LIBR 281-04
LIBR 281-13
Seminar in Contemporary Issues
Topic: Publishing for the Library and Information Science Profession
Fall 2008 Greensheet
Laurie Putnam
E-mail
Office: Monterey, CA
Office Hours: Virtually by e-mail
Course Links Greensheet Frequently Asked Questions Is Online Right For You? Course Wiki |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
Textbooks and Readings | Course Requirements
This course will be conducted online using Blackboard. There will be one required Elluminate session on Tuesday, September 9, 6:30 to 8:00 PM Pacific time. On Friday, August 22, the access code for the course Blackboard site will be sent to enrolled students via the My.SJSU.edu messaging system and the Blackboard site will open for self-enrollment. Our first class will be Tuesday, August 26.
Course Description
In this course you’ll examine the publications that inform and influence the world of library and information science, from scholarly journals to association newsletters to publications for lay readers. Then you’ll practice the writing, editing, and reviewing skills needed to incorporate publishing opportunities into your own professional life. Here’s a chance to take a break from academic writing and try some other forms—an interview, a newsletter article, an opinion piece, and even an article for people outside the library world.
The health of any profession depends on the vigorous exchange of news, knowledge, and ideas, and today the field of library and information science (LIS) is especially vibrant. Libraries and their services are evolving, adapting to new technologies and user needs. Information issues are reaching across disciplines and communities and touching people everywhere, inside and outside the library. By writing about library and information subjects, we can support our profession and reach out to our communities. We can share, inform, and advocate.
There’s plenty to write about. And there are plenty of publishing venues, in print and online. In fact, there are more professional publishing opportunities available to us today than ever before: professional journals and newsletters, weblogs and discussion lists, magazines and newspapers. To maintain the richness and relevancy of their content, many of these publications depend on the work of authors, editors, reviewers, and other contributors. You can join them. If you like to write and you have something to say about library and information science, this is a great time to start developing your ideas, sharing your work, and building your own portfolio of publications.
Prerequisites: To register for this course, you must have already completed LIBR 200 (Information and Society), 202 (Information Retrieval), and 204 (Information Organizations and Management), and it’s recommended that you also have several electives under your belt. In this course you’ll be responsible for choosing the topics you want to research and write about. It’s easier to do that if you’ve already taken some electives, written lots of research papers, and had a chance to develop your own interests within the field.
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
This course is designed to broaden and deepen your understanding of professional publishing opportunities, and to develop the skills you need to incorporate those opportunities into your own professional life. By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Understand the scope of professional publications and define the differences between various types.
- Identify and analyze the audiences, objectives, and submission requirements of a publication.
- Understand editorial and review processes and standards.
- Apply the above knowledge and skills in writing and reviewing articles intended for publication.
The course content will be applicable to all types of libraries, librarians, and information professionals. This course will not cover fiction and poetry writing, nor will it or address the layout and production of print or electronic publications.
Core Competencies
This course directly supports the following SLIS core competency:
- Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations, and professional-level presentations.
Depending on the topics you choose to write about, this course can also support the demonstration of these and other competencies:
- Apply the fundamental principles of...marketing and advocacy.
- ...Retrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups.
- Articulate the ethics, values, and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom.
Textbooks and Readings
Required Texts
- Gordon, Rachel Singer. 2004. The Librarian’s Guide to Writing for Publication. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. Available directly from the publisher, from major booksellers, or through the SLIS eBookstore.
- Rankin, Elizabeth. 2001. The Work of Writing: Insights and Strategies for Academics and Professionals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Available directly from the publisher, from major booksellers, or through the SLIS eBookstore.
- Wilbers, Stephen. 2000. Keys to Great Writing. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books. Available directly from the publisher, from major booksellers, or through the SLIS eBookstore. Autographed copies are available from the author.
You will also be required to subscribe to the free Library Link of the Day. A brief daily message from Library Link will send you news on library and information science issues, trends, and activities, and will expose you to many different publications and types of writing.
Additional readings will be provided by the instructor.
Recommended Reference Books
Throughout the course, you’ll need to have easy access to a good dictionary and one or more style guides. The following are recommended. To complete the style guide exercise, you’ll need to have full access to all three of these books (you’ll find them on the reference shelf in most libraries).
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (fifth edition). 2001. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. This is commonly known as the APA Manual, and most of you will have it already; it’s SLIS’s official style guide and it’s required for your e-portfolio. Note, though, that different publications require different style guides. The articles you write for this course may or may not follow the APA Manual’s style.
- The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers (fifteenth edition). 2003. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. An excellent manual, the style guide most frequently used by professional editors and publishers. Keep in mind that other SLIS courses and your e-portfolio require use of the APA Manual rather than Chicago, though, so beware of style differences.
- Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (eleventh edition). 2003. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc. The dictionary most often used by professional editors and publishers.
