GREENSHEET
DESCRIPTION: Techniques of searching and managing on-line search services.
Includes searching strategies, evaluation of database structures, implementation
and management of search services and on-line experience.
Prerequisite: LIBR 202
Topics include searching techniques and strategies, database structures,
use and evaluation of database services, economic factors, applications,
and management of online search services. In-depth instruction in one
search system is provided.
GOALS: To support the mission of the School in fostering a broad understanding
of the theories, issues, technologies, and values required to provide
information services in a variety of settings and formats.
- Goal A: The student becomes familiar with aspects of the online
industry and its role in making information available to society in
various
formats.
- Goal B: The student gains experience with the commercial and
web databanks and is able to transfer this knowledge to other systems.
- Goal
C: The student gains familiarity with basic commands, and moves
beyond that to an understanding of the relationship between database
structure and
search techniques, evaluation of databases and systems.
- Goal D: The student
considers issues in the implementation and management of online
services.
TEXT: Walker, G. & Janes, J. (1999) Online Retrieval: A Dialogue
of Theory and Practice. 2nd Ed. Libraries Unlimited [Easiest to get directly
from the publisher at http://www.lu.com ]
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Exercises 60 points
Quizzes 15 points
Essay 15 points
Participation in online discussion 10 points
COMPUTING REQUIREMENTS:
Please note that RealOne Player will be required to view the class lectures
and presentations. You can download this application by selecting the
following link:
RealOne Player Download (scroll down
the page and select the small link for "Free
RealOne Player)"
You must also be able to save web pages and files and have basic communication
and word processing software.
ASSIGNMENTS: A series of online exercises will be posted on Blackboard. You will
do the searches as instructed in each exercise. Be sure to save your
searches to disk. After you are finished with your search, bring it into
your word processing program and critique it. Your grade will primarily
be based on your critique. You need to comment on what you think you
did well and what mistakes you think you made (there is no penalty for
making mistakes but there may be for not recognizing your mistakes) and
suggest any improvements you would make in your search if you could do
it over—there is no need to do it again. Each exercise consists
of more than one problem, be sure to complete all that the exercise asks
you to do. For each Exercise, please email me a copy of your critiqued
search, I need to see each of your search statements and the response
you get from the computer but I do not need to see all of your results
(just enough of a sample to see what you are getting, usually 5-10 items).
Each Exercise is worth 10 points.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6 |
Due June 23
Due July 7
Due July 14
Due July 21
Due July 28
Due August 4 |
Quizzes
Two quizzes: Quiz 1 will be posted July 16 only and must be completed
and returned to me at nancybur@swbell.net by
11pm July 18 . Quiz 2 will be posted July 30 only and must be completed
and returned to me
at the address above by 11pm on August 1. If you have a conflict with
any of those dates, please let me know in a personal email message
and we will make arrangements for you. Please do not make either quiz
a group project, but you can use your notes/textbook.
Worth 15 points total (Quiz 1 is worth 10 points and Quiz 2 worth 5
points.)
Essay
Prepare a formal essay following APA style and all the rules of good grammar
and syntax. Pick one theme, issue, author, or technique and read at least
5 items. These can be articles or book chapters, or other materials. You
can compare different authors views on a topic, can contrast two schools
of thought, can trace a single author over a number of years, can trace the
development of a topic over time, simply discuss a topic or any number of
other possibilities. No matter what organization scheme you choose, be sure
to link in your own ideas, critique, and analysis of what you read.
Worth 15 points
Due: August 8
Class Discussion Board
I expect you to be a participant on the class Discussion Board on Blackboard.
Beginning the second week of classes, I will post a new discussion topic
every week on Sunday and you must post a reply of any sort—comment,
question, observation, gripe, anything that you want to share with your
classmates-- by the following Sunday at midnight for each topic. You
may also begin new discussion threads whenever you like and suggest topics
for discussion here.
Group email
Please use the Blackboard email function to ask questions or make comments
that you think might benefit the whole group. I will answer these there
so that everyone can share in the information.
Use either of my personal email addresses for any topic that you want
to discuss only with me.
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