelling, grammar, and syntactical errors will not be tolerated.

Plagiarism
I have a zero tolerance policy for any incidences of plagiarism and pass them along to the University for disciplinary action.

EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENT: There are examples of the assignment on the Lessons Page.

SUGGESTED LENGTH – Minimum of 15 pages for the narrative. The title page and the reference pages are in addition to the narrative pages. The journal section/appendix should be 5 to 10 pages. Total of paper = 25--30 pages

Competencies: 2,4/Objectives: A

AUTHOR/GENRE STUDY
DUE APRIL 7th (by midnight)
WORTH 20 PTS

DESCRIPTION
Paper must have an Introduction, Author Section, Genre Section, Conclusion, and Reference Page(s).

AUTHOR SECTION
Each student will choose a young adult author (one appropriate for 15-18-year-old teens). The instructor must approve the author before you begin research on the author in case your choice of author is denied. The author must have written more than 5 Young Adult titles. Author requests must be received no later than February 15th. Please submit three authors in preference order. Be careful not to select an author that writes predominantly for adults (James Patterson for example). The paper must present a well-rounded view of the author, their life and work, and any other details that the student feels would be relevant to the assignment. The instructor will not assign the author to more than two students per section.

Elements for the author part of the assignment must include:

  • Introduction to the author including biographical details
  • Description of the authors body of work – include your evaluation of at least 5 titles that the author has written for teens.
  • Significance of work in the field of YA literature
  • Awards and other recognition the author has received
  • Summary
  • Anything else you, as the writer, would like to include about the author you have chosen for your study.

GENRE SECTION
The second part of the paper should be an in-depth look at the genre the author writes in. If the author writes in more than one genre then you will need to describe all of the genres.

Elements for the genre part of the assignment must include:

  • In-depth evaluation and study of the genre including historical aspects, characteristics, major authors in the genre.

Writing-Research Standards
Students will produce assignments that meet writing and research standards appropriate for students in a Master’s program of study. It is critical to proofread your work before turning it in. Graduate level writing standards do not tolerate spelling or grammatical errors of any kind. Students are encouraged to refer to a writing handbook - Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for example. APA is mandated for citations included within the text of the paper and reference/bib page(s). See class rubric under Lessons on the Angel class site for description of criteria/expectations for each grade level.

Spelling and Grammar Errors
I may not read your entire paper for spelling and grammar mistakes; if, in my opinion, your paper or database contains too many I will reduce your points substantially stop grading your paper for mechanics and will go on for content and other elements that are required in the assignment.

Author/Genre Study MUST have:

  • Cover/Title page (name, course name and section number, school name, date, instructor’s name. Title should be what the Instructor has named the assignment. The title you have created for the assignment may be used as a secondary title.
  • Page Numbers (except on the Title Page).
  • Name of assignment on each page (other than the cover page) and use the Instructor’s name for the assignment not any you have created.
  • Reference Page/Works Cited in full accordance with APA formatting
  • Citations/Quotes in the body of the paper need to be formatted according to APA rules.
  • Work must be double spaced and typed - no handwritten scans
  • Spelling, grammar, and syntactical errors will not be tolerated.


Plagiarism
I have a zero tolerance policy for any incidences of plagiarism and pass them along to the University for disciplinary action.

Examples: There are examples of an author study paper on the Lessons page under Assignment Examples however last semester the assignment was only author study NOT author/genre so please don’t confuse your assignment from previous one. The example is simply that – an example.

SUGGESTED LENGTH: 20-25 pages, excluding title page and reference page(s).

Competencies: 1,2/Objectives: A, B, C, D, E

YOUNG ADULT MATERIALS RESEARCH PROJECT
DUE MAY 13th (by midnight)
WORTH 40 POINTS

DESCRIPTION
You must create a blog for this assignment. Choose the blog creation software carefully. Start the blog creation early in the semester (first weeks). Warning: Don’t be caught out planning poorly and starting too late to complete the assignment on time. No extensions are granted on the deadline for this assignment.

Students in past classes have used the following:

  • Live Journal (livejournal.com)
  • Blogger (blogger.com
  • Blogspot (blogspot.com)
  • Weebly (weebly.com)
  • Word Press (wordpress.com)


Please review criteria for this assignment described in the list below and make sure you follow the directions and understand the assignment. This research project must include all types of materials for teens aged 15-18.

COMPOSITION: 50 items/entries are required for your project (the instructor assumes students read, watch, play, or listen to each of the titles/material selected for inclusion in your project).

The following is a list of clarifications on what can be included in your database.

