Syllabus for "Finding & Using Information"

A Proposed One Credit-Hour Course

Outline

Students will identify many kinds of sources of information related to a variety of research topics; they will also tour the library to become familiar with locations associated with different research activities.

Students will become familiar with several aspects of the Information Search Process (Kuhlthau, 1993), including affective aspects. This knowledge will enable them to self-manage their own searches more effectively. This session will focus on the first 4 stages (initiating an assignment, selecting a topic, exploring information, and forming a focus).

Students will learn how to manage their own research projects using practical methods (such as index cards) that facilitate the research process and contribute to the ethical use of information sources. Students will examine some unethical uses of information and the consequences of such actions.

Students will learn how information originates among participants in practical and theoretical discourse; they will also learn how information represents claims about states of affairs.

Students will analyze arguments (as a common type of practical discourse) for their information content. In doing so they will also learn how they can incorporate information into their own arguments in essays, research papers, presentations, speeches, etc.

Students will be introduced to the concept of information genres and examine examples of the most common and useful ones as sources of information for different kinds of research projects.

Students will evaluate information according to criteria of internal plausibility. They will also evaluate information sources according to external criteria, such as the author's credentials, the genre of the source, the timeliness of the information, etc.; and according to practical criteria (availability and sophistication).

Students will formulate research questions to focus their research projects. They will also practice narrowing their research focus by modifying the research question.

Students will learn how to compile a working bibliography, which will represent the student's information search process in progress. This bibliography, with annotations, will be revised throughout the remainder of the course, and will be the major term project.

Students will modify a model search strategy to meet their own research needs. They will learn the uses of reference tools throughout the research process, starting with elaboration and modification of research question and search strategy.

Students will identify and use the main elements of bibliographic citations to distinguish citations to different kinds of sources. Students will also construct search strategies for electronic sources incorporating techniques such as truncation, Boolean operators, etc.

Students will learn about moral, ethical, and legal issues that are most relevant to Internet access, as well as network etiquette ("netiquette") and HCCS policies that govern student access to the Internet. Students will take a quiz and apply for Internet access.

Students will learn about the nature and history of the so-called "information superhighway," as well as the kinds of information sources one can find on the 'Net. They will also learn about the kinds of Internet browsing and searching tools that are available.

Students will use browsing tools on the Internet to identify potential sources of information.

Students will use searching tools on the Internet to identify potential sources of information.

The purpose of this session is to allow students to evaluate the course. Students will also turn in their term projects (working bibliographies) and portfolios of other work.

Week #1

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to identify a number of possible kinds of sources of information and relate them to a variety of topics.
2. Students will be able to identify some of the most important functional areas in the library.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will be able to describe their need to do research.
2. Students will identify one or more research topics that interest them.
3. Students will identify physical locations in the library with kinds of sources.

Possible Activities:

1. Personal introductions.
2. Group discussion/brainstorm topics of interest. Each student creates a list of 10 topics of interest to him/her (Kuhlthau, 1994).
3. Group discussion/brainstorm as many possible sources of information on topics as possible.
4. Construct a table comparing different information sources according to their currency, availability, scope, etc.
5. Tour of library.
6. Draw a map of the library that includes (based on knowledge so far) the most important sites for information research.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Blank tables for Activity #4.
• Outline map of the library (Activity #6).

Week #2

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to recognize the first 6 stages of Kuhlthau's "Information Search Process" (Kuhlthau, 1993).
2. Students will be familiar with the affective aspects of Kuhlthau's "Information Search Process."
3. Students will prepare to engage in the first 4 stages of the ISP.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will understand the task and associated thoughts, feelings, actions and possible strategies of Stage 1 ("Initiating an Assignment").
2. Students will be able to identify the three elements of a research assignment (Stage 1).
3. Students will be able to generate topics of interest (Stages 1/2),
4. Students will understand the task and associated thoughts, feelings, actions and possible strategies of Stage 2 ("Selecting a Topic").
5. Students will be able to evaluate prospective topics according to 4 criteria (Stage 2).
6. Students will be able to distinguish 3 types of library search and know when each is appropriate during the ISP (Stages 2,3,5).
7. Students will understand the task and associated thoughts, feelings, actions and possible strategies of Stage 3 ("Exploring Information").
8. Students will learn several ways to explore information to develop several focuses for a topic (Stage 3).
9. Students will understand the task and associated thoughts, feelings, actions and possible strategies of Stage 4 ("Forming a Focus").
10. Students will be able to evaluate a focus according to 4 criteria (Stage 4).
11. Students will understand the task and associated thoughts, feelings, actions and possible strategies of Stage 5 ("Collecting information").
12. Students will understand the task and associated thoughts, feelings, actions and possible strategies of Stage 6 (Preparing to present).
13. Students will be able to distinguish an "invitational" mood from an "indicative" mood (in research), and will recognize when each is appropriate during the ISP.

