LIBR 220-10
Resources and Information Services in Professions and Disciplines
Topic: Business Resources & Services
Spring 2003

Dr. Stephanie Maatta Smith
s.maattasmith@att.net
Daytime phone: (813) 974-2370

Course Links

Course Outline

GREENSHEET

Course Description:
This three-unit course will examine the nature and use of business information. This will include methods of communication, characteristics of researchers and other users, and current methods of meeting research needs in libraries and information centers. It will concentrate on the process of finding information and discuss major reference sources in the literature. It will examine the access and use of information sources in print and non-print formats, basic vocabulary and concepts, and current issues in specialized libraries and other information-providing agencies.

Prerequisites: LIBR 202, 204 and 210

Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1) Be familiar with basic concepts and vocabulary as they relate to the provision of information service in a specialized environment;
2) Be familiar with key information sources in specialized areas;
3) Be familiar with government and private resources used in research;
4) Develop a level of competence in researching topics with which you are completely unfamiliar;
5) Be able to select appropriate methods and sources to respond to queries; and
6) Be able to evaluate the appropriateness of the retrieved information.

Textbooks & Readings:

There will be no specific textbook for this course. There are several readings available through online and World Wide Web resources. Titles and databases are provided in the Reading List.

Class Policies:

Attendance and Participation: This is a web-based course. As such there is no attendance requirement. However, I expect that students will participate in the various discussion board activities by posting and responding to questions/comments of the instructor and classmates. It is expected that each class member will make substantive contributions to class discussion and activities. Substantive contributions mean that you do more than simply agree with the comments of another. You provide thoughtful commentary and opinions of your own which are backed up by an authoritative source.

Plagiarizing or Cheating: If you cheat or plagiarize, you will be punished to the full extent of university regulations. Please consult the student handbook for details on the university policy.

Late Assignments: It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the due dates of assignments. Late work will not be accepted unless under special circumstances (documented illness, for example). You must notify me in advance if your homework is to be late, and give me a valid reason, with documentation. Be sure to back-up your computer files as protection against misplaced papers.

Workload: This class has a heavy workload. The projects you work on in this course will require significant time commitments to complete. You must have physical access to either a large public library with a substantial business collection or an academic library.

Office Hours and Instructor Communication: I will keep online office hours to answer questions posted by email and to the discussion boards. Hours will be posted at the beginning of the semester. I find it most effective to communicate by email. If you have questions that are appropriate for the class as a whole, I will post the questions and my responses to the course discussion boards.

Assignments and Exams:

There will be 5 graded assignments. There will also be several Pass/Fail exercises that will count towards your class participation. All assignments are designed to assess your understanding of the concepts and literature discussed in class, and to help develop your skills and competencies in researching.

All assignments will be due on Tuesday evenings by midnight Pacific Time (3am Eastern).

There will be no exams for this class. Instead students will complete a term project that reflects the resources and skills of business research. The term project will be an extensive activity and will make up 50% of the final grade. This will truly test your understanding of resources and research skills.

Grading Policies:

If you complete the assignment as outlined in the assignment instructions and through class communications, you will maintain a "B" grade or better. If you submit sub-standard work, expect to receive a lowered grade. If you submit above-standard work, your grade will reflect that quality. The following criteria will be used in assessing assignments.

1. Originality in the approach to the assignment;
2. Depth of analysis of written assignments;
3. Organizational and written skills in the presentation of the material;
4. Appropriate use of tools and resources.

Grading Scale: