LIBR 202-03
LIBR 202-04
Information Retrieval
Spring 2009 Greensheet

Enid J. Irwin
E-mail
Office Location: online
Office Hours: Variable Elluminate sessions and e-mail

Textbooks and Readings | Course Requirements

Students must self-enroll for the course on ANGEL from January 20 to 25. The required password access enrollment code is provided with the MySJSU Messaging system. Class starts on ANGEL Thursday, January 22.

Course Description

Principles of information retrieval and their application to information systems and services. Emphasizing models of user information seeking behavior, human information processing and their relationship to retrieval models in information systems.

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.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to design, query, and evaluate a database information retrieval system, using an appropriate user model.
• Students will be able to articulate fundamental concepts of information-seeking behavior and employ them in the design and evaluation of systems.
• Students will be able to define a set of terms reflecting fundamental concepts of information retrieval and use them in discussions of their projects for the class.
• Students will understand metadata, both structure and representation, and be aware of dominant models such as the MARC record, LC Classification, Dublin Core, and NISO 39-19.
• Students will understand principles of good interface design and be able to evaluate interfaces using those principles.

LIBR 202 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• design, query and evaluate information retrieval systems;
• understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures and apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge;
• describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors.

In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• Use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation, and organization of specific items or collections of information
• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities
• Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
• Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations

http://ischool.sjsu.edu/slis/competencies.htm

Course Requirements

Complete LIBR 203: Online Social Networking: Technology and Tools
This is a mandatory 1 unit course that introduces students to the various e-learning tools used in the SLIS program, including ANGEL, Elluminate and Second Life. This course must be completed by all new SLIS students within the first 4 weeks of their first semester. If you have questions about this course, e-mail Debbie Faires or Dale David.

For more information, see http://ischool.sjsu.edu/classes/coursedesc.htm

Continuing Students
Students will be using ANGEL and Elluminate and need to run the tutorials or sign up for workshops that are available on the iSchool website.

Class Materials Access - ANGEL
Scheduled by student (Asynchronous)

• The class week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday midnight.
• New lectures are posted on Wednesdays.
• Students are expected to login to ANGEL and check email at least 4 to 5 times a week.
• Note that on the first week, class starts on Thursday, January 22. Lecture material and assignments will be posted then.

Elluminate Meetings
Information provided via MySJSU Messaging system and ANGEL emails

• Optional Office Hours at the beginning of the semester scheduled for Saturday 1/21 & 2/7 from 9-10am. Sessions will be recorded for later listening/viewing
• Pre-recorded explanations of assignment (when available)
• Team planning and strategy meetings (scheduled by teams)

Assignments

Late assignments: only accepted if prior arrangements are made with instructor.

Skills
Assignments are designed to provide the students to acquire and demonstrate the following skills:

• Create a user model, and based on the needs identified, design descriptive and subject metadata for a collection and create a database.
• Create a controlled vocabulary that adheres to a set of standards such as NISO Z39.19 and use it in creating records for a collection of scholarly articles.
• Search the databases created.
• Set performance criteria and, based on searches, evaluate the database.
• Evaluate one or more information retrieval interfaces.
• Describe fundamental concepts of information seeking behavior.
• Use information retrieval concepts in discussions.

Team/Individual Work

• Assignments 1 and 2 have major team components (approximately 40-45%).
• The Midterm and Final are coordinated within the teams (approximately 20%).
• Weekly journals, surveys, and some exercises are individual efforts.
• Approximately 5-10 points of individual Extra Credit are available.

Technology Components
Successful students must be able to:

• Send and receive email and attachments including zipped files
• Access the School’s website and ANGEL for course handouts and readings
• Download software from a web site and install it on a computer
• Use common web search engines and library article databases
• Learn a new database management system

Course Calendar
See Course Calendar.  Please note - the Course Calendar is subject to change.

Textbooks and Readings

Readings:
"Supplemental Readings" are in electronic reserve
Other articles are linked in lectures or found on ANGEL

Required Textbooks:

• Marchionini, G. (1997). Information seeking in electronic environments. Cambridge University Press. Available through Amazon: 0521586747.

• Meadow, C. H., Boyce, B. R., Kraft, D. H. & Barry, C. L. (2007). Text information retrieval systems (3rd ed.). Academic Press. Available through Amazon: 0123694124.

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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