Possible Activities:

1. Discussion of research experiences and introduction of ISP.
2. Discussion of the nature of research assignments, with practice in discriminating research assignments and other kinds of assignments.
3. Students revise list of possible research topics (from previous session as necessary.
4. Students will evaluate at least 3 prospective topics according to 4 criteria.
5. Students will complete the "Library Collection Evaluation" worksheet for a topic of their choice.
6. Group discussion/brainstorm ideas for exploring information (based on Kuhlthau's Stage 3).

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• "Information Search Process" handout (Based on Kuhlthau, 1994, p. 25).
• "Examples of Research and Other Assignments" handout (Activity #2).
• "Evaluating Topics" worksheet (Activity #4; based on Kuhlthau, 1994, p. 45).
• "Library Collection Evaluation" worksheet (Activity #5; based on Kuhlthau, 1994, p. 47).

Week #3

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to manage their own research projects using methods that facilitate the research process and contribute to the ethical use of information sources.
2. Students will be able to avoid plagiarism and the consequences of such actions.
3. Students will be able to distinguish MLA and APA styles.
4. Students will be able to use note cards to organize their research notes.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students are able to define plagiarism.
2. Students identify MLA and APA styles.
3. Students create 3 kinds of note cards (question, fact--including quotations and paraphrase--and bibliography)

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion on plagiarism.
2. Discussion of alternative ways to manage research.
3. Students transform given MLA citations into APA style, and vice versa, on a "Citation Practice Worksheet."
4. Students create 3 sets of note cards related to a topic of their choice.

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• MLA/APA Handouts
• MLA/APA Worksheet
• 4 x 6 cards

Week #4

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to describe how information originates among participants in practical and theoretical discourse.
2. Students will be able to recognize the claims about states of affairs represented in a variety of information objects.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will define practical discourse ("know-how").
2. Students will define theoretical discourse ("know-what").
3. Students will identify three categories of states of affairs.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture on the nature of information.
2. Students (work in groups to) practice identifying the claims represented in various kinds of information items.
3. Students work in groups to construct (or describe) information items that represent claims about their own "topics."
4. Students work alone to construct (or describe) information items that represent claims about three kinds of states of affairs related to their own "topics."

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• "Information items" (examples) for Activity #2

Week #5

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to recognize the place of argument in practical and theoretical discourse.
2. Students will be able to analyze arguments for their information content.
3. Students will be able to incorporate information into their own arguments.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will learn the 5 parts of a substantive argument (Toulmin).
2. Students will identify the parts of various arguments in context.
3. Students will be able to construct a substantive argument on their own.

Possible Activities:

1. Discussion of the value of arguments.
2. Lecture on the nature of substantive arguments.
3. Students work in groups to analyze (identify the parts of) sample arguments in context (see "Argument Worksheet").
4. Students work in groups to construct arguments. To do so, they will provide data, warrants, claims, rebuttals, and qualifiers.
5. Students work alone to construct arguments related to their own topics.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Handout on the structure of substantive arguments (with extra copies for constructing arguments, Activities #4 and #5).
• Argument Worksheet (Activity #3)

Week #6

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be introduced to the concept of information genres and examine examples of the most common and useful ones as sources of information for different kinds of research projects.
2. Students will be able to place a variety of information genres in the information cycle.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will distinguish books, periodicals, AV materials, and electronic resources.
2. Students will distinguish the three main categories of periodicals.
3. Students will be able to identify several important kinds of magazines.
4. Students will be able to identify several important kinds of articles commonly found in magazines.
5. Students will be able to identify several important kinds of articles commonly found in daily newspapers.
6. Students will be able to identify two kinds of journals.
7. Students will be able to identify the parts of a research article (in a journal).
8. Students will be able to identify several important kinds of books.
9. Students will be able to identify parts of books.
10. Students will describe the information cycle.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion of genres concept.
2. Students complete a table in which they describe by: source, audience, primary aim of genre, primary value, physical characteristics, etc.
3. Lecture/discussion on the information cycle.
4. Students reconstruct the information cycle.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Worksheets for genres exercise (Activity #2).