  • 5 of the entries can be Adult Titles - "cross-overs" for teens aged 15-18.
  • 2 titles of a single series may be included (Twilight for example)
  • 3 titles is the maximum you can include from one author
  • 6 titles is the maximum you can include from a genre
  • 5 games is the maximum for inclusion in the database
  • 2 Websites that the library is providing as subscription databases like Proquest or Britannica Online, etc. to teens aged 15-18 (Facebook, MySpace, etc. are not “provided” by the Library per se but by the library providing access to the Internet.
  • 3 Magazines that are marketing primarily to teens.
  • 
Note: You cannot include only books in your database but must include all types of materials that are available to teens 15-18.

The project must include the following elements however you can add more information of your choosing: Use the names of the individual parts of the assignment as the headers throughout your blog.

  • An index showing all titles included in the project for easy searching by the instructor/readers. This should be an alphabetical list of all the titles/items names you are including. You may also include lists in genre or author order but the mandatory index is the alpha one. It should be located at the top of the blog to the left or the right of your entries.
  • Each element must be a separate entry and not combined with another element. For example: Plot Summary/Critical Evaluation. Do not make each element a separate page in your blog. Keep the information together in one entry for each title.
  • Bibliographic information (at a minimum Title, Author, ISBN/any other identifying numbers present on DVD's, Publisher, Copyright Date.
  • Plot Summary (compose in your own words).
  • Critical Evaluation (compose in your own words).
  • Reader’s Annotation (compose in your own words).
  • Information about the author (at least two paragraphs of text)
  • Genre
  • Curriculum Ties, if any – if there aren’t any then put N/A by the header.
  • Booktalking Ideas (compose in your own words)
  • Reading Level/Interest Age
  • Challenge Issues, if any and brief idea of how you would prepare, as the librarian, if the material were to be challenged. What would you provide?
  • Why did you include this book in you’re the titles you selected?
    (Compose in your own words) and any selection tools that helped you to select or support of your selection
  • A reference page is optional.

Example: There is an example of a previous student’s blog(s) on the class Angel site. You may not copy or reproduce this blog in any way. This example is provided as just that - an EXAMPLE and the assignment is from a previous semester so not all assignment criteria will be the same. The requirements may have changed for the assignment this semester so please follow the requirements listed for the spring, 2010 assignment.

Writing-Research Standards
Students will produce assignments that meet writing and research standards appropriate for students in a Master’s program of study. It is critical to proofread your work before turning it in. Graduate level writing standards do not tolerate spelling or grammatical errors of any kind. Students are encouraged to refer to a writing handbook - Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for example. APA is mandated for citations included within the text of the paper and reference/bib page(s). See class rubric under Lessons on the Angel class site for description of criteria/expectations for each grade level.

Spelling and Grammar Errors
I may not read your entire paper for spelling and grammar mistakes; if, in my opinion, your paper or database contains too many I will reduce your points substantially stop grading your paper for mechanics and will go on for content and other elements that are required in the assignment.

Author/Genre Study and Digital Resources papers (pertains to journal as well at the end of the Digital Resources paper) MUST have:

  • Cover/Title page (name, course name and section number, school name, date, instructor’s name. Title should be what the Instructor has named the assignment. The title you have created for the assignment may be used as a secondary title. Include in the banner of the blog (at the top of the opening page)
  • Exceptions – Reference page – not necessary.
  • Citations/Quotes in the body of the paper need to be formatted according to APA rules.
  • Blog must have title page information in the banner of the blog. Please follow the criteria indicated in the description for other assignments above.
  • You must show an alphabetical list of titles at the beginning of your blog – usually created on the left or right in column format. Additional indexes of materials included in the blog can be provided (author and genre for instance).


Plagiarism
I have a zero tolerance policy for any incidences of plagiarism and pass them along to the University for disciplinary action.

SUGGESTED LENGTH: None, blog format

Competencies: 1,2/Objectives: A, B, C, D, E

Textbooks

Required Textbook:

  • Anderson, S. (2004). Serving Older Teens. Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 0313317623. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Cole, P.B. (2009). Young Adult Literature in the 21st Century. McGraw Hill/Higher Education. Available through Amazon: 0073525936. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Collins, S. (2009). The Hunger Games. Scholastic Press. Available through Amazon: 0439023483. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Doctorow, C. (2008). Little Brother. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. Available through Amazon: 0765319853. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Goodstein, A. (2007). totally wired: What teens and tweens are really doing online. New. York: St. Martin's Press. Available through Amazon: 0312360126. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Wittlinger, E. (2007). Parrotfish. Simon & Schuster Children's Pub. Available through Amazon: 1416916229. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain


Grading Scale

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

97 to 100 A
94 to 96 A minus
91 to 93 B plus
88 to 90 B
85 to 87 B minus
82 to 84 C plus
79 to 81 C
76 to 78 C minus
73 to 75 D plus
70 to 72 D
67 to 69 D minus
Below 67 F

 

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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