LIBR 202-02
LIBR 202-06
LIBR 202-14
Information Retrieval
Spring 2012 Greensheet

Joanne Twining, MLS, PhD
E-mail

Textbooks and Readings | Course Requirements

Students will be automatically enrolled in the LIBR 202 D2L online classsite on the first day of the semester. Please do not start class early.

Course Description

This course is a survey of the principles of information retrieval and their application to information systems and services. The course emphasizes models of user information seeking behavior and human information processing, and their relationships to retrieval models in information systems. It explores the fundamental processes of description, classification, information structures, database models, and intermediation as those processes are reflected in information systems of all types, including, libraries. In addition, the course explores various information systems to illustrate principles.

Course Objectives

Goals and Objectives
To introduce the student to:

• Basic concepts of information systems;
• User information seeking processes;
• Those user characteristics that affect information seeking and use.

At the completion of the course the student should be able to:

• Describe appropriate models of information seeking processes and factors influencing them
• Describe the salient characteristics of an information system, using the model introduced and developed in the course
• Describe how the characteristics of information systems and users interact in the effective use of information.

LIBR 202 supports the following MLIS 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 MLIS Core Competencies:

• articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom;
• compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
• recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use;
• apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy;
• 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;
• design training programs based on appropriate learning principles and theories;
• 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; and
• contribute to the cultural, economic, educational and social well-being of our communities.

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 Blackboard, 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

Technology Components
To be successful in this course, you need to be able to send and receive e-mail and attachments, access the School’s Web site for course handouts and readings, download software from a Web site and install it on your computer, use common Web search engines, and learn a new database management system. You may be required to send and receive e-mail attachments of a moderately large size (1MB - 8MB). If your current e-mail service provider places restrictions on the size of attachments that you can send or receive, then you will need to obtain an e-mail account without such restrictions. All students are eligible for free accounts on the SLIS e-mail server (SLIS Web Mail), and there are no attachment or storage restrictions for those accounts.

Assignments
See course Web site at http://intertwining.org/sjsu/LIBR202

Textbooks and Readings

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.

• Wright, A. (2007). GLUT: Mastering information through the ages. Joseph Henry Press. Available through Amazon: 0309102383.

Recommended Textbooks:

• Adler, M. J., & Van Doren, C. (1972). How to read a book (revised ed.). Touchstone. Available through Amazon: 0671212095.

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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