Week #7

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to evaluate information according to criteria of internal plausibility. This means asking the question: Are the claims represented in the information source (likely to be) warranted?
2. Students will be able to evaluate information sources according to criteria of external plausibility. This means asking the question: Are the claims represented in the information source (likely to be) relevant to my project?
3. Students will be able to evaluate information sources according to practical criteria. This means asking the question: Will I be able to get and understand this information source?

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will learn 3 criteria of internal plausibility (credentials of the author, credentials of the publisher, audience).
2. Students will learn 3 criteria of external plausibility (scope, currency, focus).
3. Students will learn 2 practical criteria (physical availability and sophistication).

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion on ways to evaluate information.
2. Group practice/exercise on evaluating various information sources, using the three kinds of criteria.
3. Individuals complete Evaluation Worksheet (quick evaluation of 10 information sources according to criteria)

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Examples of information sources for Activity #2.
• Evaluation Worksheet (Based on a topic of their choice, students rate 10 information sources by relevant evaluation criteria. They are required to give a rationale for any low ratings.)

Week #8

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to formulate appropriate research questions to focus their research projects.
2. Students will be able to elaborate a research question into a set of related questions.
3. Students will be able to evaluate research questions.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will use 6 question words (who, what, when, where, why, how) to begin information questions.
2. Students will use brainstorming techniques, such as conceptual mapping, to probe a question for subordinate factual questions.
3. Students will use the argument model to identify questions based on the data, warrants, and rebuttals that support/contradict claims ("Why?/Why not?").
4. Students will narrow their research questions by adding scope clauses.
5. Students will learn some criteria for evaluating a research question, such as: scope of the question, currency, relevance to a community of inquiry, availability of materials, worth of the question.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion on the importance of the research question.
2. Using a topic of choice, each student writes at least 6 information questions he or she would like to answer.
3. Using the answers to the six questions in Activity #2 (or 6 other related claims), students describe where they might use tham in an argument. They then write information questions directed to the data, warrant, rebuttal, qualifiers, or claim that would complete the argument.
4. Students draft a preliminary research question, and then narrow it using scope clauses.
5. Students evaluate their research questions according to given criteria.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Worksheet for elaborating arguments (Activities #2 & 3).

Week #9

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to compile a working bibliography on a topic of their choice.
2. Students will be able to annotate sources using quotation, paraphrase, and summary.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will distinguish several kinds of bibliography.
2. Students will distinguish several ways to organize a working bibliography (e.g., alphabetical, chronological, topical arrangements).
3. Students will be able to distinguish among quotation, paraphrase, and summary as alternative ways of representing the contents of potential sources.
4. Students will be able to write paraphrases of information.
5. Students will be able to write summaries of information sources.

Possible Activities:

1. Discussion of the place of a working bibliography in the search process.
2. Discussion of ways of organizing a working bibliography.
3. Discussion of quotation, paraphrase, and summary.
4. Practice choosing among quotation, paraphrase, and summary.
5. Practice writing annotations.
6. Students begin a 20-item annotated bibliography of resources related to a topic of their choice (to be completed by session #16).

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Examples for practice (Activities #4 and #5).

Week #10

Focus:

Rationale:

Objective:

1. Students will be able to access and use reference tools effectively throughout the research process.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will be able to define reference tools.
2. Students will be able to identify examples of the 7 kinds of reference tools (dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, biographical sources, almanacs, directories, and compilations).
3. Students will recognize the relationship between certain kinds of questions (question words) and certain kinds of reference tools.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion on reference tools and hands-on demonstration of the 7 categories.
2. Individual or group projects in which students choose topics and search (browse) for relevant reference tools in one of the 7 categories. Students report back to class either in writing or in oral reports (in a later session). For each tool, students write examples of questions (related to topics) that can be answered with the tool.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Reference tools representing categories for hands-on demonstration.

Week #11

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to use electronic citation databases effectively.
2. Students will be able to identify and use the main elements of bibliographic citations to distinguish citations to different kinds of sources.
3. Students will be able to construct search strategies for electronic sources incorporating techniques such as truncation, Boolean operators, etc.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will define searching tools.
2. Students will identify the two main categories of searching tools (library catalogs and periodical indexes).
3. Students will identify a number of periodical indexes.
4. Students will identify the key elements of bibliographic citations.
5. Students will be able to use the Boolean operators "and," "or" and "not."
6. Students will be able to use truncation.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion/demonstration on searching tools and techniques.
2. Class exercise on identifying parts of citations.
3. Demonstration of searching techniques (Boolean operators and truncation).
4. Students work in small groups to articulate search strategies for assigned topics/questions.
5. Students continue work on a 20-item annotated bibliography of resources related to a topic of their choice (to be completed and turned by session #16).