Course Requirements
Format and Technology
This course will make use of Blackboard, Elluminate, wiki, and online presentation technologies. Lectures will be posted and assignments will be due on Tuesdays.
The course will be taught as a series of modules on topics related to writing, editing, and publishing. Each module will consist of:
- A Real Audio lecture or multimedia presentation (slides, notes, and audio), which may include presentations by guest speakers. You’ll need to have the current version of the RealOne Player installed on your computer. For instructions on how to download a free copy of the RealOne Player, see the Software Downloads section of the SLIS website.
- Textbook and/or supplementary readings. Many handouts will be in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format, so you’ll need to have the current version of Acrobat Reader. For instructions on how to download a free copy of Acrobat Reader, see the Software Downloads section of the SLIS website.
- One or more assignments that will give you a chance to learn more about the topic and develop your own skills.
Topics and Assignments
The first part of the course will give you an opportunity to become familiar with the world of library and information science publications. We’ll look at the broad range of publications available, then analyze selected publications and their audiences in depth.
The second part of the course will give you an opportunity to focus on developing your own writing, editing, and reviewing skills. You’ll target specific publications and audiences, produce original works of writing, and work with a writing group to refine your drafts.
You will be expected to participate in class and group discussions throughout the semester.
Course topics will include the following:
- Introduction
Topics: The role and value of professional publications; terminology
Assignment: Your biographical sketch - The world of LIS publications
Topics: The scope of LIS publications; types of publications and the differences between them; finding and following submission guidelines
Assignment: Analyses of the purpose, submission requirements, and other elements of different LIS periodicals and publishers - Audiences and articles
Topics: Different types of articles and the elements of an article; understanding target audiences
Assignment: Analyses of reader characteristics of LIS-oriented and lay publications (lay publications are those read by nonlibrarians, or “civilians”) - Editing
Topics: What editors do; working with editors; style guides and editorial processes
Assignment: Style guide exercise - Writing for publication
Topics: Finding your professional voice; focusing your topic; researching and interviewing; composing, revising, and finishing your article; writing objectively; writing persuasively; writing for lay audiences
Assignments: Four writing projects will be required; all will address LIS subjects. Most of your pieces will be geared toward LIS-oriented audiences, such as librarians and other information professionals; one piece will be written for a civilian audience.
Writing projects will include:- Two short book reviews.
- An interview-based newsletter article (such as a profile of an interesting person) for an LIS audience.
- An informative newsletter article (such as an objective story about a library program or issue) for an LIS audience.
- A point-of-view piece (such as a persuasive opinion column or a “perspective” piece) for an LIS audience.
- An informative or persuasive article for a civilian audience, such as library patrons or the general public.
- Peer reviews
Topics: Writing groups and peer reviews; giving constructive feedback to other writers
Assignments: During the second half of the semester, you’ll work in small writing groups, where you’ll review your colleagues’ writing and provide constructive feedback for the authors to consider as they develop and refine their drafts. You’ll also share your own work and consider your colleagues’ feedback on your drafts before you submit final, polished articles to the instructor. - Submitting your work to a publisher
Topics: Query letters and cover letters; submission tips; book proposals
Assignment: A query or cover letter will be included with your last two writing assignments.
Calendar
A detailed course calendar will be posted on the class Blackboard site at the beginning of the semester.
Grading
A total of 1,000 points will be possible.
- Publication analyses: 75 points
- Audience analyses: 75 points
- Style guide exercise: 75 points
- Interview-based article: 125 points
- Newsletter article for an LIS-oriented audience: 150 points
- Point-of-view piece for an LIS-oriented audience: 175 points
- Article for a civilian (nonlibrarian) audience: 175 points
- Class participation, including your biographical sketch, book reviews, interactions with online guests, participation in class discussions, and other postings to the class discussion boards: 75 points
- Writing group participation, including posting of your own drafts and constructive reviewing of your colleagues’ drafts: 75 points
Grading Scale
The standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale is utilized for all SLIS courses:
97-100 | A |
94-96 | A- |
91-93 | B+ |
88-90 | B |
85-87 | B- |
82-84 | C+ |
79-81 | C |
76-78 | C- |
73-75 | D+ |
70-72 | D |
67-69 | D- |
Below 67 | F |
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;
- 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 Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0.
Late Assignments
Late assignments will not be accepted, and incompletes will not be awarded. If you have an illness (and can provide a doctor’s confirmation) or a family tragedy, please contact the instructor.
Academic Integrity
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy 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 policy on academic integrity can be found at http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct.
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability,
please e-mail the instructor as soon as possible. SJSU Presidential Directive 97-03 requires
that students with disabilities register with the Disability Resource Center
(DRC) to establish record of their disability.
No matter where students reside, they should contact the SJSU DRC to register. The DRC Web site: http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/