LIBR 244-10
LIBR 244-12
Online Searching
Spring 2012 Greensheet

Virginia Tucker
E-mail
Office Hours: Please contact via email; office hours will be announced.

The Greensheet is a course syllabus which may be revised before or during the semester.

Students will be automatically enrolled in the D2L course site on the first day of the semester and are expected to logon to the course site in the first two days of the semester.

Course Description

The course covers techniques of online searching, understanding database structures, and hands-on search experience on commercial search services. Emphasis is on the Dialog system, with coverage of LexisNexis and Dow Jones Factiva, known in the traditional information industry as the “Big Three” aggregators. The knowledge gained from this course is applicable in any setting where librarians answer questions, conduct research, train others how to search, or work with databases and retrieval systems. Learning how to formulate search strategies within the Big Three builds a solid foundation for achieving better search results when using a range of subscription search systems as well as for using advanced search features offered by website search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

Topics include searching techniques and strategies, database indexing, evaluation of search services, and understanding the relationship between database and index structures and effective search techniques. In addition, students gain familiarity with issues in the online information industry through relevant professional literature.

Prerequisite: LIBR 202

Course Objectives

LIBR 244 supports the following MLIS Core Competencies:  

• design, query, and evaluate information retrieval systems (Comp E);
• 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 (Comp H).

Paramount student learning objectives are

• a broad understanding of the design of online databases and how to search them in a self-assured and effective manner, and
• confidence in the ability to achieve competence searching any database or online system similar to those covered in the course.

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Course Requirements

General Requirements

• Have the minimal home or work computing environment as described at http://ischool.sjsu.edu/ecommunication/homecomputing.htm 
• Check the course site daily for announcements, discussion posts, course materials, and assignments. Refer to due dates on the course calendar.
• Label assignments clearly: include your full name, course number, instructor name, and assignment name on the first page. For the file name, use your last name and the assignment name, e.g., seussExercise1.doc (or docx). Assignments not labeled appropriately may receive reduced credit.
• Submit assignments by the due date. Late submissions are not accepted except in cases of serious illness or family emergency.

Assignments

• Search Exercises
  Most class assignments are hands-on search exercises requiring that students prepare and evaluate search strategies, database content and structure, and demonstrate an understanding of course concepts and techniques for achieving cost-effective and on-target search results.
• Quizzes
  There will be several short quizzes to nail down essential concepts covered in the course.
• Discussions
  Participation in the discussions is part of the course grade. Posts need not be lengthy but must be thoughtful, meaningful, and constructive.  
• Final Paper
  Each student will complete either an essay or a client project.

Course Calendar
A course calendar is available from the course site at the start of the semester.

Additional Readings

Readings in addition to the required texts will be made available on the course site, including articles from professional journals and system documentation from search service vendors.

Grading

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

• Hock, R. (2010). The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook (3rd ed.). Information Today. Available through Amazon: 0910965846.

• Mann, T. (2005). Oxford Guide to Library Research (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. Available through Amazon: 0195189981.

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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