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Computer with network connection and projection panel for demonstration.
• Computers with network connections for hands-on experience.
• Citations for class exercise (Activity #2).
• List of topics/questions for Activity #4.

Week #12

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will become familiar with the legal, ethical, and moral issues most commonly associated with Internet access and use.
2. Students will become familiar with "netiquette."
3. Students will become familiar with HCCS policies regarding student access to the Internet.
4. Students will become familiar with the penalties associated with violations of the HCCS policies regarding student access to the Internet.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will become aware of privacy issues on the Internet.
2. Students will become familiar with copyright law as it applies to the Internet.
3. Students will understand the penalties for libel.
4. Students willbe familiar with e-mail "stylistics" and conventions.
5. Students will have a thorough knowledge of relevant HCCS policies.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/discussion of moral and ethical issues.
2. On-line access to "Netiquette" home page, with discussion.
3. Group review of HCCS policies.
4. "Quiz".
5. Completion of application for HCCS access.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Computer with projection panel and overhead for demonstration.
• HCCS Internet Policies (not written).
• "Quiz".
• Application for HCCS Internet access.

Week #13

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to describe the nature and history of the so-called "information superhighway" (the Internet).
2. Students will be able to identify the kinds of information sources one can find on the 'Net.
3. Students will be able to describe and recognize the kinds of Internet browsing and searching tools that are available.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will be able to describe the Internet.
2. Students will be able to define the most important categories of Internet resources.
3. Students will be able to distinguish by definition browsing and searching tools.
4. Students will be able to name and recognize the most important browsing tools.
5. Students will be able to name and recognize the most important searching tools.

Possible Activities:

1. Lecture/demonstration about the history and nature of the Internet.
2. Demonstration of browsing tools.
3. Demonstration of searching tools.
4. Students continue work on their 20-item annotated bibliographies.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Computer with projection panel and overhead for demonstration.
• Computers with network connections for hands-on experience.
• Network access for each student.
• Extra lab time for students to engage in hands-on individual work.

Week #14

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to use browsing tools on the Internet to find information.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will define browsing tools.
2. Students will be able to identify some of the most useful Internet browsing tools.
3. Students will use Gopher to browse "gopherspace."
4. Students will use a graphic "browser" (such as Mosaic or Netscape) to browse the World Wide Web (as well as gopherspace and ftp sites).

Possible Activities:

1. Demonstration of browsing tools.
2. Students try various browsing tools hands-on.
3. Students continue work on their 20-item annotated bibliographies.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Computers with network connections for hands-on experience.
• Network access for each student.
• Extra lab time for students to engage in hands-on individual work.

Week #15

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to use searching tools on the Internet to find information.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Students will define searching tools.
2. Students will be able to identify some of the most useful Internet searching tools and know what they search.
3. Students will be able to use Archie to search FTP archives.
4. Student will be able to find and search WAIS servers.
5. Students will be able to use Jughead to search a particular Gopher server.
6. Students will be able to use Veronica to search gopherspace.
7. Students will be able to use several appropriate tools, such as Lycos, WebCrawler, and the World Wide Web Worm to search the World Wide Web.

Possible Activities:

1. Demonstration of searching tools.
2. Students try various searching tools hands-on.
3. Students continue work on their 20-item annotated bibliographies.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Computers with network connections for hands-on experience.
• Network access for each student.
• Extra lab time for students to engage in hands-on individual work.

Week #16

Focus:

Rationale:

Objectives:

1. Students will turn in their semester assignments (student portfolio and annotated bibliography).
2. Students will evaluate the course.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Assignments are due at the beginning of class.
2. Students will reflect on the merits and flaws of the course.
3. Students will complete an evaluation questionnaire.

Possible Activities:

1. Discussion of course.
2. Completion of questionnaire.

Evaluation:

Resources:

• Blackboard and chalk (or overhead and write-on transparency).
• Student evaluation questionnaires.

References

Kuhlthau, Carol C. (1994). Teaching the Library research Process. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press.

Toulmin, Stephen E. (1957). The Uses of Argument. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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