LIBR 244
ONLINE SEARCHING
Summer 2004

LeAnn Garrett
Email: lgarrett@mtsac.edu

GREENSHEET

I. Course Description

This class develops analogical reasoning skills needed for effective and efficient online searching. The class is broad in scope and is applicable to a wide variety of online database services. The instruction prepares librarians for successful on-demand searching by developing high-level searching skills. Topics include pre-search planning, database selection, searching strategies including federated searching, search syntax development, retrieval set evaluation, document delivery, pricing, and search costs. Instruction is based on active learning theory and is devoted to gaining online searching experience.

II. School Goals and Objectives

Teaching Goal: The School promotes teaching by

2. Teaching students the major theories, important principles, and current practice in the following areas:

• The foundations of information services;
• Information transfer;
• Information management, including the selection, organization, storage, retrieval, dissemination and utilization of information resources;
• One or more specialized aspects of information management.

III. Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, the student will be able to:

1. Analyze and translate end-user search problems into successful search queries.
2. Select appropriate databases for a variety of search problems.
3. Apply appropriate search techniques and construct syntactically correct search queries using analogical transfer.
4. Judge relevancy and calculate the precision of the retrieval set to a search problem.
5. Analyze search results and identify and apply methods for improving precision.
6. Apply knowledge of search techniques to multiple search systems and databases.
7. Perform on-demand searching in person and virtually.
8. Identify document formatting and delivery options.
9. Be aware of current pricing and related search costs for a variety of online systems.
10. Plan, search, and present the solution of a complex search problem in the form of an annotated bibliography.

IV. Meeting Times

Days: Wednesdays (June 2, June 16, June 30, and July 14)
Time: 4:00 to 9:45. This includes two (2) ten to fifteen (10-15) minute breaks and one (1) thirty (30) minute meal break.

Class Structure:

There are twenty (20) hours of in-class time.

There are twenty-five (25) hours of structured search activities. This time is devoted to online searching and working with the systems. Plan additional homework and study time for completing the analytical aspect of each assignment.

V. Texts

There are no required texts. Print and online documentation provided by the vendors will be used as resources.

VI. Assignments

Searching Assignments

Approximately twenty-five (25) hours of required structured instructional time is divided into twenty-two (22) online searches.

There are two types of searches. The first is a syntax comparison search and the second, an analytical search.

Syntax Search Comparisons

Rationale: Understanding how the search syntax affects the outcome of a search is a critical skill necessary for successful online searching. This assignment illustrates how search engines process the search syntax and highlights how the search syntax affects the precision of a retrieval set. Comparing searches using various search syntax develops the student’s analogical reasoning skills for more advanced search problems.

Analytical Search Problems

Rationale: High-level analytical skills are necessary for effective and efficient searching. To accomplish this goal, the student must analyze search problems, select appropriate systems and databases, effectively construct search syntax, evaluate the retrieval set for relevancy, and as necessary, refine the search. This assignment challenges the student to not only perform searches, but also engage in problem solving and analysis.

On-Demand Searching Simulation

Rationale: Searching is primarily done at reference and information desks, and increasingly, online in a virtual environment. Regardless of the environment, online searching is spontaneous with limited or no preparation time. An in-class and online simulated on-demand reference question will be given to each student to experience on-demand searching.

Annotated Bibliography

Rationale: The ability to plan, research, compile, and format a relevant bibliography using online databases is a basic skill for librarians. This assignment gives the student an opportunity to practice searching skills, apply analogical reasoning, use a variety of online systems and databases, and judge relevancy while developing an annotated bibliography on a topic of personal interest.

VII. Grading and Due Dates

Final grades will be based on the following San José State University grading scale established for graduate students:

100 – 97 = A
96 – 94 = A-
93 – 91 = B+
90 – 88 = B
87 – 85 = B-

VIII. Office Hours

By appointment
Email: lgarrett@mtsac.edu
Phone: (909) 594-5611 X4122

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